The Domino Principle (1977)

A Vietnam War veteran, imprisoned for murder, is offered his freedom if he accepts to undertake a contract killing for a shady organization.

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	...	Tucker
Candice Bergen	...	Ellie
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:

vietnam war veteran | prison | sea | exploding helicopter | explosion | 

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Taglines:

Trust no one. No one.

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 June 1977 (Netherlands)

Also Known As:

Das Domino Komplott

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

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

Prisoners at the San Quentin Prison were actually paid to be extras and background artists in this movie.

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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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Quotes

Tucker: Tell me one thing
Tagge: Go ahead
Tucker: Is it over?
Tagge: I don't know. The bigger the stink, the more there is to cover up. And the man who worries the most is the man who gave the original order. If he panics, the domino starts to fall.

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Connections

Referenced in Hollywood Mouth 2 (2014)

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Soundtracks

No Puedo Olvidar
Lyrics by Orlando Peres
Music by Billy Goldenberg

User Reviews

Not as bad as the rap it's taking here!

OK, so there seem to be a lot of loose ends in this Black-Ops thriller, but hey, that's the way it is in real life...compartmentalized.

The fine cast acquits itself and the production values are good, if one has trouble following the story line, then perhaps fewer trips to the fridge and less yakking during the flick are in order...and frankly it did help to read Kennedy's novel prior to viewing.

It seems that during and shortly after the Watergate Adventures, Hollywood decided to crank out a series of "The-Government-is out-to-get-you flicks, "The Parralex View" and "Executive Action" serve as the best examples, but this one can hold it's own if you put the plot in the proper perspective...hell, even Hackman's character doesn't know all that is going on, so viewers should not feel left in the dark alone.

My main complaint is the lousy wig that Wardrobe forced on Candice...why?

The trick to this one is get your munchies and drinks BEFORE the movie rolls, and just keep repeating to yourself: "Salami, cheese, and pickles in a barrel."