This Gun for Hire with Veronica Lake: DVD Cover

    This Gun for Hire
    a.k.a. Short Cut to Hell Director: Frank Tuttle Cast: Veronica Lake, Robert Preston, Laird Cregar, Alan Ladd

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    • DVD Release Date: 07/06/2004
    • Original Release: 1942
    • Rating: Not Rated
    • Sales Rank: 15,765

    Viewer Rating: (4 ratings)

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    • Overview
    • Editorial Reviews
    • Scenes
    • Customer Reviews
    • Cast & Crew
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    Features

    Closed Caption; [None specified]

    Full Product Details

    Scene Index

    Side #1 --
    1. Cheapskate (Main Titles) [3:48]
    2. Two for One [3:49]
    3. Double Crossed [5:06]
    4. Clever and Attractive [5:42]
    5. My Guy [4:12]
    6. Hostage Situation [4:09]
    7. Train Ride to L.A. [4:04]
    8. Got a Job to Do [6:02]
    9. The Mermaid Club [4:31]
    10. All Tied Up [5:04]
    11. Do What I Tell You [4:52]
    12. On the Run [6:33]
    13. Bottled Up [4:35]
    14. Crazy Dreams [4:47]
    15. False Promises [5:18]
    16. Escaped [4:43]
    17. The Final Job [3:18]
    18. End Titles [:35]

    Scene Index

    Editorial Reviews

    Though billed fourth in This Gun For Hire, Alan Ladd was catapulted to stardom in the role of Phillip Raven, a ruthless professional killer with a long-suppressed streak of decency. After successfully pulling off his latest murder, Raven reports to his boss, effeminate fifth columnist Willard Gates (Laird Cregar). He collects his $1000 fee, only to discover later that Gates has double-crossed him with marked bills. This was done at the behest of Gates' boss, crooked business executive Alvin Bewster (Tully Marshall), who wants no loose ends left around to connect him with a plot to sell poison gas to the Axis. As Raven ducks and dodges the police, detective Michael Crane (Robert Preston) is hot on the trail of Bewster and Gates. Crane talks his girlfriend, nightclub singer-musician Ellen Graham (Veronica Lake), into taking a job at Gates' nightclub. While on the train to the club, Ellen makes the acquaintance of the escaping Raven. Gates boards the train, spots Ellen innocently sitting next to Raven, and assumes that the two are in cahoots. Later, Gates kidnaps Ellen and spirits her away to his mansion, intending to do away with her the first chance he gets. Instead, Raven, still seeking revenge for being set up, bursts into the mansion in search of Gates. Having previously been impressed by Ellen's kindness, he rescues her, though he intends using her as hostage should the police catch up with him. As they hide out together in the rail yards, Ellen and Raven get to know each other. Learning of Raven's miserable, abusive childhood, Ellen tries to chip away his murderous veneer, hoping to reform him. But when the cops arrive, Raven reverts to his instincts, shooting his way out of his hiding place. As Crane escorts Ellen out of harm's way, Raven rushes towards a bloody showdown with Bewster and Gates. Based on Graham Greene's A Gun For Sale, This Gun For Hire was remade in 1958 as Short Cut to Hell, then again under the original title as a 1990 made-for-TV film. Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

    Customer Reviews

    • Viewer Rating:
    • Ratings: 4Reviews: 2

    Average Transfer/Above Average Thriller!by Anonymous

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    July 24, 2004: ?This Gun For Hire? is a watered down, glammed up version of Graham Greene?s novel A Gun for Sale. It represents the first of four cinematic outings that teamed sultry Veronica Lake with the stoically handsome Alan Ladd, a potent cocktail of personalities that proved to be much in demand over the next decade. Perhaps a tad heavy on sentimentality than most film noirs, the plot concerns Philip Raven?s (Ladd) obsession with Ellen Graham (Veronica Lake) a nightclub dancer with a rough and rumble cop boyfriend, Michael Crane (Robert Preston). Ellen is supposed to be working on exposing Alvin Brewster (Tully Marshall), a chemical company CEO who sold poisonous gas to the Japanese. But an odd and Freudian driven relationship surfaces between Ellen and Raven when she senses his childhood pain and angst. Ellen becomes Raven?s willing captive, in the process transcending his nightmares and making him more human. The very first scene in this film is so incredibly chilling it begs special mention. After having been double crossed by ne?er-do-well, Williard Gates (Laird Cregar), Raven (Ladd) contemplates killing an innocent little girl who has seen him. Even though the resulting decision is typical ?golden age? morality, Ladd makes one believe, if only for a moment, that such cold blooded silencing might be possible. Once again, Universal?s DVD transfer is remarkably solid and clean. The gray scale is very well balanced with deep solid blacks and whites that are almost pristine. There?s a hint film grain and some age related artifacts. Also, some edge enhancement and pixelization occur as well but nothing that will distract from a visual presentation that is a considerable improvement over previously issued VHS tapes. The audio is mono and very well represented. There are no extras on this disc. Nevertheless, it is a good disc to add to your library of classic cinema.

    A(nother) correctionby Anonymous

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    May 09, 2004: I don't know where these 'all movie' reviews originate, but they're sloppy. I've looked at two and both have inaccuracies. In this case, This Gun for Hire, Ellen Graham's policeman boyfriend is not who convinces her to help nail Gates. In fact, she specifically is told to keep him in the dark about it by the U.S. Senator with whom she meets in a cab and who is the person who actually sets up the sting. In any case, a great Veronica Lake film, second only to The Glass Key. Her cabaret act is endearingly inept, but she's such a hottie that, for me at least, it added to her charm. Can't wait for the DVD to be released this summer.