Comments on: This Gun For Hire

By: prowler

prowler — Tue, 05 May 2009 12:33:36 +0000

also, this kinda seemed to me to be a Third Man-lite.. with the whole political genocide thing and the chase scenes. of course TTM did it way better

By: prowler

prowler — Tue, 05 May 2009 12:26:29 +0000

i think slapping women was slightly less shocking in 1942 than it is now and “the enemy” are the japs iirc.

i just saw this, great review, i pretty much agree with your judgment.

By: Alexander Coleman

Alexander Coleman — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 20:18:40 +0000

I love Eddie Muller. He signed his books for me at the Castro during his outfit’s Noir City festivals, and he’s very approachable. Truly the master of exploring the essence of noir, as Paul Schrader has praised.

By: Hedwig

Hedwig — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 19:41:08 +0000

Oooh, I’d love to read that primer. Though G., if you want one quickly, the GreenCine one is worth not a bad place to start.

I haven’t seen this one, but I’ve read the book, which was oddly fascinating. It felt like a bit of a throwaway for Greene, but even his throwaways contain fascinating moments. From the description, it sound like the movie doesn’t stray too far… except for the unfortunate location change. L.A. is a great place for a noir, but its mood and atmosphere couldn’t be further away from British.

By: Evan Derrick

Evan Derrick — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 18:03:22 +0000

G, I actually do have such an article in the works, a Film Noir Primer, if you will. I meant to have it up on Friday but time and circumstances wouldn’t allow. I should rectify that in the next few days, and I have little doubt that some of the statements I make will pull down a firestorm of discussion.

By: Alexander Coleman

Alexander Coleman — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 10:00:11 +0000

Kudos to films noir for pointing out the blatant Melville homages in Le Samourai. It’s one of my favorite historical aspects of This Gun for Hire as an indication of its influence.

By: films noir

films noir — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 09:01:15 +0000

A fair review of this movie. It is worth noting that This Gun for Hire influenced French director, Jean-Pierre Melville,in his 1967 homage to film noir, Le Samourai, with Alain Delon, who shares not only Alan Ladd’s first name but an uncanny resemblance, in a similar story of a hit-man on the run. Le Samourai has a pet canary, while Ladd’s Raven has a pet cat. Even the dramatic rail bridge chase is copied by Mellville.

Of interest also is the scene which tries to explain the origins of Raven’s pychosis where he opens up after responding to the gentle concern of the Veronica Lake character, and while to a degree dated and despite a weak supporting cast, this picture leaves you with serious questions to ponder.

By: WALL-E « As Cool As A Fruitstand

WALL-E « As Cool As A Fruitstand — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 01:38:32 +0000

[...] stop me from linking. The Maltese Falcon (probably my favorite classic noir) is up first, This Gun for Hire (have read the book, still need to see the film) is second, and pretty much all the greats will get [...]

By: G

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 16:43:07 +0000

Evan, do you have anyone writing a feature/essay about the concept of noir itself? Particularly the classic “genre vs. style” debate? Because otherwise, I think we’re just going to have to argue about what noir means on every post, without any common points.

By: Evan Derrick

Evan Derrick — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 15:37:27 +0000

Yeah, “Go milk a duck!” is kind of amazing. I think I had to rewind the DVD just to make sure I had heard it correctly the first time.

Sam, I imagine you would be much more forgiving on some of these ‘old timer’ films that I am, which might be a more appropriate response given their status. Any film that we’re still watching 70 years after it was made can be called a classic in some right. My disappointment was that the rest of the film didn’t quite rise to the level of intensity that those opening scenes did. Raven, at the end, chooses not to shoot Ellen’s fiance (the cop), but the guy is such a fop that it doesn’t ring true. It felt like an obligatory move on the part of the filmmakers.

But really, you can’t underestimate the effect that Ladd’s performance has had. Sam Spade might have inspired nearly every PI since his creation, but Phillip Raven inspired every lone hitman. Travis Bickle is a direct descendant of Raven.

By: Sam Juliano

Sam Juliano — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 15:10:22 +0000

Indeed, Veronica Lake and Ladd (with trench coat and hat down to his eyes) make one of the most electrifying of screen couples, blonde Ladd with boxum blond Lake with a husky voice (to match Ladd’s deed voice) and her dreamy eyes make for an irresitable match.
For the second day in a row a great treatment of a film that can only be referred to or considered “quintessential noir.” With this film I would go with 4 and a half, but I can fully understand your taking issue with the political subplot. I did think the climactic scene in the pplant was imaginatively rendered.
I thought Cregar’s sickly boss, played by Tully Marshall, is the vilest of villains. While I can’t concur that the film disssapoints on many levels, I do agree with you that this is one 40’s crime drama that doesn’t necessarily quality for the specs of true film noir.
Again, a wonderful essay in a true labor of love at Movie Zeel. Looking forward to DOUBLE INDEMNITY, one of the greatest American films period, in any genre.

By: G

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 14:53:06 +0000

Another great review Evan. I agree with you. I lump this movie in with Constantine: two early but deeply resonant characters created by major British writers (Graham Greene, Alan Moore) and were deeply embedded in both British concerns and a certain time in British history but, when made into movies, were inexplicably played by non-Brits in L.A., the city least like London.

And yet both movies are pretty good. Neither of them are great, but pretty good.

I prefer This Gun for Hire simply because it contains one of the awesomest lines in the history of cinema: “Go milk a duck!”

Also, I think it was the Japanese he was selling secrets to, not the Nazis, but I’m not sure.

By: Cinexcellence

Cinexcellence — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 14:01:05 +0000

Veronica Lake would definitely make this worth watching. I liked her in Sullivan’s Travels as well.