This Gun for Hire (1942): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1942, This Gun for Hire is a thriller, drama, crime and mystery film directed by Frank Tuttle, running about 81 minutes. “Lover without a heart...killer without a conscience!” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. 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.

Who’s in it. This Gun for Hire stars Veronica Lake as Ellen Graham, Robert Preston as Det. Michael Crane, Laird Cregar as Willard Gates and Alan Ladd as Philip Raven, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.9/10, This Gun for Hire has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $1M at the box office.

Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch This Gun for Hire page.

If you liked it. Fans of This Gun for Hire tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, Pulp Fiction, Parasite and Fight Club.