As we clearly see throughout this superb film Salieri is consumed with hatred and jealousy towards Mozart. I cannot help thinking though that, by the end, this hatred and jealousy has changed to an admiration and even an affection towards him.
Anybody else think the same?
In a way, yes - certainly he admires his genius, and feels pity for him. It's worth considering that Salieri's war is not with Mozart - it's with God. Mozart is simply the battlefield.
shareYes indeed. Interesting.
shareThat's such a good way to put it. And on my recent rewatch i realized Salieri is seriously one of the greatest film characters/motivations of all time. The conflict between his respect and hatred is so brilliant
shareI agree. Salieri was a very troubled man and it drove him to his bitter end. It was a love/hate relationship with Mozart that drove him to self destruction.
shareI'm not sure what the real Salieri felt about him, but the film Salieri always admired Mozart.
What set Salieri off was that this God-given talent (a talent that he had long prayed for) was bestowed upon such a vile, disgusting, uncultured person such as Mozart.
I love that scene where Salieri, in a moment of pure unguarded candor, told Mozart he was the greatest composer known to him.
I think most of us have someone in our life who plays a tug of war at our emotions. They make us feel inferior or inept without even knowing it.
I think it's much the same for Salieri. I think he did have a great admiration for Mozart's talent. Possibly an admiration because everything seemed to come so easily to him.
He just didn't have much respect for him.
No, I think Salieri respected Mozart and was not at all jealous of him. I also think this movie is utter nonsense.
shareI adore this film, and wish there were more like it! I don't insist that you like it, I just pity you because you're missing out on the wonders therein.
I can't think of another film that does a better job of dramatizing one person's internal emotional conflict off the top of my head, nor another film about simultaneous unrequited love and unrequited hate. There are, of course, other films that take advantage of the sublime music of Mozart's operas, but not one that gave them so much meaning as well as beauty. This film is an utter treat, a lucious multi-course banquet of most of my favorite art forms.
You "pity" me? Wow, aren't you wonderfully pretentious and condescending. You and this movie are a perfect fit, it seems.
The movie IS utter nonsense when it comes to the real life Mozart and Salieri. Pretty insulting, in fact.