| ~The Toll Gate~ 1920 |
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| 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
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 |
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