Word: ladd
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...This Gun for Hire," though given second billing at the U. T., easily surpasses its dyspeptic counterpart. Alan Ladd grimly and effectively stalks his way through a difficult and interesting role, with various and sundry saboteur doing their darndest to stop him. Ladd himself makes the picture what it is, and his sensitive portrayal of a different kind of ruthless killer marks him an actor to be watched. Veronica Lake is here, too. There must be something nice to say about her presence in the film, but all we can think of right now is--well, Veronica Lake is here...
...Veronica Lake, and John Garfield were "introduced" to cinema audiences. If there's any good luck charm attached to tacking a new star's name on at the end, instead of at the beginning of his starting venture, it has proved its validity in Paramount's "introduction" of Alan Ladd in "This Gun For Hire...
...Ladd doesn't really "steal" the show, as newcomers often do. That would be somewhat difficult, since he is the whole show himself. Appearing in nearly every scene, and dominating every other character in the story, Ladd neatly pulls a weak and often aimless story up by his own bootstraps into the realm of first-rate escapist filmfare. As Raven, the grim and psychopathic gunman who doesn't even bother to blink when he polishes off his daily quota of victims, he glides easily through a part that in other hands might well have degenerated into another "boy-from...
...ring of sinister saboteurs, and "This Gun For Hire" has its share of them, headed by hulking Laird Cregar, who again manages to turn in an effective characterization of a refreshingly unstereotyped villain. There's a love interest, too, with Preston Foster and Veronica Lake as the involved parties. Ladd doesn't win the girl-he doesn't even try-but he does win a whopping head-start as Hollywood's best discovery in years...
...Actor Ladd, 24, is Paramount's other male find of the wartime season. Like his studio mate, he is also 1-A in the draft...