Directed by Ray Nazarro
Produced by Rory Calhoun & Victor M. Orsatti
Screenplay by Kenneth Gamet & Hal Biller
Cinematography: Irving Lippman
Film Editor: Gene Havlick
Cast: Rory Calhoun (Domino), Kristine Miller (Barbara Ellison), Andrew Duggan (Wade Harrington), Yvette Duguay (Rosita), Peter Whitney (Lafe), Eugene Iglesias (Juan Cortez), Robert Burton (Sheriff Travers), Roy Barcroft (Ed Sandlin), James H. Griffith (Beal), Denver Pyle (Bill Dragger). Thomas Browne Henry (Doctor)
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There’s something about this movie. It takes one of the most basic of Western plots — a young man seeks revenge after his father is killed and their ranch trashed by guerrilla raiders during the Civil War — and somehow makes you forget you’ve seen this kinda thing a thousand times. There’s a bit of a 7 Men From Now (1956) thing going, as Domino (Rory Calhoun) knows who four of the five killers are, takes care of them, and has to identify the fifth.
Maybe it’s the direction from Ray Nazarro at sets it apart. He did so many of these things, and he had a real knack for keeping em moving. There’s a snap to his movies that others’ pictures lacked. The script’s pretty good, especially at going Rory Calhoun cool things to say. Calhoun, who co-produced and worked on the story, leads a great cast. Kristine Miller is good as the woman Domino left behind when he went gunning for the guys who killed his father. She didn’t have a real long career, but she worked at Republic quite a bit, which is enough of a recommendation for me. Andrew Duggan is the local bigwig who wants to buy Calhoun’s ranch — and make off with his girl. He made some solid Westerns in the late 50s — his next was Decision At Sundown (1957).
Yvette Duguay and Eugene Iglesias are both likable (and Duguay’s very pretty) as a couple of Domino’s only loyal friends in town. Then you’ve got James H. Griffith, one of my favorites, and Denver Pyle as a couple of the men Domino tracks down and blows away. Peter Whitney is the elusive fifth man, who comes to town to put an end to Domino’s “vengeance trail.” You’ll remember him as Amos Agry in Buchanan Rides Alone (1958). And there’s Roy Barcroft and Thomas Browne Henry in a couple small parts (you hardly see Henry’s face in his approximately 15 seconds of screen time).
Cinematographer Irving Lippman gets high marks on this one. It’s a good-looking movie, with deep, moody shadows and some interesting shots throughout — nicely framed for 1.85, another way Domino Kid stays fresh. Lippman was a staff cinematographer at Columbia, shooting pictures like Hellcats Of The Navy and 20 Million Miles To Earth (both 1957). He also has the distinction of having shot some of the later Three Stooges shorts, a few of their features and almost every episode of both the Jungle Jim and The Monkees TV shows. He started out as a still photographer for the studio.
Domino Kid is not available on DVD or Blu-Ray. The transfer that used to turn up on The Westerns Channel looked great. This is the kind of picture that would be terrific as part of a set similar to those wonderful film noir collections Kit Parker has been doing. It’s a near-textbook example of a medium-budgeted 50s Western. Highly recommended.
50 Westerns From The 50s. 
I really liked this one a lot also. Just a really good, solid Western. Enjoyed your thoughts on it. I agree, we really need something ilke a Rory Calhoun Westerns set!! 🙂
Best wishes,
Laura
This is just one of these where everything worked. Kind of like a car or guitar that comes off the assembly line just a little better than the ones before and after it.
I would love to see THE DOMINO KID on BLU RAY or DVD .I mentioned it to my contacts at Sidonis ,so fingers crossed.
Are you listening, MillCreek Entertainment? What a great set they could do, with this really nice Rory Fest included.
The sun always shines for me any time Roy Barcroft turns up in a picture, however briefly.
It doesn’t seem that long ago that Rory Calhoun movies were relatively rare on disc. Recent years have seen lots released though, especially the westerns, and I’m glad we’re not a point where we can single out remaining titles like this.
Jerry and Colin ,I would love to see Rory’s westerns in one collection ,but there could be a few liscence’s involved .
In Calhoun news, Vinegar Syndrome has announced a blu ray of HELL COMES TO FROGTOWN.
Just heard back from my Sidonis contact about THE DOMINO KID .He says that it would fit into their library well .However ,they are not sure who owns the rights(according to IMDB Columbia,Sony had the theatrical rights) and because it is B/W they are hard to sell.
I would love to see this movie – have never heard of it before today.
This one has flown under the radar for quite a sell. It’s shame because it’s got some good people involved doing good work — and that’s what sets a lot of these things apart.
The character actors make or break a lot of these lower budget westerns. James Griffith is kickass in everything and I’ll watch a bad movie just to see him for 5 minutes. Calhoun was good with good directors and maybe should have also been cast in different genre movies or TV. Unfortunately I have seen him in a few roles where he continually looks around the movie set and seems more interested in how his hair looks. My wife thinks he and Keanu Reeves must be related because neither one delivers their lines with any emotion !
You’re so right about James Griffith. He’s one of my favorites — adds something to everything he’s in, no matter how tiny the part. He’s a great Doc Holliday in Masterson Of Kansas.
Toby – I would love to see you spotlight James Widmark. He was one of the best actors ever. Wish he did more westerns.
Richard Widmark.
Widmark is great in Westerns, though he didn’t make very many. Law And Jake Wade is terrific.