This Gun for Hire (1942)

Director:

Frank Tuttle

Writers:

Albert Maltz (screen play) and
W.R. Burnett (screen play) ...
(more)

Release Date:

3 November 1942 (Mexico)

Genre:

Crime | Film-Noir | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

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

Plot:

When hired killer Philip Raven shoots a blackmailer and his beautiful female companion dead, he's is paid off in marked bills by his treasonous employer who is working with foreign spies.

Plot Keywords:

Cat | Train | Police | Hotel | Refinery

Cast

Veronica Lake	...	Ellen Graham
Robert Preston	...	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
Bernadene Hayes	...	Albert Baker's Secretary
Mary Davenport	...	Salesgirl
Chester Clute	...	Rooming House Manager
Charles Arnt	...	Male Dressmaker
Earle S. Dewey	...	Mr. Collins (as Earle Dewey)
Clem Bevans	...	Scissor Grinder
Lynda Grey	...	Gates' Secretary
Virita Campbell	...	Little Girl
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
George Anderson	...	Plainclothesman (uncredited)
Don Barclay	...	Piano Player (uncredited)
Ernest Baskett	...	Porter (uncredited)
Jack Baxley	...	Innocent Dupe (uncredited)
Karin Booth	...	Waitress (uncredited)
Harry Brown	...	Superintendent (uncredited)
William Cabanne	...	Laundry Truck Driver (uncredited)
Eddy Chandler	...	Demolition Foreman (uncredited)
Jack Cheatham	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Kenneth Chryst	...	Workman (uncredited)
Yvonne De Carlo	...	Showgirl at Neptune Club (uncredited)
Gordon De Main	...	Superintendent (uncredited)
Joan Evans	...	Saleslady's Mother (uncredited)
Jim Farley	...	Night Watchman (uncredited)
Virginia Farmer	...	Maid in Dress Shop (uncredited)
Betty Farrington	...	Woman on Bridge (uncredited)
Chuck Hamilton	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Man at Rehearsal (uncredited)
Harry Hayden	...	Man in Restaurant Recognizing Gates (uncredited)
Bern Hoffman	...	Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Charles Irwin	...	Old Irishman (uncredited)
Louise La Planche	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Lora Lee	...	Girl in Car (uncredited)
Arthur Loft	...	Man who Bumps into Raven (uncredited)
Patsy Mace	...	Young Girl in Reception Room (uncredited)
George Magrill	...	Policeman (uncredited)
John Marston	...	Superintendent (uncredited)
Charles McMurphy	...	Detective (uncredited)
Ivan Miller	...	Doorman (uncredited)
Charles R. Moore	...	Pullman Waiter (uncredited)
Frances Morris	...	Receptionist (uncredited)
Pat O'Malley	...	Conductor (uncredited)
Sarah Padden	...	Mrs. Mason (uncredited)
Reed Porter	...	Workman (uncredited)
Lee Prather	...	Gateman (uncredited)
Jack Reitzen	...	Man at Audition (uncredited)
Cyril Ring	...	Neptune Club Waiter (uncredited)
Julian Rivero	...	Man with Monkey (uncredited)
Dick Rush	...	Lt. Clark (uncredited)
Tim Ryan	...	Weems - Guard (uncredited)
John Sheehan	...	Keever (uncredited)
Oscar Smith	...	Train Porter (uncredited)
Alan Speer	...	Frog (uncredited)
Edwin Stanley	...	Police Captain at Train Station (uncredited)
Elliott Sullivan	...	Officer Glennon (uncredited)
Phil Tead	...	Machinist (uncredited)
Emmett Vogan	...	Police Sgt. Charlie Carlisle (uncredited)
Fred Walburn	...	Walt - Newsboy (uncredited)
Richard Webb	...	Young Man (uncredited)
Pat West	...	Janitor (uncredited)
Gloria Williams	...	Woman (uncredited)
Robert Winkler	...	Jimmie (uncredited)

Directed by
Frank Tuttle

Writing credits
Albert Maltz		(screen play) and
W.R. Burnett		(screen play)
Graham Greene		(based on the novel by)
Frank Tuttle		contract writer (uncredited)

Produced by
Richard Blumenthal	....	associate producer
Buddy G. DeSylva	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
David Buttolph		(musical score)

Cinematography by
John F. Seitz		(director of photography) (as John Seitz)

Film Editing by
Archie Marshek		(edited by)

Production Design by
Lynd Ward		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Hans Dreier		(art direction)
Robert Usher		(art direction)

Makeup Department
Wally Westmore	....	director of makeup

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
George Templeton	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
John Cope	....	sound recordist
Philip Wisdom	....	sound recordist (as Phillip Wisdom)

Visual Effects by
Farciot Edouart	....	special photographic effects
Gordon Jennings	....	special photographic effects
William L. Pereira	....	special photographic effects (as William Pereira)

Stunts
Chuck Hamilton	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mal Bulloch	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Buck Walters	....	camera boom operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Edith Head	....	gowns: Miss Lake
Eugene Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Music Department
Frank Loesser	....	songs: lyrics by
Jacques Press	....	songs: music by
George Parrish	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Walter Scharf	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Leo Shuken	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Teet Carle	....	publicist (uncredited)
Marian Chavez	....	technical advisor: magic tricks (uncredited)
Jimmy Grippo	....	technical advisor: magic tricks (uncredited)
Frank Herman	....	technical advisor: magic tricks (uncredited)
George King	....	assistant dance director (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1942) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paramount-Film (1952) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• M.P.E.A. (1952) (Austria) (theatrical)
• MCA/Universal Pictures (1958) (USA) (TV)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pay Television (????) (USA) (TV) (An MCA Company)
• Universal Pictures (2007) (UK) (DVD) (Cinema Classics)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

81 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (re-rating) (2006) | Australia:M | USA:Approved (PCA #7878) | Netherlands:9 (2010) | West Germany:16 (nf) | Portugal:17 | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Finland:S | Norway:16 (1942)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

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

Goofs:

Continuity: While unconscious, Ellen is shown lying on the couch tied up and gagged. Her wrists and upper torso are tied, but her ankles are untied. However, after she is picked up and carried into the next room, her ankles are now bound.

Quotes:

Willard Gates:Such a lovely body. It's revolting.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: High School Big Shot (#7.18)" (1994)

Soundtrack:

Now You See It, Now You Don't

Great Classic

Phillip Raven (Alan Ladd) is a hit-man hired by Willard Gates (Laird Cregar) to execute the blackmailer Albert Baker (Frank Ferguson) and retrieve a letter and some documents for his unknown boss. When the work is done, Raven is double-crossed by Gates, receiving marked ten dollar bills. Gates delivers the list with the serial number of the bills to the police, expecting they find and kill Raven. Meanwhile, the performer Ellen Graham (Veronika Lake), who is the fiancée of the L.A Detective Lieutenant Michael Crane (Robert Preston), is contacted by Senator Burnett (Roger Imhof) and asked to help investigating Gates. She accepts the invitation, and is hired by Gates to work in his private club in Los Angeles. The police force, leaded by Det. Crane, chases Raven for the death of Baker; Raven chases Gates and his unknown boss, expecting to kill them for their betrayal; Ellen secretly chases Gates for the government. This is the beginning of a great classic. Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake have fantastic performances in this movie. Alan Ladd is magnificent in the role of a cold blood killer, needy of a friend, that loves cats. In order to show the personality of his character, there is a scene in the beginning of the story, where he almost shoots a crippled girl to eliminate any possible witness of his murder. Veronika Lake is wonderful and very gorgeous, inclusive singing two songs. I disagree with the reference of film-noir for "This Gun For Hire", since there is no "femme-fatale", no dirty cop, no weak man (other than Gates) or sordid motivation. Indeed it is a police story, showing a cold-blood hit-man without compassion, capable of killing without showing any emotion, hunting "worse guys" looking for his personal vengeance. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Alma Torturada" ("Tortured Soul")