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CrimeThrillerMystery

This Gun for Hire

- A Lone Wolf…dynamite with a girl or a gun!

Sadistic killer-for-hire Philip Raven becomes enraged when his latest job is paid off in marked bills. Vowing to track down his double-crossing boss, nightclub executive Gates, Raven sits beside Gates' lovely new employee, Ellen, on a train out of town. Although Ellen is engaged to marry the police lieutenant who's hunting down Raven, she decides to try and set the misguided hit man straight as he hides from the cops and plots his revenge.

Release Date : 1942-04-24

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Paramount Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Veronica Lake

Character Name : Ellen Graham

Original Name : Veronica Lake

Gender : Female

Robert Preston

Character Name : Det. Michael Crane

Original Name : Robert Preston

Gender : Male

Laird Cregar

Character Name : Willard Gates

Original Name : Laird Cregar

Gender : Male

Alan Ladd

Character Name : Philip Raven

Original Name : Alan Ladd

Gender : Male

Tully Marshall

Character Name : Alvin Brewster

Original Name : Tully Marshall

Gender : Male

Marc Lawrence

Character Name : Tommy

Original Name : Marc Lawrence

Gender : Male

Olin Howland

Character Name : Blair Fletcher

Original Name : Olin Howland

Gender : Male

Roger Imhof

Character Name : Senator Burnett

Original Name : Roger Imhof

Gender : Male

Pamela Blake

Character Name : Annie

Original Name : Pamela Blake

Gender : Female

Frank Ferguson

Character Name : Albert Baker

Original Name : Frank Ferguson

Gender : Male

Victor Kilian

Character Name : Drew

Original Name : Victor Kilian

Gender : Male

Patricia Farr

Character Name : Ruby

Original Name : Patricia Farr

Gender : Female

Harry Shannon

Character Name : Steve Finnerty

Original Name : Harry Shannon

Gender : Male

Charles C. Wilson

Character Name : Police Captain

Original Name : Charles C. Wilson

Gender : Male

Mikhail Rasumny

Character Name : Slukey

Original Name : Mikhail Rasumny

Gender : Male

Bernadene Hayes

Character Name : Albert Baker's Secretary

Original Name : Bernadene Hayes

Gender : Female

Mary Davenport

Character Name : Salesgirl

Original Name : Mary Davenport

Gender : Female

Chester Clute

Character Name : Rooming House Manager

Original Name : Chester Clute

Gender : Male

Charles Arnt

Character Name : Male Dressmaker

Original Name : Charles Arnt

Gender : Male

Earle S. Dewey

Character Name : Mr. Collins

Original Name : Earle S. Dewey

Gender : Male

Clem Bevans

Character Name : Scissor Grinder

Original Name : Clem Bevans

Gender : Male

Lynda Grey

Character Name : Gates' Secretary

Original Name : Lynda Grey

Gender : Female

Virita Campbell

Character Name : Little Girl

Original Name : Virita Campbell

Gender : Female

George Anderson

Character Name : Plainclothesman (uncredited)

Original Name : George Anderson

Gender : Male

Don Barclay

Character Name : Piano Player (uncredited)

Original Name : Don Barclay

Gender : Male

Ernest Baskett

Character Name : Porter (uncredited)

Original Name : Ernest Baskett

Gender : Male

Jack Baxley

Character Name : Innocent Dupe (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Baxley

Gender : Male

Karin Booth

Character Name : Waitress (uncredited)

Original Name : Karin Booth

Gender : Female

Harry Brown

Character Name : Superintendent (uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Brown

Gender : Male

William Cabanne

Character Name : Laundry Truck Driver (uncredited)

Original Name : William Cabanne

Gender : Male

Eddy Chandler

Character Name : Demolition Foreman (uncredited)

Original Name : Eddy Chandler

Gender : Male

Jack Cheatham

Character Name : Policeman (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Cheatham

Gender : Male

Kenneth Chryst

Character Name : Workman (uncredited)

Original Name : Kenneth Chryst

Gender : Male

Yvonne De Carlo

Character Name : Showgirl at Neptune Club (uncredited)

Original Name : Yvonne De Carlo

Gender : Female

Gordon De Main

Character Name : Superintendent (uncredited)

Original Name : Gordon De Main

Gender : Male

Joan Evans

Character Name : Saleslady's Mother (uncredited)

Original Name : Joan Evans

Gender : Male

Jim Farley

Character Name : Night Watchman (uncredited)

Original Name : Jim Farley

Gender : Male

Virginia Farmer

Character Name : Maid in Dress Shop (uncredited)

Original Name : Virginia Farmer

Gender : Female

Betty Farrington

Character Name : Woman on Bridge (uncredited)

Original Name : Betty Farrington

Gender : Female

Chuck Hamilton

Character Name : Policeman (uncredited)

Original Name : Chuck Hamilton

Gender : Male

Sam Harris

Character Name : Man at Rehearsal (uncredited)

Original Name : Sam Harris

Gender : Male

Harry Harvey

Character Name : Passenger (uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Harvey

Gender : Male

Harry Hayden

Character Name : Man in Restaurant Recognizing Gates (uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Hayden

Gender : Male

Charles Irwin

Character Name : Old Irishman (uncredited)

Original Name : Charles Irwin

Gender : Male

Louise La Planche

Character Name : Dancer (uncredited)

Original Name : Louise La Planche

Gender : Female

Lora Lee

Character Name : Girl in Car (uncredited)

Original Name : Lora Lee

Gender : Male

Arthur Loft

Character Name : Man who Bumps into Raven (uncredited)

Original Name : Arthur Loft

Gender : Male

Patsy Mace

Character Name : Young Girl in Reception Room (uncredited)

Original Name : Patsy Mace

Gender : Male

George Magrill

Character Name : Policeman (uncredited)

Original Name : George Magrill

Gender : Male

John Marston

Character Name : Superintendent (uncredited)

Original Name : John Marston

Gender : Male

Charles McMurphy

Character Name : Detective (uncredited)

Original Name : Charles McMurphy

Gender : Male

Ivan Miller

Character Name : Doorman (uncredited)

Original Name : Ivan Miller

Gender : Male

Charles R. Moore

Character Name : Pullman Waiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Charles R. Moore

Gender : Male

Frances Morris

Character Name : Receptionist (uncredited)

Original Name : Frances Morris

Gender : Female

Pat O'Malley

Character Name : Conductor (uncredited)

Original Name : Pat O'Malley

Gender : Male

Sarah Padden

Character Name : Mrs. Mason (uncredited)

Original Name : Sarah Padden

Gender : Female

Reed Porter

Character Name : Workman (uncredited)

Original Name : Reed Porter

Gender : Male

Lee Prather

Character Name : Gateman (uncredited)

Original Name : Lee Prather

Gender : Male

Cyril Ring

Character Name : Neptune Club Waiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Cyril Ring

Gender : Male

Julian Rivero

Character Name : Man with Monkey (uncredited)

Original Name : Julian Rivero

Gender : Male

Dick Rush

Character Name : Lt. Clark (uncredited)

Original Name : Dick Rush

Gender : Male

Tim Ryan

Character Name : Weems, Guard (uncredited)

Original Name : Tim Ryan

Gender : Male

John Sheehan

Character Name : Keever (uncredited)

Original Name : John Sheehan

Gender : Male

Oscar Smith

Character Name : Train Porter (uncredited)

Original Name : Oscar Smith

Gender : Male

Alan Speer

Character Name : Frog (uncredited)

Original Name : Alan Speer

Gender : Male

Edwin Stanley

Character Name : Police Captain at Train Station (uncredited)

Original Name : Edwin Stanley

Gender : Male

Elliott Sullivan

Character Name : Officer Glennon (uncredited)

Original Name : Elliott Sullivan

Gender : Male

Phil Tead

Character Name : Machinist (uncredited)

Original Name : Phil Tead

Gender : Male

Emmett Vogan

Character Name : Police Sgt. Charlie Carlisle (uncredited)

Original Name : Emmett Vogan

Gender : Male

Fred Walburn

Character Name : Walt - Newsboy (uncredited)

Original Name : Fred Walburn

Gender : Male

Richard Webb

Character Name : Young Man (uncredited)

Original Name : Richard Webb

Gender : Male

Pat West

Character Name : Janitor (uncredited)

Original Name : Pat West

Gender : Male

Gloria Williams

Character Name : Woman (uncredited)

Original Name : Gloria Williams

Gender : Male

Robert Winkler

Character Name : Jimmie (uncredited)

Original Name : Robert Winkler

Gender : Male

Reviews

J

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

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 film's 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 of course the great performance by the man who played him. 8.5/10