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      The Competition

      1980, Romance, 2h 6m

      9 Reviews 250+ Ratings

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      The Competition  Photos

      The Competition (1980) The Competition (1980) The Competition (1980) The Competition (1980) The Competition (1980)

      Movie Info

      Paul Dietrich (Richard Dreyfuss), at almost 30 years old, is a fading piano prodigy. Heidi Schoonover (Amy Irving) is a talented young pianist with a promising future. When Paul hears of an upcoming competition that could make his career, he dedicates himself to winning. Heidi and Paul meet one day during practice and, though she is immediately drawn to him, Paul thinks romance will just be a distraction. Heidi's teacher, Greta (Lee Remick), is also wary of Heidi's newfound attraction.

      • Rating: PG

      • Genre: Romance

      • Original Language: English

      • Director: Joel Oliansky

      • Producer: William Sackheim

      • Writer: Joel Oliansky

      • Release Date (Theaters):  original

      • Release Date (Streaming):

      • Runtime:

      • Distributor: Columbia Pictures

      • Production Co: Rastar Films

      • Sound Mix: Stereo, Surround

      Cast & Crew

      Richard Dreyfuss
      Amy Irving
      Lee Remick
      Sam Wanamaker
      Joseph Cali
      Ty Henderson
      Vickie Kriegler
      Adam Stern
      Bea Silvern
      Philip Sterling
      Gloria Stroock
      Joel Oliansky
      Howard Pine
      Richard H. Kline
      Lalo Schifrin
      Dale Hennesy
      James W. Payne
      Ruth Myers

      Critic Reviews for The Competition

      Audience Reviews for The Competition

      • Feb 02, 2014

        Good drama with great music. Not an incisive examination of the cutthroat world of music competition although they do delve into it somewhat. More a drama of a selfish man letting down his defenses and a young girl who learns more than she bargains for when she lets down her guard. Excellent performances from the leads with Lee Remick adding her special brand of class but putting an icy edge to it as Amy's teacher. The only rough patch is when the two leads, who are remarkably free of rhythm for supposed musicans, dance to contemporary and quite awful music. They're gluefoots. For classical music lovers this will be a treat.

        Super Reviewer
      • Oct 10, 2008

        Excellent classical music and that's it.A relic of the 1980 production is a forgettable small,semi-independent feature,carved with a trifle of characteristics penetrated in its protagonists.Mere information though,the duo of Dreyfuss-Irving can't hold much.Why oh why those "intellectual" romances always end up in a sappy,sugary manner?

        Super Reviewer

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