The Competition

The Competition is a 1980 American drama set in the world of classical music, centred on a prestigious piano contest where the winner is all but assured of a career. Paul Dietrich, played by Richard Dreyfuss, is a seasoned competitor for whom this is a final opportunity; Heidi Joan Schoonover, played by Amy Irving, is a newcomer whose talent could outshine him. Their rivalry as contestants is complicated by a romance that develops between them, while Heidi also faces pressure from her teacher, Greta Vandemann, played by Lee Remick. The supporting cast includes Sam Wanamaker, Joseph Cali and Ty Henderson.

The film was directed by Joel Oliansky, who also wrote the screenplay, with William Sackheim producing for Columbia Pictures and Rastar Productions. It runs 123 minutes and is a drama with musical and romantic elements rather than a study of a single performer's life.

Released in December 1980, the film took about 14 million dollars worldwide. On IMDb it holds a rating of 6.6 from roughly 3,100 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 6.1 from a much smaller group of 21 votes. A critics' rating of 7.3 from nine reviews places it somewhat above the audience scores recorded on IMDb. Oliansky had directed one earlier feature, The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case, before this film.