--- title: "Amadeus" year: 1984 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/amadeus" fi1m_id: "amadeus" imdb_id: "tt0086879" tmdb_id: 279 wikidata_id: "Q190956" fi1m_score: 91 critics_score: 84 critics_reviews: 7 published: "2026-09-15" updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:06.997521+00:00" region: "PL" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Amadeus (1984) Directed by Miloš Forman · 2h 40m · PISF 12 · Drama, History, Music ## Identity Amadeus - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/amadeus - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** amadeus - **IMDb ID:** tt0086879 - **TMDB ID:** 279 - **Wikidata ID:** Q190956 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086879/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/279, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q190956 **Fi1m score: 91** · Critics 84 from 7 reviews *In a sentence:* Mozart’s laugh makes a surprisingly good case for Salieri > Miloš Forman’s film about Mozart and Salieri is funny, cruel and deeply involving, with F. Murray Abraham making envy painfully understandable. Mozart’s childishness occasionally wears thin, but the music and the rivalry hold us for the full 160 minutes. ## Synopsis Constanze Mozart (Tom Hulce) has a musical gift that fellow composer Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham) recognises with painful clarity. Salieri’s admiration becomes entangled with envy as he struggles to accept the talent of a man whose behaviour he finds hard to bear. While Mozart makes an impression through his music and his immaturity, Salieri measures his own accomplishments against those of his rival. Set in the eighteenth century, Miloš Forman’s drama follows the two composers, with Elizabeth Berridge as Constanze Mozart and Jeffrey Jones as Emperor Joseph II. Peter Shaffer writes the screenplay. ## Review Miloš Forman’s [*Amadeus*](https://film.one/tv/amadeus-2025) is a film we would recommend to someone with no particular interest in classical music. Peter Shaffer’s screenplay gives us a gifted composer, Constanze Mozart, and a rival, Antonio Salieri, who understands just how much better Mozart is. Salieri has enough musical judgement to appreciate what he cannot produce, and the film makes his predicament funny without making it painless. At 160 minutes, there is time to hear the music, enjoy the bad behaviour and begin to feel uncomfortable about how easily we understand the envy. F. Murray Abraham gives Salieri the intelligence the part needs; a merely foolish rival would leave us with much less to watch. The sequence in which he describes hearing Mozart’s music for the first time moved us more than we expected. He is so absorbed in describing what he hears that we briefly forget how much he dislikes its composer. His delight in the music makes the envy hurt. Abraham can go well beyond ordinary conversational emphasis because we believe that Salieri has something worth saying about what he hears. Tom Hulce makes Mozart gauche, immature and sometimes exhausting company, with a laugh that could make a patient person reconsider their principles. There is something liberating about a film that allows a great composer to be this much of a nuisance. Hulce’s behaviour also gives Abraham something solid to react against: Salieri does not have to search far for grounds to dislike the man. The music makes those grounds seem embarrassingly inadequate. Miroslav Ondříček photographs the grand period settings without letting them dwarf the actors. Patrizia von Brandenstein’s production design supplies plenty to look at, and Theodor Pištěk’s costumes help make public life look like an occasion for showing off. The clothes and surroundings make the vulgarity funnier: these people have gone to some trouble to look respectable. Forman keeps the operatic set pieces within the same lively, unruly film, allowing the spectacle to sit comfortably alongside the quarrelling and the comedy. Editors Nena Danevic and Michael Chandler keep a long film moving without reducing the musical performances to brief proofs of Mozart’s talent. We need to listen for ourselves if Salieri’s response is going to carry any weight, and the film gives us that chance. Mozart’s music is allowed to command our attention, which makes the return to wounded pride and bad manners more awkward. These passages are a substantial part of the pleasure, even without the rivalry to explain their presence. The editing allows time for us to enjoy them. The weakness is that Forman and Shaffer occasionally insist too hard on Mozart’s childishness, and Hulce can become repetitive once the initial surprise has passed. Elizabeth Berridge’s Constanze Mozart brings a welcome directness beside the leads, though the writing gives her less room to develop. Yet Forman’s willingness to be bawdy remains a relief in a genre prone to treating a composer’s reputation as sufficient reason to sit quietly for an evening. The film offers ample pleasure to anyone who has never identified an aria and does not intend to start. Give it an uninterrupted evening and enough volume for the music. *Fi1m score 91, published 15 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics warmly praise Amadeus as a lively, funny and moving account of artistic envy, with Salieri’s understanding of Mozart’s gifts giving the rivalry its tragic force. Praise centres on F. Murray Abraham’s embittered Salieri and Tom Hulce’s unruly Mozart, alongside the period settings and the use of Mozart’s music. The reviews repeatedly admire Forman’s ability to combine vulgar comedy with serious feeling without making genius seem solemn or remote. The reservations concern how that irreverence changes the story, and a few responses sit well below the favourable consensus. The Evening Standard enjoys the acting but finds the American sensibility dated and the treatment more concerned with status than inspiration; Time Out also finds the accents intrusive. Variety offers a sharper dissent, arguing that Forman’s naturalism weakens the theatrical material and that shifting attention from Salieri leaves Mozart looking one-dimensional. ## Straight answers **Is Amadeus worth watching?** *Amadeus* is worth watching for almost anyone, including people with no interest in classical music, and we scored it 91. F. Murray Abraham makes Salieri's envy of Mozart intelligent and painfully easy to understand, and the film gives the music time to earn that envy. Tom Hulce's childish Mozart can wear thin over 160 minutes, but the rivalry holds. **How long is Amadeus, and what is it rated?** *Amadeus* runs 2h 40m and is rated 12 by the PISF in Poland. It is a drama and history film. **Where can I watch Amadeus in Poland?** *Amadeus* is available to buy from Amazon Prime Video from zł 39.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How does Amadeus compare to The Red Shoes?** *Amadeus* and [*The Red Shoes*](https://film.one/film/the-red-shoes) are both about artistic ambition eating into private life, but Forman's film is the funnier and cruder of the two, while Powell and Pressburger's is the more seductive and dangerous. Choose *Amadeus* for a rivalry played for comedy and discomfort, *The Red Shoes* for a single dancer's obsession. We would recommend either to anyone. **What should I watch after Amadeus?** After *Amadeus*, try [*The Red Shoes*](https://film.one/film/the-red-shoes) (1948, Fi1m 92): Artistic ambition consumes private lives, with the performances given time to matter. Then [*The Music Room*](https://film.one/film/the-music-room) (1958, Fi1m 88): Another man measures his worth through music, while his social standing crumbles; and [*Topsy-Turvy*](https://film.one/film/topsy-turvy) (1999, Fi1m 88): The awkward people and patient labour behind musical pleasure, with room for comedy. ### Reviews we read (14) - **Radio Times**, David Parkinson (5/5): Amadeus is one of the finest biographical dramas ever made, as much about Salieri’s envy and mediocrity as about Mozart’s genius. Forman and his team revel in Prague’s beauty, while the majestic music and standout performances, especially F. Murray Abraham’s, make it an unexpected box-office and awards triumph. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-mur2f7/amadeus/) - **Empire**, Ian Nathan (95/100, inferred): The critic calls Forman’s film a sumptuous, witty, dark, moving and majestic masterpiece that stands above its era’s shallow blockbusters, praising its exploration of self-aware mediocrity versus blind talent and the performances of Tom Hulce and F. Murray Abraham. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/amadeus-review/) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (90/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's mesmeric quality and F Murray Abraham's villainous performance as Salieri, highlighting the dazzling set pieces and the rivalry between the composers. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jul/23/amadeus-review-f-murray-abraham-mesmerises-as-mozarts-lizardly-frenemy-in-milos-formans-masterpiece) - **Total Film** (90/100, inferred): The review finds the Director’s Cut even better than the already spellbinding original, highlighting how added scenes deepen the relationships and make the majestic, bawdy, unnerving, funny and tragic bio-mystery unmissable. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/amadeus-directors-cut-review/) - **The Telegraph**, Tim Robey (85/100, inferred): The review lauds the film's provocative, irreverent take on the Mozart-Salieri rivalry and its bold vulgarity, contrasting it favorably with modern biopics while noting its enduring influence. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2025/07/25/sexy-mad-and-vulgar-amadeus-blows-todays-timid-biopics/) - **Evening Standard**, Brian Hunt (50/100, inferred): The critic notes the film’s dated early-1980s American sensibility and shallower take on status over inspiration but savours the stops-out acting, especially F. Murray Abraham’s Salieri and Tom Hulce’s gauche Mozart. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/amadeus-directors-cut-7432720.html) - **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert: The critic calls the film a magnificent, fun, tender, funny and charming tragicomedy that succeeds in humanizing Mozart while exploring the envy of his rival Salieri. The one element singled out for praise is the casting and portrayal of Mozart as a goofy, immature kid with a ridiculous laugh rather than a tortured genius. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/amadeus-1984) - **Sight and Sound**, Gilbert Adair: Forman has turned Shaffer’s play into a lively, showbiz-inflected cartoon of the 18th century, with Mozart and Salieri as a Roadrunner-and-Wile E. Coyote pair whose rivalry ends in moving tragedy. The director’s caricatural approach and energetic adaptation compensate for the loss of the play’s darker moments. [Read](http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/reviews/releases/gilbert-adair-amadeus-carmen-and-ginger-and-fred.php) - **The New York Times**, Vincent Canby: The critic praises the film as a handsome, music-filled screen version that celebrates genius in an illuminating, moving and just fashion. The one element singled out for praise is Salieri's description of hearing Mozart's music for the first time, capturing its divinity and emotional impact. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1984/09/19/movies/the-screen-amadeus-directed-by-forman.html) - **Time Out**, CS: Salieri becomes a hate-filled monster bent on ruining Mozart, yet emerges as the more tragic figure because he alone fully appreciates the genius he envies. Forman draws perceptive links between the composer’s life and work, though the American accents are intrusive. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/amadeus) - **Variety**, Todd McCarthy: The critic finds the film a disappointment despite strong material, with the play's stature diminished on screen and Forman's naturalistic approach ill-suited to its stylized origins. The one element singled out for complaint is the shift in focus away from Salieri toward a one-dimensional, bratty portrayal of Mozart. [Read](https://variety.com/1984/film/reviews/amadeus-1200426332/) - **Eye for Film**, Angus Wolfe Murray (4/5): The re-release of the Director's Cut restores key operatic sequences and improves the film's shape. It praises the strong performances, especially F. Murray Abraham as Salieri, and calls the result a cinematic delight. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/amadeus-the-directors-cut-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) - **Consequence**: The critic describes Amadeus as one of Forman’s triumphs and arguably the greatest film about jealousy, focusing on the intense rivalry and contrasting personalities of Salieri and Mozart. It singles out the perfect tonal balance of silliness and seriousness along with the exquisite production and performances. [Read](https://consequence.net/2014/09/amadeus-at-30-how-milos-forman-made-silly-serious-masterpieces/) - **Paste**, Garrett Martin: The critic calls Amadeus an exhilarating film that examines artistic genius through the lens of jealousy, praising the sumptuous period detail, the recreation of Mozart’s works, and the brilliant performances by F. Murray Abraham and Tom Hulce. It notes how the film moves briskly despite its length and highlights the strong supporting turn by Elizabeth Berridge. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/4k-uhd-blu-ray/physical-specimens-new-4k-reviews-including-the-wages-of-fear-and-amadeus) ## Details - **Director:** Miloš Forman - **Director:** Miloš Forman - **Screenplay:** Peter Shaffer - **Cinematography:** Miroslav Ondříček - **Editor:** Michael Chandler, Nena Danevic - **Music:** Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - **Production design:** Patrizia von Brandenstein - **Costume design:** Theodor Pištěk - **Producer:** Saul Zaentz - **Cast:** F. Murray Abraham as Antonio Salieri; Tom Hulce as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Elizabeth Berridge as Constanze Mozart; Simon Callow as Emanuel Schikaneder; Roy Dotrice as Leopold Mozart; Christine Ebersole as Katerina Cavalieri; Jeffrey Jones as Emperor Joseph II; Charles Kay as Count Orsini-Rosenberg - **Runtime:** 2h 40m - **Certificate (PISF):** 12 - **Release (Poland):** 3 October 1986 - **Genres:** Drama, History, Music - **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Winner, 1984); [BAFTA Best Film winners](https://film.one/collections/bafta-best-film.md) (Nominee, 1985); [Golden Globe Best Drama winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-drama.md) (Winner, 1984); [Films where the soundtrack is the real star](https://film.one/collections/soundtrack-is-the-star.md) - **Budget:** $18 million - **Box office:** $90 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNnugovJdzM ## Where to watch in Poland - Amazon Prime Video: buy zł 39.99, hd *Checked 2026-09-15.* Also available in: AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CZ, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, IE, IT, LT, NL, NO, NZ, PL, PT, RS, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - BAFTA Film Awards 1986: Best Editing (won); Best Makeup and Hair (won); Best Sound (won) - Academy Awards 1985: Best Cinematography (nominated); Best Film Editing (nominated); Best Actor (won); Best Costume Design (won); Best Director (won); Best Makeup and Hairstyling (won); Best Picture (won); Best Production Design (won); Best Sound (won); Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (won) - Amanda Award for Best Foreign Feature Film 1985: Amanda Award for Best Foreign Feature Film (won) - Golden Globes 1985: Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama (won) - Golden Globes 1984: Best Motion Picture – Drama (nominated) ## If you liked this - *The Red Shoes* (1948), Fi1m 92: Artistic ambition consumes private lives, with the performances given time to matter. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-red-shoes.md) - *Tous les matins du monde* (1991): Music, wounded pride and difficult mentorship, played with considerably less public misbehaviour. - *The Music Room* (1958), Fi1m 88: Another man measures his worth through music, while his social standing crumbles. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-music-room.md) - *Topsy-Turvy* (1999), Fi1m 88: The awkward people and patient labour behind musical pleasure, with room for comedy. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/topsy-turvy.md) - *The Favourite* (2018), Fi1m 87: Courtly splendour houses spite, vulgarity and people keeping careful track of every slight. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-favourite.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/amadeus