A Tale of Obsession and Murder in Vienna
Forget The Sound of Music - the best Hollywood movie set in Austria is Amadeus.
As of 2024, it was the most recent film to have more than one Academy Award nomination in the Best Actor category.
Although beloved by millions, the 1965 musical The Sound of Music is not widely regarded by Austrians due to its historical inaccuracies, a lack of authentic Austrian music and its American production style.
A much better film for getting an eyeful and earful of Austria is 1984's Amadeus, directed by Miloš Forman and starring Tom Hulce as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and F. Murray Abraham as Antonio Salieri, who won the best Oscar for his portrayal.
Mozart was born in Salzburg, but the film is set in Vienna where Mozart is employed in the court of Emperor Leopold II.
Amadeus tells the story of the rivalry between Mozart and Salieri, who years later narrates his confession to "killing" Mozart due to his jealousy of Mozart's genius.
Despite the filmmakers' admission the story of Salieri's vendetta against Mozart is fictional, the public perception continued that Mozart and Salieri were rivals, and Salieri was a bitter loner - in fact he was married with 8 children.
In this unforgettable scene, Salieri is stunned by Mozart's genius.
What is accurate: Mozart was very popular across Austrian society, as evident in the charming scene of a less-than-royal performance for what appear to be working class peasants and farmers.
Although filmed nearby in the Czech Republic - part of the empire at the time - it effectively recreates the world of Imperial Vienna of the 1700's, including the baroque palaces and outrageous fashions of the ruling class.
Despite the fiction, it is well regarded and one of the best films of the 1980's. Amadeus' authentic music, costumes, dance and visuals evoke an Austria that is enchanting and entertaining. This film is an immersive experience into Austria of the past, a view into another time.
Amadeus is also a best-selling, wonderful soundtrack album - a ‘Mozart’s Greatest Hits’ for the listener who is unfamiliar with or intimidated by classical music.
If you haven't seen it, find it and watch it. You don’t have to like classical music to enjoy this film, full of heart and humour.