The Competition (1980): cast, story & where to watch
1980 · Film · ★ 6.3
Released in 1980, The Competition is a drama, romance and music film directed by Joel Oliansky, running about 123 minutes. “If you're really in love... nothing's going to stand in your way” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. The movie centers on a piano competition whose winner is assured of success. It is Paul's last chance to compete, but newcomer Heidi may be a better pianist. Can romance be far away? Will she take a dive despite the pressure to win from her teacher, Greta, or will she condemn Paul to obscurity?
Who’s in it. The Competition stars Richard Dreyfuss as Paul Dietrich, Amy Irving as Heidi Joan Schoonover, Lee Remick as Greta Vandemann and Sam Wanamaker as Andrew Erskine, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.3/10, The Competition has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Competition page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Competition tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Competition (1980)?
- In US, The Competition is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Competition worth watching?
- The Competition holds an audience score of 6.3 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama, romance and music. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in The Competition?
- The Competition stars Richard Dreyfuss, Amy Irving, Lee Remick, Sam Wanamaker and Joseph Cali.
- When was The Competition released?
- The Competition was released in 1980, with a runtime of about 123 minutes.