This Gun for Hire (1942)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Frank Tuttle

Writers:

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

Release Date:

13 May 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Film-Noir | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

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

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...

Plot Keywords:

Cat | Train | Police | Golden Gate Bridge | Dream

Cast

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

Runtime:

80 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 | 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:

Revealing mistakes: In the scene early in the movie where Raven shoots through the door to kill the female witness, the slide on his 1903 model Colt pocket automatic doesn't cycle and no empty cartridge is ejected, indicating that the pistol was loaded with a low-powered blank.

Quotes:

Willard Gates: Raven... how do you feel when you're doing...
[indicates murder headlines]
Willard Gates: this?
Philip Raven: I feel fine.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Alan Ladd: The True Quiet Man (1999) (TV)

Soundtrack:

I've Got You

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")