Amadeus opened

Amadeus Released: September 21, 1984 Studio: Orion Genre: -- Box Office (numbers in millions): Domestic: 51.97 Worldwide: ? Adjusted for Inflation: Domestic: 173.50 Worldwide: ?

Directing: Milos Forman Screenwriting: Peter Shaffer Starring: F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Elizabeth Berridge, Simon Callow, Roy Dotrice, Christine Ebersole, Jeffrey Jones Review: Amadeus is a “stunning, opulent biography” FS of musical prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Hulce), although not 100% accurate. FS It is based on the Broadway play by Peter Shaffer, who adapted his work for an Oscar-winning screenplay. The story focuses on Antonio Salieri (Abraham), the official royal composer for Austrian Emperor Joseph II (Jones). Salieri is consumed with jealousy over the “admiration and respect bestowed on Mozart” VD for his “incredible musical genius”FS while he “struggle[s] with his own mediocrity.” AFI07 “Flashbacks illuminate the mad, energetic brilliance of Mozart,” AFI07 who is “simultaneously spoiled, vulgar and talented.” FS Although Salieri becomes a “hate-filled monster whose only aim in life is to ruin his more talented colleague.” TO’95 Still, he “emerges as the more tragic and sympathetic character, partly because he alone, of all his contemporaries, can appreciate this almost perfect music, and – more importantly, perhaps – because he speaks up for all of us whose talents fall short of our desires.” TO’95 “The film was well-received by both critics and audiences alike with its lavish set and period costume design (filmed on location in Prague), its accessibility and nonpretentiousness, and its sly intelligence and musings over the capricious nature of "God-given" talent.” FS Sources: AFI07 American Film Institute (2007). “AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies – 10th Anniversary Edition” FS Filmsite.org “100 Greatest Films” TO’95 Time Out (1995). “Centenary Top One Hundred Films” VD Video Detective (1997). “Top 100 Films of All Time”

Awards/Honors/Lists: Dave’s Movie Database Lists: Oscars: Wins: 8, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (F. Murray Abraham), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art/Set Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup, Best Sound Nominations: 11, including Best Actor (Tom Hulce), Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing. Other Awards: Other Lists/Honors: First posted 5/28/2023; last updated 5/30/2023.

50 years ago: It Happened One Night, one of history's greatest romcoms, released

It Happened One Night Released: February 22, 1934 Studio: Columbia Genre: comedy/romance Box Office (numbers in millions): Domestic: 4.36 Worldwide: ? Adjusted for Inflation: Domestic: 190.70 Worldwide: ?

Directing: Frank Capra Screenwriting: Robert Riskin Starring: Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Walter Connolly Review: “Frank Capra’s sparkling, legendary, madcap, screwball romantic comedy” FS “is considered one of the greatest romantic comedies of all time.” MSN It was the first to win all five major Oscars. It would be another 40 years before it happened again with 1975’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. The movie is based on “Night Bus,” a story by Samuel Hopkins, FS which was originally published in Cosmopolitan. LM Ellie Andrews (Colbert) is the high-society daughter of a millionaire (Connolly) who “is trying to escape her wealthy life to find true happiness.” VD While traveling incognito by bus, she meets “a sexy, brusque, dumb-but-loveable, out-of-work news correspondent (Gable).” FS “A steamy battle of the sexes begins” VD as “the antagonistic couple have a series of hapless adventures and comic misunderstandings, leading them to the realization that they were made for each other.” FS The movie contains legendary scenes such as the “Walls of Jericho” (a blanket dividing their beds) and her show-some-leg hitch-hiking technique which still “remain fresh and delightful.” LM Sources: A07 American Film Institute (2007). “AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies – 10th Anniversary Edition” FS Filmsite.org “100 Greatest Films” LM Leonard Maltin “100 Must-See Films of the 20th Century” MSN MSN Entertainment (7/19/2018). “100 Best Movies” by Shahnaz Mahmud VD Video Detective (1997). “Top 100 Films of All Time”

Awards/Honors/Lists: Dave’s Movie Database Lists: Dave’s Movie Database Genre Lists: Awards: Oscars: Wins: 5 – Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Gable), Best Actress (Colbert), Best Adapted Screenplay Nominations: 5 Other Lists/Honors: Critics’ Picks: Leonard Maltin First posted 5/31/2023.