This Gun For Hire (Universal Noir Collection) | 
 enlarge |
Director: Frank Tuttle
Actors: Veronica Lake, Robert Preston, Laird Cregar, Alan Ladd, Tully Marshall
Studio: Universal Studios
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.98
Buy New: $4.19
You Save: $10.79 (72%)
New (42) Used (18) from $4.16
Avg. Customer Rating:  37 reviews
Sales Rank: 13689
Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Dolby, Dvd-video, Full Screen, Subtitled, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 81
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 025192550027
ISBN: 1417011610
UPC: 025192550027
EAN: 9781417011612
ASIN: B00023P4II
Theatrical Release Date: May 13, 1942
Release Date: July 6, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: ******BRAND NEW****** THE SOURCE FOR RARE MEDIA, THOUSANDS OF CUSTOMERS SATISFIED, AND OVER 250 000 ITEMS IN STOCK, BUY FROM A TRUSTED SOURCE, ESTABLISHED SINCE 1998 - INETVIDEO ~~~
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
No Description Available.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: NR
Release Date: 6-JUL-2004
Media Type: DVD
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 32 more reviews...
 This Gun is Good July 1, 2008
A very good film, and with very slightly better direction and a bit more depth to the bit parts it would have been up there with Casablanca among the great black and white films of the early '40s. As it is, it seems to have become almost forgotten. I'd never seen it before, and those who'd told me about it didn't seem wildly enthusiastic. Seeing it was therefore a very pleasant surprise. It zips along at a great pace; the story is intricate and exciting, yet easy to follow, and keeps you guessing, although you know it's all going to work out ok in the end. Basically, it's telling you that everyone, even hitmen with traumatized childhoods, just have to pull together in the war effort. Ladd and Lake are terrific, sharply defined and individual characters, with strongly unusual personalities --- especially Lake. Don't believe those negative reviews: they're in denial. This is an entertaining film.
Pre-Dates Classic American Noir Era February 28, 2008
American film noir is generally considered to have started post WWII (1946 to be exact). That's when the cycle kicks in and ending somewhere in the mid-1950s. There were a few noir films that pre-date the era, and my vote for the first is the terrific "This Gun For Hire." Three additional films, "Laura," "Farewell My Lovely," and "Double Indemnity" (all 1944) also come to mind. "The Maltese Falcon," as good as it is, still belongs in the 1930s Thin Man era.
"Gun" is pure 1940s and directed in a swift, light way. Alan Ladd's Raven is brooding and complex while Laird Cregar gives a wonderful spin to the character Gates. In spite of the dark tone, we can still laugh at his outrageous pretense to "detest violence" while significantly contributing to it. He and henchman Marc Lawrence make a great "comedy team" in their few scenes together. The humor never interferes with the film's basically dark aspect, and that balance contributes to "Gun"'s greatness. Frank Tuttle is a little remembered director of that studio era, but his talent is very obvious here. Alan Ladd owns the character and his chemistry with the cute Veronica Lake is perfect. "This Gun For Hire" is one of the all-time classic American films.
Classic Film Noir...5 stars!!!! December 15, 2007
While this film is justly famous for introducing us to Alan Ladd & giving us another reason to love Veronica Lake, do not overlook it's impact as a classic film noir!! The tale of vengeance, crime, & corruption is one that really drives the point home in several areas without sacrificing any of the other plot points. Alan Ladd gives one of his most powerful performances, second only to SHANE, perhaps. His cold-blooded killer who has a soft spot in his heart for stray cats is both chilling & compelling at the same time. The b&w photography is stark & ominous, a quality that most color films could benefit from. Don't miss this one!!!
An Era When Style Compimented Sustance August 10, 2007
Lately I've been discovering the films of the forties. Some of american cinema's best efforts came from that decade, immediately following the color splash of Gone With The Wind which clearly foreshadowed the coming death of Black and White for mainstream films. Hollywood had spent it's whole history til then bringing B&W cinematography and lighting to wonderful heights of light and shadows capped by Casablanca in it's utterly inadvertent perfection (just watch Bogie's shadow play on the wall while he opens the safe to get more cash for the casino while Claude Raines chews up the scenery).
This Gun For Hire made two stars overnight. Alan Ladd, in an oddly unsympathetic role and Veronica Lake as his onscreen match. They came as close as anyone at capturing the magic displayed onscreen by Bogart and Bacall. In some ways they took it to levels their predecessors couldn't. As a result of all this frenzy to do black and white justice, film noir was born in America. This is one of the finest. Just sit back and watch. You'll love it. There are about a dozen or so from this era done this well. Go do your homework and find them and watch them. It's a great treasure hunt to be on!!!!
.........A Hat....a...Trench Coat....a...Gun... and...a...Itchy Trigger-Finger............ July 2, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I saw this picture when it was released...now, reviewing it after many decades, it smacks of classic [noir] which Hollywood manufactured like piece-work during WW2 days...Alan Ladd is electric in his breakthrough to big time stardom after mundane debuts co-features [a real mean SOB...in this flick]....watch for the Corporate America wheel/bound mogul who gets his just due from 20 stories high, Robert Preston is clock/work as a street smart Detective, throw in sexy/blonde Veronica Lake is a nice piece of sweet cake...don't overlook wanton Pamela Blake, as the local tramp who takes everything Ladd dishes out to her...she hates him but is captivated by his generosity and his penchant to be so reckless; however, Mr. Laird Cregar is immense as is his girth...and steals the show with his defining role of a cunning coward who loves money and peppermint candies...worth buying and worth viewing...enjoy, bye gone Hollywood at it's very best....SSGT CHRIS SARNO-USMC FMF
|
|
|
|
