The Competition (1980)

Nice effects though.

Excellent adaptation.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

This movie combines two of my favorite subjects: classical piano concertos and competitions. Here, Paul Dietrich (Richard Dreyfuss) must decide whether to get a real job or continue his attempt—at his parents' expense—to become a great concert pianist. Though things don't look too promising at his age, he decides to take one LAST attempt at his long-planned career as a concert pianist before "throwing in the towel." This chance arises with an announced competition in San Francisco. When he arrives, another pianist, Hiedie Joan Schoonover (Amy Irvin), recognizes him from a previous competition at Tanglewood even though he pretends not to recognize her at first. Paul vows NOT to become romantically involved with her since he knows that personal involvement and competition do not mix!!! However, an unforeseen delay in the finals, coupled with devastating news from home, draws Paul to Heidi in spite of his vow. Another element to the story is that Heidi's teacher, Greta Vandermann (Lee Remick), wants to continue a teacher-pupil linage which stems clear back to Beethoven. So, this competition is also Greta's chance to continue this linage. The movie is also enhanced by Sam Wanamaker, who makes a great temperamental conductor. For the record, in the portrayed competition: Paul performs Beethoven's Emperor Concerto and Heidi performs Prokofiev's 3rd Piano Concerto.

Where is the DVD of this Movie? Why Haven't They Made A DVD Of This Great Movie? I want to Own a DVD of this GREAT Movie! Richard Dreyfuff & Amy Irving give Excellent Performances in this Movie! The Movie Plot is Very Romantic & Yet Very Competitive! It is a Very Interesting Combination that works well together! The Music in this Movie is Fantastic! Not all of Us get a chance to listen to this kind of Classical Music. This is a Good way for Us to get to listen to these Compositions & enjoy some of the Classics! My VHS is Completely Worn Out....I Need the DVD of This Movie... to Watch when ever I would like too! Mystic Wolf

I must admit this was a great musical thrill as well as a pretty good love story between the competition, a very skinny Richard Dreyfuss and Amy Irving, who were trained competently for difficult hand movements while classical pianists did a good job. In the story she was trained for perfection by her teacher, Lee Remick. Such a wonderful actress she was!! What a pleasure it was to see her again, as well as listen to such fine classical music. Amy wins the prize for playing a very difficult piece of Prokiev; and, alas, a warm love story between the competitors. I highly recommend this to all classical music lovers; even though I don't know that much about them. I loved it, give it 8/10

First the flaws: the extraneous characters of the various competitors are pretty blatant stereotypes, not offensive, but not particularly compelling either. The time spent on them would have been better spent on further development of the relationship between Paul (Richard Dreyfuss) and Heidi (Amy Irving) two pianists facing off in the same competition who fall in love while preparing for it. Secondly, the "contemporary" music...it was released in 1980, but all you hear in bars and at parties is disco music. It makes everything seem a little too quaint and cute to be real.Moments of greatness: The clashes and arguments that ensue between Paul and Heidi make it obvious why they fall in love, but it happens very quickly. Which is fine in a standard romance, but that isn't what this movie is. These two people are complex individuals with various insecurities and desires that make the love story so great, so interesting and so real. But the ending feels strange...a lot happens before the film's resolution, and leaves me feeling that the characters haven't been explored enough. The movie's shining moment is during the second half of the competition, when Paul has already played and Heidi proceeds to blow him out of the water. Irving's performance onstage is totally convincing, and Dreyfuss conveys an incredible amount of emotion and intelligence simply in his reactions to the piece.The tension here is incredible, and very, very real. A good movie--one that dares to show its characters in an unglamorous, real way few movies have