La Théorie des dominos

I actually did enjoy this movie and the premise, Richard Widmark and Eli Wallach were very good. The main problem with this movie is Gene Hackmans character and performance. Don't get me wrong. Gene Hackman is a terrific actor but even he said his performance was not good, to me he seemed bored. But the main issue was his character kept making choices that just made me facepalm and that were so obviously bad which is pretty bad writing. Which was pretty aggravating because all in all it was a very decent film to pass the time, not spectacular but passable. Mickey Rooney also did a terrific job in this film I loved his role. Decent film as long as you go into it knowing it's flawed.

Vietnam veteran Gene Hackman (as Roy Tucker) is serving time in San Quentin for murder. Then, mysterious dark-suited Richard Widmark (as Tagge) arrives to spring Mr. Hackman from prison in return for his assassinating somebody very important. Hackman insists foul-mouthed cell-mate Mickey Rooney (as Oscar Spiventa) should also be released. On the outside, Hackman is eventually reunited with wigged-out wife Candice Bergen (as Eleanor "Ellie" Tucker). Handsome young Edward Albert (as Ross Pine) is part of the plan. Ever reliable Eli Wallach (as Tom "General" Reser) helps arranges stuff.

Very disappointing, "The Domino Principle" isn't what you're expecting from a Gene Hackman movie directed by Stanley Kramer. It seems to have suffered from re-writes during filming and/or extensive cutting. The opening monologue turns out to be pointless, along with much of what follows. It's impossible to determine what was intended.

The supporting cast must have been wondering what happened. Mr. Rooney ponders sexual exploits amusingly. "Instead of getting her period every 28 days, she had periods that lasted 28 days," is how Rooney describes one disinterested female; it's one of his cleaner observations. As we watch the plot unravel before our very eyes, Mr. Widmark sums it up as, "The bigger the stink, the more there is to cover up." Mr. Albert offers a good, albeit underdeveloped, characterization. In a noteworthy final appearance, watch for veteran Jay Novello as an immigration official who wants to see Hackman's passport.

**** The Domino Principle (3/23/77) Stanley Kramer ~ Gene Hackman, Candice Bergen, Edward Albert, Mickey Rooney

Want to waste some time and some brain cells? That's the side effect of watching this very bad film. Gene Hackman is his usual commanding self. Candice Bergen is totally out of her element, and this miscasting could easily have earned her a "Golden Turkey" award. The plot edited down to 100 minutes is vague, confusing, and nothing but a time waster. With the supporting cast including Eli Wallach and Richard Widmark, you would reasonably expect more for them to work with. Unfortunately that is not the case. The entire movie is a "so what". You won't give a damn about what you are seeing on the screen, because nothing, and I mean nothing is explained. What you are left with is a pretty location, boring beyond belief, crappy film. - MERK

This is one of those films which stars a great movie actor, Gene Hackman. The premise is from the Adam Kennedy novel called " The Domino Princiiple. " Roy Tucker, (Gene Hackman) a Viet-Nam veteran who is serving time in prison for murder is visited by a strange, and apparently powerful man Richard Widmark) who offers to get him released if he will use his special abilities. Having nothing to lose, Tucker agrees, with a single condition, to have his wife Ellie (Candice Bergen) released as well. The organization grants his request and promises much more. After a few weeks, Tucker is given the secret assignment and he quickly realizes the job has no future for him or his wife. However, he also knows to fight the organization will not be easy. If you have already seen the earlier version called 'The Paralax View' you'll realize this is a less convincing version. Despite the fact, top notch director, Standly Kramer, Mickey Rooney, Edward Albert, Jay Novello and Eli Wallach, were all involved in this project, it fails to match the earlier movie with Warren Beatty. Still, with Hackman doing his best, it remains interesting. ***

"The Domino Principle" is an unusual film since the leading man apparently hated it and found the plot confusing...and he let reporters know he felt this way. Well, although I agree that there are a few portions which are a tad confusing, I enjoyed the movie very much...even if it left many questions unanswered when the story concluded.

Tucker (Gene Hackman) is a guy who's been in prison for some time...and he has at least another 15 years to go on his sentence for murder. One day, a stranger comes to the prison to meet him and offer Tucker a deal. If Tucker would agree to do 'something' for them, this group of people would arrange for his escape. While the something isn't 100% clear, you know it involves him killing someone. As the story progresses, he learns that whoever is behind it wants no loose ends...and soon some of his contacts with this organization begin to die...and he wonders who is next.

This is a very paranoid style film...like other contemporary pictures like "The Parallax View" and "Three Days of the Condor". Some may find the movies too bleak (especially since some of them end in a very fashion)....but I found the story interesting and didn't mind all the vagueness of the plot. Overall, a very interesting film...not perfect but clearly much better than Hackman thought at the time he made it.