'This Gun for Hire', based on the Graham Greene classic 'A Gun for Sale', was always a favourite film noir of mine, even though Hollywood tried to make Greene's anti-hero more palatable by changing his hare-lip into a deformed wrist. It is still quite an astonishingly desillusioned look at society and man's chances at survival, and the film easily holds up with the greatest of Warner's classics of the time. This new (and first) DVD edition lovingly recreates the gorgeous B&W cinematography with wonderful texture to make the rain-wet streets and the chiaroscuro sink in. Obviously, 'This Gun for Hire' is somewhat influenced by the fact that it was made during WW2, but the patriotism never takes the upper hand, as could have been feared. Ladd made his debut as the soft-spoken, tender killer with a soft spot for kittens, and Lake exudes Hollywood glamour times 100 as the cop girlfriend who helps out.
Our Price: £5.33 (subject to change)
Gorgeous noir
Review date: 2004-08-30 Rating: 10 out of 10
Shocking blonde Veronica Lake with the famous peek-a-boo hairdo covering her right eye and the equally diminutive Alan Ladd were Paramount's version of Warner's Bogart & Bacall. The poor man's Bogie & Bacall, as it were.