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IMDbPro

This Gun for Hire

  • 19421942
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 21m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
9.3K
YOUR RATING
Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake in This Gun for Hire (1942)
When assassin Philip Raven shoots a blackmailer and his beautiful female companion dead, he is paid off in marked bills by his treasonous employer who is working with foreign spies.
Play trailer2:08
2 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • Film-Noir
When assassin Philip Raven shoots a blackmailer and his beautiful female companion dead, he is paid off in marked bills by his treasonous employer who is working with foreign spies.When assassin Philip Raven shoots a blackmailer and his beautiful female companion dead, he is paid off in marked bills by his treasonous employer who is working with foreign spies.When assassin Philip Raven shoots a blackmailer and his beautiful female companion dead, he is paid off in marked bills by his treasonous employer who is working with foreign spies.
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
9.3K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Frank Tuttle
  • Writers
    • Albert Maltz(screen play)
    • W.R. Burnett(screen play)
    • Graham Greene(based on the novel by)
  • Stars
    • Alan Ladd
    • Veronica Lake
    • Robert Preston
Top credits
  • Director
    • Frank Tuttle
  • Writers
    • Albert Maltz(screen play)
    • W.R. Burnett(screen play)
    • Graham Greene(based on the novel by)
  • Stars
    • Alan Ladd
    • Veronica Lake
    • Robert Preston
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 94User reviews
    • 54Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win

    Videos2

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:08
    Official Trailer
    This Gun for Hire
    Clip 1:02
    This Gun for Hire

    Photos140

    Veronica Lake This Gun For Hire (1942)
    Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake in This Gun for Hire (1942)
    Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake in This Gun for Hire (1942)
    Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake in This Gun for Hire (1942)
    Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake in This Gun for Hire (1942)
    This Gun for Hire (1942)
    Alan Ladd in This Gun for Hire (1942)
    Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake in This Gun for Hire (1942)
    Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake in This Gun for Hire (1942)
    Veronica Lake and Patricia Farr in This Gun for Hire (1942)
    Veronica Lake in This Gun for Hire (1942)
    Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake in This Gun for Hire (1942)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Alan Ladd
    Alan Ladd
    • Philip Ravenas Philip Raven
    Veronica Lake
    Veronica Lake
    • Ellen Grahamas Ellen Graham
    Robert Preston
    Robert Preston
    • Michael Craneas Michael Crane
    Laird Cregar
    Laird Cregar
    • Willard Gatesas Willard Gates
    Tully Marshall
    Tully Marshall
    • Alvin Brewsteras Alvin Brewster
    Marc Lawrence
    Marc Lawrence
    • Tommyas Tommy
    Olin Howland
    Olin Howland
    • Blair Fletcheras Blair Fletcher
    • (as Olin Howlin)
    Roger Imhof
    Roger Imhof
    • Senator Burnettas Senator Burnett
    Pamela Blake
    Pamela Blake
    • Annieas Annie
    Frank Ferguson
    Frank Ferguson
    • Albert Bakeras Albert Baker
    Victor Kilian
    Victor Kilian
    • Drewas Drew
    Patricia Farr
    Patricia Farr
    • Rubyas Ruby
    Harry Shannon
    Harry Shannon
    • Steve Finnertyas Steve Finnerty
    Charles C. Wilson
    Charles C. Wilson
    • Police Captainas Police Captain
    Mikhail Rasumny
    Mikhail Rasumny
    • Slukeyas Slukey
    Bernadene Hayes
    Bernadene Hayes
    • Albert Baker's Secretaryas Albert Baker's Secretary
    Mary Davenport
    • Salesgirlas Salesgirl
    Chester Clute
    Chester Clute
    • Rooming House Manageras Rooming House Manager
    • Director
      • Frank Tuttle
    • Writers
      • Albert Maltz(screen play)
      • W.R. Burnett(screen play)
      • Graham Greene(based on the novel by)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

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

      Ruby: What's the matter? You look like you've been on a hayride with Dracula.

    • Connections
      Edited into Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982)
    • Soundtracks
      Now You See It, Now You Don't
      (1942) (uncredited)

      Lyrics by Frank Loesser

      Music by Jacques Press

      Performed by Veronica Lake (dubbed by Martha Mears)

    User reviews94

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    I like Cats! So says the icy cold broken wrist killer!
    Phillip Raven is a hit man of no obvious moral fibre, he literally will kill anyone for the right price. After fulfilling a contract for the chocolate munching Willard Gates, he finds himself pursued by the law on account that he was paid by Gates with stolen money. Raven sets out for the ultimate revenge and dovetailing towards the explosive finale with him is sultry conjurer Ellen Graham and honest cop Michael Crane.

    Based on the Graham Greene novel A Gun For Sale, this is not a straight out adaptation, the plot has been re-jigged with very impressive results. The most enlightening thing I found when reading up on the film was that the studio were so blown away by the efforts of Alan Ladd as Raven, they turned the script around to make him the films chief axis, and boy what a smart move that was for this is Alan Ladd's show all the way.

    Ladd plays Raven with brilliant icy veneer, he's cold and devoid of emotion, his only trip to anything resembling caring is an affinity to cats because in his own words, "cats don't need anyone, they are on their own, just like me", the result is one of the most unnerving killers put on to the 40s cinema screens. Veronica Lake is the stunning female of the piece, she glides through the picture with ease as Ellen, a character with her own issues, but thankfully she's integral outside of any sort of romantic plot, even though she is the only one who gets close enough to Raven to learn anything about what makes him tick.

    Robert Preston as Michael Crane was to be the pics focus but he becomes a mere side part thanks to Ladd's barnstorming show, and unsurprisingly Laird Cregar is suitably shifty as Gates. It's a fine film in its own right, it's tightly filmed, wonderfully scripted and contains a great noir ending, but ultimately it's all about the cold as death hit-man Raven, and the great performance by the man who played him. 8.5/10
    helpful•19
    1
    • hitchcockthelegend
    • Mar 4, 2008

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 26, 1942 (Canada)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Redemption of Raven
    • Filming locations
      • Richfield Tower - 555 South Flower Street, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $500,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 21 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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