After being betrayed to the law by one of his henchmen, a bandit leader seeks to avenge himself.After being betrayed to the law by one of his henchmen, a bandit leader seeks to avenge himself.After being betrayed to the law by one of his henchmen, a bandit leader seeks to avenge himself.
Richard Headrick
- The Little Feller
- (as Master Richard Headrick)
Fritz the Horse
- Derring's Horse
- (uncredited)
Bill Patton
- Hank Simmons
- (uncredited)
Leo Willis
- Soldier
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- Quotes
Woman: They may call you Black Deering, but by God, you're white!
- ConnectionsFeatured in Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs (2000)
Featured review
Dark and morally complicated western long before the days of Clint Eastwood
The idea that westerns were all sweetness and light until the 50s and 60s falls apart when you examine the work of William S. Hart in the 1910s and early 1920s. He aimed for a general realism in his films and often played antiheroes who weren't above thievery, murder, and even rape before they discovered redemption in the second or third act. Of course, these films are also old-fashioned in their sense of old-fashioned religiosity and (usually but not always) passive heroines, but their grittier nature does make them ripe for critical re-evaluation, at least in my opinion.
The Toll Gate (1920) is a fine film, an ideal entryway into Hart's oeuvre. While there's nothing earthshaking from a technical point of view, its morally conflicted protagonist, a bandit leader constantly struggling to abandon the vagabond's life only to be pulled back by economic necessity or the allure of vengeance upon the man who betrayed him to the law, makes the story fascinating. Hart can be wooden at times, but for the most part, he is a restrained but powerful actor. Equaling him is the leading lady Anna Q. Nilsson, who, though stuck in a rather passive role, puts a great deal of subtlety into her character.
Worthwhile viewing and deserves rediscovery.
The Toll Gate (1920) is a fine film, an ideal entryway into Hart's oeuvre. While there's nothing earthshaking from a technical point of view, its morally conflicted protagonist, a bandit leader constantly struggling to abandon the vagabond's life only to be pulled back by economic necessity or the allure of vengeance upon the man who betrayed him to the law, makes the story fascinating. Hart can be wooden at times, but for the most part, he is a restrained but powerful actor. Equaling him is the leading lady Anna Q. Nilsson, who, though stuck in a rather passive role, puts a great deal of subtlety into her character.
Worthwhile viewing and deserves rediscovery.
helpful•40
- MissSimonetta
- May 27, 2015
Details
- Runtime1 hour 13 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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