IMDb > This Gun for Hire (1942)

This Gun for Hire (1942) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.7/10   2,107 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?

Up 22% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Frank Tuttle

Writers:

Graham Greene (novel)
Albert Maltz (writer) ...
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Contact:

View company contact information for This Gun for Hire on IMDbPro.

Release Date:

13 May 1942 (USA) more

Tagline:

Lover without a heart...killer without a conscience! more

Plot:

Hit man Philip Raven, who's kind to children and cats, kills a blackmailer and is paid off by traitor Willard Gates in "hot" money... more | add synopsis

Plot Keywords:

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User Comments:

solid film-noir in all areas more (43 total)


Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Veronica Lake ... Ellen Graham
Robert Preston ... Det. Michael Crane
Laird Cregar ... Willard Gates

Alan Ladd ... Philip Raven
Tully Marshall ... Alvin Brewster
Marc Lawrence ... Tommy
Olin Howland ... Blair Fletcher (as Olin Howlin)
Roger Imhof ... Senator Burnett
Pamela Blake ... Annie
Frank Ferguson ... Albert Baker
Victor Kilian ... Drew
Patricia Farr ... Ruby
Harry Shannon ... Steve Finnerty
Charles C. Wilson ... Police Captain
Mikhail Rasumny ... Slukey
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Additional Details

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1 more

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (re-rating) (2006) | Australia:M | Finland:S | Norway:16 (1942)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA


Fun Stuff

Trivia:

The movie's poster was as #17 of "The 25 Best Movie Posters Ever" by Premiere. more

Goofs:

Continuity: When Gates discovers Graham and Raven sleeping, on the train. Raven's head is on Graham's shoulder, but the next shot after the one of Gates retracing his steps shows them separated. more

Quotes:

Philip Raven: You are trying to make me go soft. Well, you can save it. I don't go soft for anybody. more

Movie Connections:

Featured in L.A. Confidential (1997) more

Soundtrack:

I've Got You more


FAQ

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9 out of 11 people found the following comment useful.
solid film-noir in all areas, 12 September 2004
Author: chris miller (chris@aptpupil.org) from davis, california

one of the things that can make a film noir great is the ability to, at each turn, make the audience think that things are going to turn out okay, and then slam the door in its face. this film is able to do just that. alan ladd doesn't get the lead billing (that honor goes to lake and preston), but make not mistake - he is the star of the film. he plays a loner hit-man and we pick up the action just before he's set to do a job. he holds up his end of the bargain, but the man who hired him pays him in marked bills in an attempt to pin a robbery on him. ladd goes on the lam, but runs into the girlfriend (lake) of a cop (preston) who is after him for having passed one of the marked bills. little does ladd, or even preston, know, but lake has been enlisted by the government to do some investigative work on the man who paid ladd for the hit with the marked dough. it's quite a criss-crossed story, but it's all very easy to follow and very fun to watch while it unfolds. lake is sworn to secrecy because of the sensitive nature of her investigation, and she has no idea that the man she meets on the train (ladd) is the same man her boyfriend is pursuing. it's not as dark a noir as detour, but the ending is surprisingly affecting and certainly dark enough to qualify as a noir. the lighting is more subtle than it is in some noir and i made a note of looking into the cinematographer on this film. my hunch was right - john seitz did the cinematography for this and such films as invaders from mars, sunset blvd., double indemnity, sullivan's travels, and big clock. it's a crime that i've never heard of the guy. but i redeemed myself by finally looking into his work after watching this film. with sunset blvd and double indemnity i probably attributed the good lighting and camera work to billy wilder and the same is true for sullivan's travels and preston sturges. at any rate, this is a good film - ladd and lake do a good job, preston is capable; the cinematography is good even though it doesn't knock you over the head with its brilliance; and the story is well-constructed despite being a little far-fetched in places. B+.

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