Daily Dialogue — February 22, 2013
February 22nd, 2013 by ScottThe aide wheels Salieri towards the door. Salieri gestures to Father Vogel.
SALIERI: I will speak for you, Father. I speak for ALL mediocrities in the world. I am their champion. I am their patron saint.
He CHUCKLES, EXITS, PROCEEDS through a hallway of psychiatric hospital patients.
SALIERI: Mediocrities everywhere, I absolve you! I absolve you! I absolve you! I absolve you all!
Mozart’s signature GUFFAW plays as credits roll.
– Amadeus (1984), written by Peter Shaffer
The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is last laugh suggested by Vic Tional. Today’s suggestion by rgiamatteo.
Trivia: Milos Forman and Peter Shaffer spent four months adapting the very stylized play into a workable script. They added characters such as the priest, maid, archbishop, and mother-in-law; Mozart’s character was enlarged beyond Salieri’s perceptions; and Salieri’s monologues were reworked visually.
Dialogue On Dialogue: A sublime ending to a sublime movie, thick with irony.
One of the great endings. I remember how hard it hit me to see this great artist’s death and his ignoble burial in a pauper’s grave. And then when Salieri says his final line “Mediocrities everywhere, I absolve you!” he looks directly into camera. I felt humbled.
The entire third act is incredible culminating in that amazing piece of cinema: Mozart conveying music in his head to Salieri who desperately tries to transcribe the composition. For Salieri, such a bittersweet moment because he is this close to experiencing creative brilliance, albeit Mozart’s. Great movie!