| ~The Toll Gate~ 1920 |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| SilentHollywood.com |
| SilentHollywood.com |
| ~Anna Q. Nilsson~ |
| ~William S. Hart~ |
| ~Plot Synopsis~ |
"The Raiders," an outlaw band led by Black Deering (William S. Hart), has eluded the law for three
years. After Jordan (Joseph Singleton), Deering's "lieutenant," convinces the band, against Deering's
wishes, to perform one last train robbery, the band is met by an army waiting for them on the train.
Deering is captured and Jordan receives a reward. An officer, remembering that Deering earlier rode
eighty miles to warn an army post of an impending Apache attack, convinces the others to look away
while Deering escapes. At a border town, Deering robs and burns down Jordan's cantina and is
pursued by Jordan's band of Mexicans and the sheriff's posse. Because Deering rescues a drowning
child (Richard Headrick), the child's mother, Mary Brown (Anna Q. Nilsson), allows him to pose as her
husband. Learning that Mary is Jordan's deserted wife, Deering is tempted to rape her to avenge
himself against Jordan, but overcomes his anger. After Deering assists the posse to route the
Mexicans, he struggles with Jordan and pushes him off a cliff. Allowed to go free because they are in
Mexico, Deering kisses Mary, who returns to the United States. What makes this western very
unusual for its time (or any time, for that matter) is the lack of the traditional happy ending. Although
pardoned by the sheriff for killing Singleton, Hart refuses to marry the widow despite their obvious
love for one another because he deems himself unworthy after killing her husband. Critics have
bemoaned such "Hart-isms," but the decision actually seems quite logical and understandable this
time. This was the first film Hart made after leaving Thomas Ince and organizing his own production
company. Leading lady Anna Q. Nilsson was Scandinavia's first gift to the American film industry.
Arriving in New York as a domestic around 1905, the Swedish beauty rose to screen stardom in the
early to mid-1910s without the benefit of a single acting lesson. Hollywood chronicler Adela Rogers
St. Johns later termed the actress the screen's "only blond vamp."
Plot Synopsis is a combination of Plot Synopses from allmovie.com and afi.com
years. After Jordan (Joseph Singleton), Deering's "lieutenant," convinces the band, against Deering's
wishes, to perform one last train robbery, the band is met by an army waiting for them on the train.
Deering is captured and Jordan receives a reward. An officer, remembering that Deering earlier rode
eighty miles to warn an army post of an impending Apache attack, convinces the others to look away
while Deering escapes. At a border town, Deering robs and burns down Jordan's cantina and is
pursued by Jordan's band of Mexicans and the sheriff's posse. Because Deering rescues a drowning
child (Richard Headrick), the child's mother, Mary Brown (Anna Q. Nilsson), allows him to pose as her
husband. Learning that Mary is Jordan's deserted wife, Deering is tempted to rape her to avenge
himself against Jordan, but overcomes his anger. After Deering assists the posse to route the
Mexicans, he struggles with Jordan and pushes him off a cliff. Allowed to go free because they are in
Mexico, Deering kisses Mary, who returns to the United States. What makes this western very
unusual for its time (or any time, for that matter) is the lack of the traditional happy ending. Although
pardoned by the sheriff for killing Singleton, Hart refuses to marry the widow despite their obvious
love for one another because he deems himself unworthy after killing her husband. Critics have
bemoaned such "Hart-isms," but the decision actually seems quite logical and understandable this
time. This was the first film Hart made after leaving Thomas Ince and organizing his own production
company. Leading lady Anna Q. Nilsson was Scandinavia's first gift to the American film industry.
Arriving in New York as a domestic around 1905, the Swedish beauty rose to screen stardom in the
early to mid-1910s without the benefit of a single acting lesson. Hollywood chronicler Adela Rogers
St. Johns later termed the actress the screen's "only blond vamp."
Plot Synopsis is a combination of Plot Synopses from allmovie.com and afi.com
| Directed by: Lambert Hillyer Written by: William S. Hart (story "By Their Fruits Ye Shall Know Them") uncredited Lambert Hillyer - writer |
| ~Cast~ William S. Hart ... Black Deering Anna Q. Nilsson ... Mary Brown Joseph Singleton ... Tom Jordan Jack Richardson ... The Sheriff Richard Headrick ... The Little Feller Fritz the Horse ... (uncredited) Bill Patton ... Hank Simmons (uncredited) Leo Willis ... (uncredited) |
| ~Remaining Credits~ Production Company: William S. Hart Productions Distribution Company: Paramount-Artcraft Pictures Executive Producer: William S. Hart Cinematography by: Joseph H. August Film Editing by: LeRoy Stone Art Direction by: Thomas A. Brierley Assistant Director: William Hughes Curran Art Titles: Harry Barndollar Second Camera Operator: Dwight Warren Presenter: Samuel Bischoff Technical Director: J.C. Hoffner Length: 5 Reels Runtime: 73 Minutes Released: April 15, 1920 |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Other Links That You Might Find Helpful to you for this film:
imdb.com - general information (data base form)
allmovie.com - plot synopsis
tcm.com - general information also including plot synopsis
afi.com - general information
imdb.com - general information (data base form)
allmovie.com - plot synopsis
tcm.com - general information also including plot synopsis
afi.com - general information