Poseidon-3 Review of Dominique

Dominique (1979)

Spooky, but middling, film wastes a nice lot of actors.

[9 August 2006]

A very remarkable cast of mostly British actors was gathered for this atmospheric, but slowly paced, mystery. Robertson plays a stoic (in too many instances, wooden) man saddled with a mildly-crippled wife (Simmons) he would like to be rid of, thus allowing him to use her fortune to help him out of a financial crisis. Surprisingly enough, Simmons seems to know this, yet allows herself to be manipulated into killing herself after a series of disturbing instances within their large estate. Also on-hand (in a bit of ludicrous casting) is Robertson's half-sister Agutter along with new chauffeur Ward, dour housekeeper Robson, family doctor Moody and close friends Jayston and Geeson. Robertson, however, is hardly off the hook. Soon after Simmons' departure, he begins to be tormented by Simmon's presence, either through piano music she favored being played on its own or through her ghastly image wafting through the hallways of the house. He also finds that a woman in black has ordered a headstone for him to go next to his (!) and he begins seeing what looks like Simmons loitering outside his offices. It all comes to a head in a pretty preposterous climax which, nonetheless does include a fairly impressive bit of latex technology. Robertson is far too reserved in his role, often coming off as either bored or boring. His fluffy, fuzzy hair, as it often did, sort of takes over everything when it's on screen. Simmons is okay in an unchallenging part. Most of the rest of the cast is given very little to do, though they do it well when called upon. Robson, always an interesting presence, only gets one very brief moment to shine. There is certainly an atmosphere of creepiness present in the film, especially at Moody's home, but too often the editing allows characters to roam the halls and climb stairs endlessly and it becomes too tiresome to hold the attention. The plot is also full of holes, as many stories of this kind tend to be. It's worth a look, once, but has to count as a misfire due to its overriding dreariness and lack of emotional investment.