The Domino Killings (1977)
"The Domino Principle" (original title)

Tucker is a chronic underachiever and a loser. A Vietnam war veteran who just can't seem to keep out of trouble, in the years since his discharge. The only thing he got out of the war was ... See full summary »

Director:

Stanley Kramer

Writers:

Adam Kennedy (novel), Adam Kennedy (screenplay)

Stars:

Gene Hackman, Candice Bergen, Richard Widmark

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gene Hackman	...	Roy Tucker
Candice Bergen	...	Ellie Tucker
Richard Widmark	...	Tagge
Mickey Rooney	...	Spiventa
Edward Albert	...	Ross Pine - a member of the organization
Eli Wallach	...	General Reser
Ken Swofford	...	Ditcher
Neva Patterson	...	Gaddis
Jay Novello	...	Captain Ruiz
Joseph V. Perry	...	Bowkemp (as Joseph Perry)
Ted Gehring	...	Schnaible
Claire Brennen	...	Ruby (as Claire Brennan)
George Fisher	...	Henemyer
Bob Herron	...	Brookshire
Denver Mattson	...	Murdock

Storyline

Tucker is a chronic underachiever and a loser. A Vietnam war veteran who just can't seem to keep out of trouble, in the years since his discharge. The only thing he got out of the war was his skill with a rifle. Now, serving a long stretch in prison for murder, he has hit rock-bottom. But one day a man in a three-piece suit visits him in prison, a man he has never seen before, and informs him that he can walk out of prison a free man if he will shoot someone for them, no questions asked.

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Plot Keywords:

prison | mexico | hit and run | paranoia | convicted felon | 

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Taglines:

Trust no one. No one.

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Genres:

Thriller | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 July 1977 (Norway)

Also Known As:

Das Domino Komplott

Filming Locations:

Fairmont Miramar Hotel Santa Monica - 101 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Associated General Films, Incorporated Television Company (ITC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (CFI)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Stanley Kramer ordered steaks for 300 members of cast and crew shipped to location in Puerto Vallarta from Phil's Poultry in West LA, for a production BBQ, complete with mariachi band (which Phil did not provide).

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Goofs

The bread truck carrying Tucker and Spiventa is shown driving across the Golden Gate Bridge in the southbound direction from Marin County to San Francisco. The very next scene, however, in which the prisoners are escorted out of the truck, clearly takes place under the roadway back on the Marin side of the bridge.

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Connections

Referenced in Nocturna (1979)

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Soundtracks

"Some Day Soon"
Lyrics by Harry Shannon
Music by Billy Goldenberg
Sung by Shirley Eikhard

User Reviews

Hokey but well-made.

Maltin was perhaps too rough on this film when he labeled it a "bomb". It does begin very badly, with an unbelievably hokey prologue, and throughout you may feel that it could've used more subtlety regarding its "messages", but as a piece of political paranoia it's at least thematically interesting, and technically well-crafted, too. There is also an excellent cast, though Gene Hackman is not (in this movie) as good as the supporting players, and Candice Bergen is barely recognizable with that ugly, unflattering haircut of hers! (**)