The Competition, Amy Irving, Prokofiev, Piano Concerto No. 3

[kwaichoichan]

'The Prokofiev', said the conductor, played by Sam Wanamaker, who in real life was the father of Zoe Wanamaker. What happened to him? He was a Jewish-American Actor-Producer blacklisted during McCarthy witchhunt era & had to flee to UK, not unlike Charlie Chaplin. And who is Zoe? Have you seen 'Harry Potter & the Philosopher's Stone'? She played Madam Hooch. And of course the 'Control freak' Susan Harper, MBE, in the long running UK series 'My Family' which ends this year.

[chankwaichoi1]

And I wonder if this is I.Margalit actually playing in the background!

[chankwaichoi1]

This was the very first movie I took my girlfriend,later my wife,to see on July 3,1981 in HK.Mei,who's never been a music lover,was gobsmacked at the bravura of the scintillating piano passages.My favourite recording of this music is,even up till now,that of Israela Margalit coupling with her one-time husband Lorin Maazel's 1972 vinyl LP.Even M.Argerich, YujaWang or V.Ashkenazy's do not surpass.Sadly Mei & I got divorced.Too much Classical Music & not enough time for her?

[DazyZ]

This piece by Prokofiev floors me every time. It's tear inducing, SO powerful and fantastically gorgeous, turbulent, sublime. When I first saw the movie, I didn't realize how long the concerto actually is, this was highly edited, but still so amazing. So glad this is here on YouTube, but agree, where is the DVD release of this great movie? Makes me ache to play piano again.

[nazarkgb1]

Not to be obnoxious, but a real pianist would be a little (a lot) more composed haha. At the end, she's heaving like she just ran a marathon!

[RLviddy]

@nazarkgb1 Well, in the movie the competition was almost fixed, and her piano was sabotaged. Instead of allowing it to get to her, she got mad and played the Prokofiev instead of the Mozart. They were messing with her, and she rallied.

[GMCKINST]

The movie you are thinking of is "The Legend of 1900" with Tim Roth and Clarence Williams III. Great Film

[slateflash]

i'd like to hear what she was actually playing

[princebambi]

@slateflash Heh, I've wondered myself what kind of cacophony that audience was subjected to during the filming. ^^

[februaryz]

Can anyone tell me please, there was a movie like this where there happens to be a piano battle and a piano player plays it so fast that piano gets heated and gets burnt please i want to know the name of that movie

[champouillon]

What a concept - an actor who can conduct - at least follows the correct patterns!

[YaelBerman]

Does any one know if there is a complete version of the concert with these same performers?

[YaelBerman]

Oh, I love this movie! This is the first time I heard this concerto and I immediately fell in love with it. Great memories! Thanks for sharing :)!

[LadyScorpio39]

richard dreyfuss has the coolest walk. anyone notice?? such stride.

[LadyScorpio39]

i loved this movie. i wish somone would upload the entire thing.

[SpiritualEvolution17]

After seeing this film - this piano piece was what i wound up playing for my recital.

[JimminyJimmy]

I have played the Prokofiev 3rd, and this is by far the closest pantomime on film every. SO convincing. Why haven't they released this great movie on DVD? jesus how long to we have to wait.

[IMAXXSAND]

@JimminyJimmy HI I LOVE THE CONCERTO, TOO. I JUST ORDERED IN THE PAST 2 DAYS A DVD OF THE COMPETITION, FROM CVPLUS... THROUGH GOOGLE CHECKOUT... THE OUTFIT IS OUT OF HONOLULU, HI. ENJOY. IMAXXSAND

[kuttieGirl9]

i guest she really play the piano....that is passion in too many ways!!

[ggvansickle]

Someone's got to make this movie into a CD!

[sodom87]

what is the piano concerto from mozart she started to play before when suddenly the piano tuned out

[SuperAnnielu]

@sodom87 I FINALLY found it...it is the Mozart piano concert o 16 in d-major first movement...the movie took free license with it as it has a long beginning before the piano solo begins

[Asigner4u2]

Terrific piece of music!

[eb641]

About 25 yrs ago I stayed at the same motel that the Paul Deitrich character did.. It had the worlds hardest matresses. Like sleeping on the deck of an aircraft carrier....I think it was on the street that is the worlds crookededst a little further up the hill...LOL

[princebambi]

@eb641 My family always stayed at the Plantation Inn! That was another thing I loved about this movie. I remember everything about the place; the office, the stairwell, how the rooms were laid out. Everything was just like it was in the film. Last time I was there with my dad was 1979. I don't think it's the Plantation Inn anymore, though...

[eldot4]

cheeseball movie, but I l loved this segment.

[Jayjen35]

@WhiteBird94111 I don't know, I think the fact that he shows up at all implies that rather than returning home and taking over his father's business, as his mother insisted he do if he didn't win, he decides to go with "plan b" which the 2 thought up when he thought that HE'D be the one who'd win.

And sorry actually I was talking about Paul's piece. He and the conductor were really at odds over something in his piece and he insisted, over the conductors strong objections to have it his way

[Jayjen35]

@WhiteBird94111

Yeah...uh they actually ended up together at the end of the movie as I recall...

As is the nature of competitions, given that her mentor was the only one who thought that she was capable of that kind of performance you'd have to say that she had not only her performance going for her but the element of surprise, not to mention the fact that though beautiful, the conductor was obviously NOT pleased with a decision Paul made about his piece, NEVER piss off the conductor

[physicalgenius]

LOVE this.

[TheMikeAlpha]

I just love the way Daniel Pollack plays this piece, as it should be played always, I think.

[Durgakalim]

really good player!!

[kuttieGirl9]

she is a real good player!!!

[kuttieGirl9]

i love her!!!..i saw this movie long time ago and untill today i feel exiting!!!

[RLviddy]

Whoops, my bad. I was thinking of something else when I wrote that, and just typed it out.

[RLviddy]

Love this movie. Love this piece. It's like Rachmaninoff wrote it on different days, and was in a totally different mood each day.

[jerryaltman]

Uhhnnn... I see they probably trained Amy Irving a lot for those few piano passages, and put her to play slower, since she couldn't play fast like this music require. They recorded her performance with the camera in a faster speed, so when projected in normal speed looks like she is playing in the normal music rhythm.

[Laurisa718]

Lee Remick... was GREAT in this film!!!

[Laurisa718]

Great movie, and the Prokofiev is an amazing piece of music... Pure Magic!!!

[quents]

the first time i saw this i was dumbstruck by amy.

now i see her arms and shoulders were a little to stiff to ever be playing the chords.

[quents]

wonder if the piano was a dummy piano. if it werent, what sounds were amy producing bluffing through this entire sonata?

love it!!!

[dewbunny110362]

good movie loved it

[dewbunny110362]

this movie rocked

[gal5131]

Lisbo - It was easy for Amy's teacher to change the concerto AFTER her student was on stage. You see, the teacher had had an affair with the conductor years earlier - and he owed her big time.

You mean you didn't get all the hints and innuendo during the movie? How dense can you be? Duh?

[gojewla]

I wasn't so much misunderstanding the plot as I was laughing at the whole premise of the movie.

In competitions, it is up to the judges and organizers to allow such major decisions as repertoire change, rather than the conductor and I can assure you they would never allow this at a major international competition. Besides, the notion that she would win with an unrehearsed concerto (let alone, one as difficult as the Prokofiev 3rd) is utterly preposterous.

[gal5131]

gojewla - It's called "suspension of disbelief". Go with it sometime, and just enjoy the movie. Not every minute of life has to be serious.

[jegspillerpiano]

It's not impossible. Some of the top pianists have huge repertoires. There are stories of the top pianists playing concertos at sight perfectly! admittedly she would have to be one of the big world geniuses to do it, that come along about 3 times a century

[deborahsuewho]

PLEASE - I am unable to locate a copy of the film!!! Can anyone help? I've had success finding far more obscure movies here before with the help of Youtubers..

[gal5131]

deborah - Contact Harrods in London. They can get anything.

[micaofboca]

When she breaks into the second half of her performance the mood of the Prokofiev piece is so well placed within the tension of the competition, the emotions are just breathtaking. As the piece progresses to its inevitable climax her powerful glissandos strike incredible feelings into the listener's heart. But you're always taking the ride with Amy Irving's persona as she tears into the melody defining her personal story by the music itself. Delicacy, combined with strength and insistence.

[RYbarra106]

Unbelievably said and written!! You are incredible!

[micaofboca]

And you are the kindest of gentlemen. Thank you so very much for your warm and generous response.  In all honest it's you that are incredible since there's so much contention and mean-spirited recalcitrance on the net that yours is the rarer of incidences. I consider you a friend,RY. Thanks for making my day.

[GradyBaby13]

THE PROKOFIEV ! Make it so!  LOL

[Refrescospepito]

Incredble.

Wonderful film direction.

In 2:20, Dreyfuss understands that Amy is far better than him and that she is going to win.

[johngalt777]

Amy Irving is FABULOUS!!!

[mcstennis09]

i LOVE the sound of the piano she's playing on!! LOL.

[skylur44]

It's a Bosendorfer

[lscully3]

I think it's a Steinway

[skylur44]

Could be, but whichever it is, the man playing that piece is a genius.

[PlotPointOne]

The man playing the piece is Daniel Pollack. I met him last year at the José Iturbi International Music Competition at UCLA. I asked him if there is a recording of him playing this piece (other than in the movie) and he said, "Yes, but I have the only copy."  He's a VERY nice man.

[biegel88]

Love this--I remember it well--when I studied 'Prok 3' with Adele Marcus at Juilliard. Bravo Maestro Sam Wanamaker!!