THIS GUN FOR HIRE - David Ladd interview with Alan K. Rode

Producer-host Alan K. Rode conversed with actor-producer David Ladd following the screening of THIS GUN FOR HIRE (1942) at the 2023 Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival. The son of legendary movie star Alan Ladd, David discusses the film’s meteoric effect on his father’s career and the transition as a contact movie star with Paramount to producing his own films at Warner Bros. along with the Ladd’s family’s long tenure in Palm Springs.

[@birdsdaword]

Alan Ladd is my favorite actor and This Gun for Hire is my favorite movie. Thank you, David Ladd for all your stories! I met you at the rare showing of the Great Gatsby at the Stanford Theater in Palo Alto.

[@barrywood5750]

As a professional magician, I was impressed with Veronica's magic scene. She handled the props, and the sleights really well. Alan Ladd was a great anti-hero in this movie. Thanks for a great interview!

[@ameryek.9607]

A.L. - wonderful actor, wonderful dad.

[@colettem.7064]

Thank you so much for showing this.🎬 ❤Alan Ladd & Alan K. Rode, too!🌟📚

[@azohundred1353]

This Gun For Hire (1942) really is the original "Assassin Character Study," as Eddie Muller pointed out on Noir Alley before. It's a film noir/neo-noir sub-genre that has been revisited several times since. One that definitely comes to mind that came after that was no doubt inspired by This Gun For Hire is Jean Pierre-Melville's Le Samouraï (1967), which has so many plot elements from it. But also Murder By Contract (1958), John Woo's The Killer (1989), Michael Mann's Collateral (2004), and even when you see David Fincher's new film coming out, also titled The Killer, all of it can traced back to this Alan Ladd classic.
Alan Ladd is a criminally underrated actor today and I'm happy that his career is being highlighted. And great to hear David Ladd discuss his legendary father.

[@ColettaDesign]

I'll make it to this Film Noir Festival some day. Great interview. Thanks!!

[@lorenbeuke9858]

I would LOVE to meet and talk with David Ladd about his father and his films.

[@mphrdldn]

The pairing of Ladd and Lake was incredible.