''The Competition'' is a 1980 American

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serve merely as breaks ...

starring

Richard Dreyfuss Richard Stephen Dreyfuss (; born Dreyfus; October 29, 1947) is an American actor. He is known for starring in popular films during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, including ''American Graffiti'' (1973), ''Jaws'' (1975), ''Close Encounters of the T ...

Amy Irving Amy Davis Irving (born September 10, 1953) is an American actress and singer, who worked in film, stage, and television. Her accolades include an Obie Award, and nominations for two Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award. Born in Palo Alto, Ca ...

and

Lee Remick Lee Ann Remick (December 14, 1935 – July 2, 1991) was an American actress and singer. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for the film '' Days of Wine and Roses'' (1962), and for the 1966 Tony Award for Best Actress in ...

, written and directed by

Joel Oliansky Joel Oliansky (October 11, 1935 – July 29, 2002) an Emmy-winning director and screenwriter, was best known for the screenplay of ''Bird'' (the 1988 biographic film about Charlie Parker), as well as writing and directing episodes of TV series inc ...

.''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' film review; December 3, 1980, page 24.

Plot

Paul Dietrich, a gifted but disillusioned classical pianist, is nearly 30 years old. He has never won a major piano competition and will soon be past the age limit to compete. Paul has accepted a job as a music teacher at a prep school in his hometown of

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, needing to help his mother and ailing father. However, he decides to compete one final time at an international piano competition in San Francisco, even though it could cost him the job. The competition for a financial grant and two years of concert engagements pits the intense and arrogant Paul against a select group of talented artists. He advances to the final round of six, which includes brash New Yorker Jerry DiSalvo, who can only play one concerto; Michael Humphries; Canadian pianist Mark Landau; and a meek Kazakh girl, Tatiana Baronova. Another contestant, Heidi Joan Schoonover, is a confident 23-year-old from Massachusetts who was romantically attracted to Paul after meeting him at an earlier music festival. Heidi's esteemed music teacher, Greta Vandemann, advises her to avoid letting personal matters hinder her concentration. Heidi is rebuffed by Paul, who also wants to avoid any distraction. Before the finals, Tatiana's music teacher defects, causing the emotionally fragile Tatiana to have a nervous breakdown and the competition to be postponed for a week. Meanwhile, Paul's mother wants him to withdraw from the competition and focus on the teaching job, as his father is very ill and should no longer be working to support Paul's musical ambitions. Paul stays in the competition but feels guilty. He lashes out at Heidi during a meeting with the other contestants and the arrogant conductor. Paul later apologizes to Heidi and they have a coffee date. Afterwards, at his hotel room, he pours his heart out to her about his family situation. Greta worries that Heidi and Paul's relationship may cost Heidi her competitive edge. The competition is rescheduled. A reception for the contestants unexpectedly turns into a press conference for Tatiana, who is returning to the competition after meeting with her teacher. Paul is infuriated, believing sympathy for Tatiana is making her the favorite to win the competition. He criticizes Heidi for defending Tatiana and accuses her of not taking the competition seriously. Heidi realizes how much winning means to Paul and wants to drop out. Greta angrily chastises Paul, blaming him for exploiting Heidi's guilt over competing against him. Paul tells Heidi that he loves her and persuades her to stay in the competition. Partway through her performance, Heidi's piano develops a technical problem, forcing her to stop. Rather than folding under pressure, Heidi demands to play a different concerto, requiring an orchestral rearrangement. She performs magnificently and wins the competition; Paul finishes in second place. Heidi is ecstatic because she and Paul had agreed to form a partnership, combining their talents and resources to help one another, no matter who won. To her dismay, Paul is upset to realize that she is a more proficient player. He tells her he is unable to honor their partnership and leaves. However, Paul finally arrives at the celebration party following the competition, ready to take part in Heidi's victory and to be in her life.

Cast

as Paul Dietrich *

as Heidi Joan Schoonover *

as Greta Vandemann *

Sam Wanamaker Samuel Wanamaker, (born Wattenmacker; June 14, 1919 – December 18, 1993) was an American actor and director who moved to the United Kingdom after becoming fearful of being blacklisted in Hollywood due to his communist views. He is credited as ...

as Andrew Erskine * Joseph Cali as Jerry DiSalvo *Ty Henderson as Michael Humphries *Vicki Kriegler as Tatiana Baronova *

Adam Stern Adam James Stern (born February 12, 1980) is a Canadian former Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder who played for the Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, and Milwaukee Brewers from 2005 to 2010. Stern is the second Jewish player from Canada ...

as Mark Landau *Bea Silvern as Madame Gorshev *

Gloria Stroock Gloria Jane Stroock is an American actress. She is best known for her supporting role in the television series ''McMillan & Wife'' as Maggie, the secretary of lead character Stewart McMillan. Early years Stroock is the daughter of James Stroock, ...

as Mrs. Dietrich *

Philip Sterling Philip Sterling (October 9, 1922 – November 30, 1998) was an American film and television actor. He played Dr. Winston Croft on 28 episodes of the American daytime soap opera '' The Doctors''. He also played Judge Truman Ventnor on 21 episode ...

as Mr. Dietrich *

Priscilla Pointer Priscilla Marie Pointer (born May 18, 1924) is an American retired actress. She began her career in the theater in the late 1940's, including productions on Broadway. Later, Pointer moved to Hollywood and making appearances on television in the ...

as Mrs. Donellan *

James B. Sikking James Barrie Sikking (born March 5, 1934) is a former American actor, most known for his role as Lt. Howard Hunter on the 1980s TV series ''Hill Street Blues''. Early years Sikking was born in Los Angeles on March 5, 1934 to Andy and Sue (né ...

as Brudenell *Delia Salvi as Mrs. DiSalvo

Music

* The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by

Lalo Schifrin Boris Claudio "Lalo" Schifrin (born June 21, 1932) is an Argentine-American pianist, composer, arranger and conductor. He is best known for his large body of film and TV scores since the 1950s, incorporating jazz and Latin American musical elemen ...

Ginastera Alberto Evaristo Ginastera (; April 11, 1916June 25, 1983) was an Argentinian composer of classical music. He is considered to be one of the most important 20th-century classical composers of the Americas. Biography Ginastera was born in Buen ...

, Piano Sonata No. 1
Eduardo Delgado, Pianist *

Brahms Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped with ...

, Piano Concerto No. 2
Ralph Grierson, Pianist * Chopin, Piano Concerto in E minor

Lincoln Mayorga Lincoln Mayorga (born March 28, 1937) is an American pianist, arranger, conductor and composer who has worked in rock and roll, pop, jazz and classical music. Life and career Pop music in the 1950s and '60s Mayorga was born in Los Angeles, Cal ...

, Pianist *

Prokofiev Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''., group=n (27 April .S. 15 April1891 – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer ...

, Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major

Daniel Pollack Daniel Pollack is an American pianist. Biography Early life and education Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Pollack began his studies at the age of four and made his debut with the New York Philharmonic at the age of nine, performing the ...

, Pianist *

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...

, Piano Concerto No. 5
Chester B. Swiatkowski, Pianist * LOVE THEME - THE COMPETITION
(People Alone)
Music by

Lyrics by Wilbur Jennings
Sung by

Randy Crawford Veronica "Randy" Crawford (born February 18, 1952) is an American jazz and R&B singer. She has been more successful in Europe than in the United States, where she has not entered the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 as a solo artist. However, she has ap ...

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * *
Soundtrack Recording
{{DEFAULTSORT:Competition, The 1980 films 1980 romantic drama films American musical drama films American romantic drama films American romantic musical films Columbia Pictures films Films about competitions Films about pianos and pianists Films set in San Francisco Films shot in San Francisco Films scored by Lalo Schifrin 1980s English-language films 1980s American films