Competition

I managed to watch this on Amazon streaming movies. The central characters are world-class pianists and even though they didn't play their own piano selections they faked it really well.

Richard Dreyfuss (actually 32) is Paul Dietrich and Amy Irving (actually 26) is Heidi Joan Schoonover. They had met at some random event some time back but now find themselves as competitors in a world-class piano competition. We know there is more than a spark of mutual attraction but while Heidi is more social and relaxed Paul feels he has to be totally focused to win the competition, because of that outlook he often acts like a real jerk. Maybe deep down he is a jerk. But a lovable one.

My understanding is this didn't do well at the boxoffice 40 years ago but viewed today it comes off really well. Both Dreyfuss and Irving shine in their respective roles. The music is nice.

This is 2020 and what is socially accepted has changed, drastically in some cases. Near the end at a party celebrating the winners one contestant, a young man, grabs the butt of an attractive 40-something woman who walks by with her date or husband. She just turns to him and smiles.

The stars of this film spent months learning how to play piano and mimic the finger movements of piano prodigies. That is one reason it feels authentic. Its two stars, Richard Dreyfuss and Amy Irving, do a good job of balancing the drama of a prestigious piano competition with the joys of young love.

Lee Remick is wonderful as the protective mentor of Irving. And Sam Wanamaker is convincing as the Bernstein-like conductor who oversees the competition and rules his own little musical kingdom.

The story has to do with whether or not the two young pianists can compete in the cut-throat world of career-making competitions and still maintain a relationship. The script never becomes too mawkish. And the musical excerpts are a bonus.

The Competition (1980)

The Main Cast:

Richard Dreyfuss (Paul Dietrich) Amy Irving (Heidi Joan Schoonover) Lee Remick (Greta Vandemann)

Two concert pianists, played by Richard Dreyfuss and Amy Irving, fall in love at a prestigeous competition they are finalists in, but there is much more to the story than that. The film gives an insight as to what takes place in those competitions during which the participants must be aware of and protect themselves from the "competitive edge" of the other pianists. The acting by the entire cast and the directing is exceptional, but what is more exceptional than that is the fingersynching of the actors while appearing to actually play the piano. The late Lee Remick is outstanding as Amy Irving's teacher. A thoroughly enjoyable film with great acting, script, direction and music. A tip of the hat should go to Jean Evensen Shaw and her assistant Dorothy Hull for tutoring the actors about where, when and how to place their fingers on the keyboard. But, since nothing is ever perfect, I can still imagine James Mason, who wasn't in the movie, rapping the knuckles of a few of the pianists because of poor hand position. Richard Dreyfuss was the worst. Amy Irving was perfect! She had her hands always above the keys and did a stellar job of fingersynching the playing of Sergei Prokofiev's Piano Concerto #3, which is actually played by Daniel Pollack. The 5 minutes and 25 seconds Amy Irving spent at the piano during the performance of that piece was one of the highlights of the film. I can't praise this film too highly. However, the end left something to be desired, although not as much as one would think. But I would be remiss in my praise if I didn't at least give the lion's share of the credit to Joel Oliansky for all the hard work he and his crew put into the making of this film and getting it to the public.

Amy Irving, Richard Dreyfuss, Lee Remick, and Sam Wanamaker star in "The Competition," a 1980 film, written and directed by Joel Oliansky.

The story concerns pianists gathering for the semifinals of a competition in San Francisco. Paul Dietrich (Dreyfuss) has one last shot at a career as a pianist, given his age, and the fact that his parents have been supporting him, and his dad is in bad shape.

Heidi (Irving) knew Paul from a summer program. She studies with a top teacher, Greta Vandeman (Remick) and is there basically to see how far she can go. Despite Paul's attempts to put off the smitten Heidi, he finally admits his feelings, and the two fall in love.

Greta isn't happy - she's afraid Heidi is going to lose her competitive edge and take a back seat so that Paul can win.

This very good movie is just about overshadowed by the brilliant music and the magnificent fingerings and look of the actors as they're playing. They obviously had the benefit of great coaching.

The film gives a realistic look at the tension of competitions, and the various states of mind that people have going into them. For Paul, it's his last shot; the Joseph Cali character wants to use it as a steppingstone to Vegas and a Liberace-type act; Heidi has nothing to lose. There is a lot of psychoanalysis throughout the film, which some may find off-putting. It does go on.

Amy Irving is an excellent actress, and she does a beautiful job here. Dreyfuss is also excellent, coming off as desperate, arrogant, and sad. Lee Remick is the ultimate piano teacher who knows too well the pitfalls of being a woman, particularly a woman in love.

If you like classical piano, don't miss "The Competition."

To begin without thanking the principals for awesome piano faking would be horrendous, likewise to not applaud their training by Jean Evensen Shaw. There is a precision to what they do, with Amy and Richard to be sure but with all of them, that is astounding. It's a sweet tale but also an insight into the cruel world of music competition where the real hero this time around has to be Ludvig himself. If you have music and performing in you; if you have been classically trained; if you believe in love; then you will in turn love this movie and its music.