elvircorhodzic THIS GUN FOR HIRE, the film from which most profited Alan Ladd. The story is actually based on a novel and is a solid thriller with elements of melodrama. The atmosphere is pretty good, acting is nothing special with the exception of Ladd. A cold-blooded killer left a pretty good impression and because of that fact this movie not to be missed.The killer of children's faces would be overblown observation. The killer who likes to do his job is more suitable description. Consistent itself or only very standoffish?This movie could go to two extremes. Being one of the best "noir" or complete failure in the melodrama. Fortunately the director s all kept within certain limits.Veronica Lake as Ellen Graham is special. The woman who found herself in the right place at the right time. Her acting expression could be a little better. Alan Ladd as Philip Raven was excellent. Performance that only has to do with the character in the film. Cold and unfeeling character for those who do not see well.The movie is exciting and easy. Nothing too good, but quite decent.

Fuzzy Wuzzy THIS GUN FOR HIRE (TGFH, for short) is, without question, one of Hollywood's truly classic thrillers from the glorious 40's. It's a top-rate suspense flick, no doubt about that, and, personally, one of my all-time favourite flicks from that particular era. TGFH is jam-packed with plenty of hard-boiled action and death-defying drama. It's a 'Must See' for any Film Noir fan, like myself.This would be Alan Ladd's first starring role as an actor. He'd been struggling to make it in Hollywood for nearly a decade. Ladd's widespread appeal as the hard-edged tough guy, Raven, in TGFH would, literally, catapult him into immediate stardom. Ladd's position as one of Hollywood's top male actors would endure for the next 10 years. Sadly enough, he would eventually die by his own hand from a deliberate overdose of alcohol and barbiturates in the early 1960's. Alan Ladd - Gone, but not forgotten.Adapted from the Graham Greene novel of the same name, TGFH is a tough-edged story about love, power, and betrayal set in the seamy underworld of the 1940's.Alan Ladd, as Philip Raven, plays a cold-blooded, professional killer who's been double-crossed and set-up for termination by his most recent client. It's only a matter of time before he's put out of action for good. But Raven ain't going down alone. No way. To avenge himself and the wrong done him, Raven must track down and eliminate, with extreme prejudice, those who want him out of the picture, permanently.The tension mounts and before the night is over someone will be paying dearly with their life.This Gun For Hire is a sure-fire hit!

drjgardner "This Gun for Hire" is interesting from an historical perspective, but it isn't film noir by any stretch of anyone's imagination. Film noir usually involves an innocent or naive hero who is seduced by a femme fatale, brought into a seedy world, betrayed (at least once), and then left to an unhappy ending. There's usually lots of night scenes, rain, dark shadows, and an urban environment to boot. Alan Ladd is neither innocent nor naive and there is no femme fatale. Veronica Lake and Ladd develop a relationship and she doesn't betray him. Thus, if you're looking for film noir, look elsewhere. Also, you may find the acting a little heavy handed, at least by 21st century standards.While this film helped make Ladd a star, it's probably one of his weaker films. I liked him far more in "Shane": (1953), "The Blue Dahlia" (1946), and "Boy on a Dolphin" (1957).

GManfred "This Gun For Hire" is a really good noir picture, as well as a triumph for the vertically challenged. Its stars are pint-sized Alan Ladd and tiny Veronica Lake, who try to match wits with Laird Cregar, a huge guy who looks even bigger in scenes with either one of them.You can immediately tell it's a noir film, as Ladd is seen in his hotel room with no lights on (noir hotels always seem to have power problems), and wears a trench coat in most scenes. Ladd himself runs the gamut of emotions from A to B, and is alternately rude or scowling, sometimes both in the same scene. He is a pathological hit man who vows revenge on his employer (Cregar) when he discovers he has been paid off in marked bills. He forms an alliance with Lake, who works as a singer in Cregar's night club. See storyline for more details.It is a limited role for Ladd, who does not smile or evince a shred of humanity throughout the film, except that he likes cats. Veronica Lake is something of an acquired taste but comes off well in this peculiar, offbeat picture. The set design for Nitro, the company run by Tully Marshall (Cregar's boss), looks like a set left over from the Buck Rogers serial. But "This Gun For Hire" is eminently watchable and is a compelling and absorbing entry in the noir genre.