← Back to films
This Gun for Hire

This Gun for Hire

7,0 /10 (197 Votes)
1942 EN 81 min

Overview

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.

Stream

Powered by JustWatch via TMDB

Release date

24/04/1942

Votes

197

Popularity

2.9

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

Status

Released

Language

EN

Runtime

81 min

Budget

$512,423

Revenue

$1,000,000

Alan Ladd

Alan Ladd

Philip Raven

Veronica Lake

Veronica Lake

Ellen Graham

Robert Preston

Robert Preston

Det. Michael Crane

Laird Cregar

Laird Cregar

Willard Gates

Tully Marshall

Tully Marshall

Alvin Brewster

Marc Lawrence

Marc Lawrence

Tommy

Olin Howland

Olin Howland

Blair Fletcher

Roger Imhof

Roger Imhof

Senator Burnett

Pamela Blake

Pamela Blake

Annie

Frank Ferguson

Frank Ferguson

Albert Baker

Victor Kilian

Victor Kilian

Drew

Patricia Farr

Patricia Farr

Ruby

Harry Shannon

Harry Shannon

Steve Finnerty

Charles Cahill Wilson

Charles Cahill Wilson

Police Captain

Mikhail Rasumny

Mikhail Rasumny

Slukey

Bernadene Hayes

Bernadene Hayes

Albert Baker's Secretary

Mary Davenport

Mary Davenport

Salesgirl

Chester Clute

Chester Clute

Rooming House Manager

Charles Arnt

Charles Arnt

Male Dressmaker

Earle S. Dewey

Earle S. Dewey

Mr. Collins

Clem Bevans

Clem Bevans

Scissor Grinder

No photo

Lynda Grey

Gates' Secretary

Virita Campbell

Virita Campbell

Little Girl

No photo

George Anderson

Plainclothesman (uncredited)

Don Barclay

Don Barclay

Piano Player (uncredited)

No photo

Ernest Baskett

Porter (uncredited)

No photo

Jack Baxley

Innocent Dupe (uncredited)

Karin Booth

Karin Booth

Waitress (uncredited)

No photo

Harry Brown

Superintendent (uncredited)

No photo

William Cabanne

Laundry Truck Driver (uncredited)

Eddy Chandler

Eddy Chandler

Demolition Foreman (uncredited)

Jack Cheatham

Jack Cheatham

Policeman (uncredited)

No photo

Kenneth Chryst

Workman (uncredited)

Yvonne De Carlo

Yvonne De Carlo

Showgirl at Neptune Club (uncredited)

Gordon De Main

Gordon De Main

Superintendent (uncredited)

No photo

Joan Evans

Saleslady's Mother (uncredited)

Jim Farley

Jim Farley

Night Watchman (uncredited)

Virginia Farmer

Virginia Farmer

Maid in Dress Shop (uncredited)

Betty Farrington

Betty Farrington

Woman on Bridge (uncredited)

Chuck Hamilton

Chuck Hamilton

Policeman (uncredited)

No photo

Sam Harris

Man at Rehearsal (uncredited)

Harry Harvey

Harry Harvey

Passenger (uncredited)

Harry Hayden

Harry Hayden

Man in Restaurant Recognizing Gates (uncredited)

No photo

Charles Irwin

Old Irishman (uncredited)

No photo

Louise La Planche

Dancer (uncredited)

No photo

Lora Lee

Girl in Car (uncredited)

Arthur Loft

Arthur Loft

Man who Bumps into Raven (uncredited)

No photo

Patsy Mace

Young Girl in Reception Room (uncredited)

George Magrill

George Magrill

Policeman (uncredited)

John Marston

John Marston

Superintendent (uncredited)

No photo

Charles McMurphy

Detective (uncredited)

Ivan Miller

Ivan Miller

Doorman (uncredited)

Charles R. Moore

Charles R. Moore

Pullman Waiter (uncredited)

Frances Morris

Frances Morris

Receptionist (uncredited)

Pat O'Malley

Pat O'Malley

Conductor (uncredited)

Sarah Padden

Sarah Padden

Mrs. Mason (uncredited)

No photo

Reed Porter

Workman (uncredited)

No photo

Lee Prather

Gateman (uncredited)

Cyril Ring

Cyril Ring

Neptune Club Waiter (uncredited)

No photo

Julian Rivero

Man with Monkey (uncredited)

No photo

Dick Rush

Lt. Clark (uncredited)

Tim Ryan

Tim Ryan

Weems, Guard (uncredited)

John Sheehan

John Sheehan

Keever (uncredited)

Oscar Smith

Oscar Smith

Train Porter (uncredited)

No photo

Alan Speer

Frog (uncredited)

Edwin Stanley

Edwin Stanley

Police Captain at Train Station (uncredited)

Elliott Sullivan

Elliott Sullivan

Officer Glennon (uncredited)

Phil Tead

Phil Tead

Machinist (uncredited)

Emmett Vogan

Emmett Vogan

Police Sgt. Charlie Carlisle (uncredited)

No photo

Fred Walburn

Walt - Newsboy (uncredited)

Richard Webb

Richard Webb

Young Man (uncredited)

Pat West

Pat West

Janitor (uncredited)

No photo

Gloria Williams

Woman (uncredited)

No photo

Robert Winkler

Jimmie (uncredited)

Original Soundtrack

Loading soundtrack videos…

John Chard

John Chard

2019-01-10

⭐ 9

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-jigge…

Read full review →
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

2026-02-09

⭐ 7

“Raven” (Alan Ladd) is a meticulously capable contract killer whom we meet bumping off not just a blackmailer, but an innocent girl who just happened to be with him at the time. His boss, “Gates” (Laird Cregar) rather foolishly pays him off with dodgy cash and that earns him the enmity of his former employee. Meantime, the authorities are suspicious of “Gates" and his own wheel-chair bound industrialist boss “Brewster” (Tully Marshall) and so they ask chanteuse "Ellen” (Veronica Lake) - who just happens to be dating the already interested detective “Crane” (Robert Preston) - to help then entra…

Read full review →