Dominique (1979 film)

Dominique (also released as Dominique Is Dead) is a 1979 British psychological horror film directed by Michael Anderson, and featuring Cliff Robertson, Jean Simmons, Simon Ward, Jenny Agutter and Ron Moody. Author Ronald Chetwynd-Hayes wrote a novelization of the movie, which is based on the 1948 short story "What Beckoning Ghost", written by American author Harold Lawlor. The movie concerns a wealthy businessman (Robertson) who is seemingly haunted by the ghost of his wife (Simmons), whom he apparently caused to commit suicide.

This is the final movie of actors Jack Warner and Leslie Dwyer.

Plot
David Ballard, a struggling businessman in desperate need of money, devises a plan to use psychological manipulation to cause his rich wife, Dominique, to commit suicide so he can inherit her fortune. His plan seemingly works when Dominique's body is found hanging in her greenhouse, but David soon finds himself being haunted by what he believes is Dominque's vengeful ghost. His sanity weakens gradually as he finds himself unable to rid himself of his wife's spirit, until he finally falls to his death while trying to escape from her.

As a twist ending, the "ghost" is revealed to have been his half-sister, Ann; with the help of the man she loves, Tony Calvert, who had come to work as the Ballards' chauffeur and ingratiated himself with Dominique before her death. Ann had used prosthetic makeup to impersonate Dominique, get rid of David, and claim David's share of the family fortune for herself, while Tony, being the only person Dominique trusted, became her beneficiary and got her fortune after David's death. However, Tony then rejects Ann and plays her an audio recording that reveals that the real Dominque had actually been alive, and part of the plan, until they had killed her to avoid detection; the recording made it seem that Ann had concocted the entire plan without Tony's knowledge. Tony admits that he intends to keep the recording to enforce Ann's silence, and that he had always intended to take his share and leave her. Ann murders him with a revolver the couple had previously used as part of their deception, with the movie ending as Ann stands over Tony's corpse.

Cast

 * Cliff Robertson as David Ballard
 * Jean Simmons as Dominique Ballard
 * Simon Ward as Tony Calvert
 * Jenny Agutter as Ann Ballard
 * Ron Moody as Dr. Rogers
 * Judy Geeson as Marjorie Craven
 * Michael Jayston as Arnold Craven
 * Flora Robson as Mrs. Davis
 * David Tomlinson as Lawyer
 * Jack Warner as George
 * Leslie Dwyer as Cemetery Supervisor
 * Jan Holden as Ballard's Secretary
 * Jack McKenzie as John, 1st Chauffeur
 * Michael Nightingale as Vicar at Funeral

Filming dates
Filming started in England during September 1977 and lasted six weeks.

Filming locations
The movie was initially meant to be filmed in Canada, but this was changed after an offer was made for filming in England with a greater budget.

Release
Dominique was released initially in March 1979. After a very brief theatrical playing, it was distributed more widely by cable broadcastings.

Home media
Vinegar Syndrome released the movie on DVD and Blu-ray in 2019.

Reception
Martyn Auty criticized the movie in the Monthly Film Bulletin as "heavy handed". Pop Matters reviewed the movie in 2019, writing that it "won’t raise the hackles of anyone looking for deep scares, but it is an absorbing suspense-drama that will at least keep you in your seat, if not the edge of it".