Overview
A hitman with a heart finds himself entangled in a web of betrayal and revenge.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- brooding
- paranoid
- tense
- classic movie night
- film noir marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praise Alan Ladd's electric star-making performance and the film's fast, exciting noir melodrama, while some later assessments find the script creaky.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Philip Raven is a ruthless contract killer whose kindness toward children and cats complicates his violent identity.
Raven pursues Willard Gates while Ellen assists a Senate investigation into Gates's activities.
The film is identified with film noir and presented in black and white, emphasizing Raven's isolation and danger.
Ellen and Raven gradually move from potential victim and killer toward cooperation against a common enemy.
Films like This Gun for Hire, and why
The Killers
shared film noir atmosphere, professional killer protagonist, paranoia, and morally uneasy alliances
Out of the Past
shared noir fatalism, criminal conspiracy, femme fatale dynamics, and terse urban suspense
Gun Crazy
shared black-and-white crime melodrama, conflicted antihero, and betrayal-driven pursuit
Movie Details
- Director
- Frank Tuttle
- Release Date
- 1942-04-24
- Runtime
- 81 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (198)
Cast
- Alan Ladd
- Veronica Lake
- Robert Preston
- Laird Cregar
- Tully Marshall
- Marc Lawrence
- Olin Howland
- Roger Imhof
- Pamela Blake
- Frank Ferguson
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is This Gun for Hire about?
- A cold-blooded contract killer and a performer drawn into a political investigation form an uneasy alliance amid betrayal, pursuit, and noir intrigue.
- What is This Gun for Hire like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of This Gun for Hire as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is This Gun for Hire violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in This Gun for Hire as moderate.
- What did critics think of This Gun for Hire?
- Critics broadly praise Alan Ladd's electric star-making performance and the film's fast, exciting noir melodrama, while some later assessments find the script creaky.
- Which films are like This Gun for Hire?
- Films with a similar feel include The Killers, Out of the Past, and Gun Crazy.
- How long is This Gun for Hire?
- This Gun for Hire runs 81 minutes.
- Where can I watch This Gun for Hire?
- In United States, This Gun for Hire is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
