Techniques have improved, technology has advanced, and societal values and storytelling sensibilities have changed, but a good movie is a good movie no matter how old it may be. Silent westerns are no less worthy than their talkie brethren, and in some cases may arguably stand taller: the narrative tends to be a tad more streamlined, cutting out excess so that not one foot of precious film stock is wasted; for lack of safety protocols that would be developed in time, stunts may hit harder; any fracas of music and noise never enters the equation to distract from the substance of a feature. Something like 'The toll gate' may in turn come off as simplified and straightforward, but the fact is just that all unnecessary trimmings that we're accustomed to in the sound era have been excised. And that's fine by me, because for my money this 1920 flick comes across as stark and pure, and it's highly enjoyable exactly as it is.
One can't tread very far among silent westerns without encountering William S. Hart, and this marks one of several of his collaborations with filmmaker Lambert Hillyer. There's a rough, stony stoicism in the man's acting that belies superb nuance and range, recalling select other actors over the years like Gregory Peck or George C. Scott. That's to say nothing of the stunt work that Hart commonly performed himself, frequently alongside trusted "Wonder Horse" Fritz - a credit to the man, the animal, and the trainers. At the same time, Hillyer's direction tends ever toward charged action and emotion, or at least emphatic, grabbing scenes and drama, and the outcome is a feast for the eyes from one moment to the next. It's hard not to get swept up in the beautiful, rugged landscapes that serve as filming locations, or the action sequences, or even just the sight of several majestic equines riding side by side or the admirable, heartfelt acting of a swell cast. That Hart produced and starred, and co-wrote the screenplay here alongside director Hillyer, I think says so much about how committed the duo were to the integrity of their craft, and how much they loved making movies. As a viewer it's impossible not to feel that passion shine through.
By all means, Hart stands out most in these seventy-three minutes, but even in a smaller supporting part Anna Q. Nilsson gives an earnest, meaningful performance that leaves an impact; if their co-stars make less of a mark it's only because their roles are of a lesser stature. And in all other regards 'The toll gate' is splendidly well made, including the sets, costume design, and hair and makeup that we expect of westerns. Joseph H. August's cinematography is rock solid in helping to build each shot and scene, and I appreciate the careful use of tinting that literally and proverbially colors the developed film. Meanwhile, the story that Hillyer and Hart wrote really is terrific, compelling and absorbing - betrayal, revenge, heroism, villainy, and an outlaw with a troubled past and an honest heart. Some westerns in all the past one hundred years have been unable to conjure a saga as rich and engrossing as this, or to subsequently shape a full-length picture with as much care, skill, and intelligence. All told there may be fewer stunts and scenes of action here than we get in some other like fare, but those we do get are well worth it, and the storytelling is so excellent and carefully plotted that it's more than enough by itself to keep us invested.
I'd stop short of saying the title is an outright must-see, and it's not perfect. There are a couple instances where poor lighting, deterioration of the surviving print, and/or a mild lag in the narrative combine for a scene that comes off a tad confused, or at least lackluster. There's also a single ill-considered line (related by the intertitles) to come in the back end of the runtime that's quizzical on the face of it and comes off as pointlessly, casually racist - a sense that is confirmed with another line or two to follow in turn. I don't know what else may have been true of Hillyer, Hart, or others involved, but I do know that these inclusions were unnecessary, and senseless, and are not a good look. And even if we set these factors aside, this movie may not be the one to change the mind of anyone who has a hard time engaging with older cinema, least of all as there are fluctuations in the image quality in the last reel or two, reflecting the struggles to preserve a work of so many years ago. Add in some old-fashioned heavy-handedness as the intertitles try to achieve some profundity, and not everything about 'The toll gate' has aged well.
Yet for whatever criticisms one may level, and for any of those ways in which the whole may falter, by and large this remains a great, upstanding genre piece. The troubles it faces in various ways are surely less severe than those of some of its kin. I'm not washing over the feature's weaknesses, but rather, its strengths handily outweigh and outshine the indelicacies and marginal inelegance. The writing, direction, and acting are all fantastic, and the contributions of the crew behind the scenes not truly any less so. I can understand how it won't appeal to all comers, yet as far as I'm concerned if one has any interest in the silent era or in westerns at large then this is a marvelous early example that mostly holds up and is well worth exploring. Don't necessarily go out of your way for 'The toll gate,' but if you do have the chance to watch, at only seventy-three minutes it's a classic that deserves recognition.
One can't tread very far among silent westerns without encountering William S. Hart, and this marks one of several of his collaborations with filmmaker Lambert Hillyer. There's a rough, stony stoicism in the man's acting that belies superb nuance and range, recalling select other actors over the years like Gregory Peck or George C. Scott. That's to say nothing of the stunt work that Hart commonly performed himself, frequently alongside trusted "Wonder Horse" Fritz - a credit to the man, the animal, and the trainers. At the same time, Hillyer's direction tends ever toward charged action and emotion, or at least emphatic, grabbing scenes and drama, and the outcome is a feast for the eyes from one moment to the next. It's hard not to get swept up in the beautiful, rugged landscapes that serve as filming locations, or the action sequences, or even just the sight of several majestic equines riding side by side or the admirable, heartfelt acting of a swell cast. That Hart produced and starred, and co-wrote the screenplay here alongside director Hillyer, I think says so much about how committed the duo were to the integrity of their craft, and how much they loved making movies. As a viewer it's impossible not to feel that passion shine through.
By all means, Hart stands out most in these seventy-three minutes, but even in a smaller supporting part Anna Q. Nilsson gives an earnest, meaningful performance that leaves an impact; if their co-stars make less of a mark it's only because their roles are of a lesser stature. And in all other regards 'The toll gate' is splendidly well made, including the sets, costume design, and hair and makeup that we expect of westerns. Joseph H. August's cinematography is rock solid in helping to build each shot and scene, and I appreciate the careful use of tinting that literally and proverbially colors the developed film. Meanwhile, the story that Hillyer and Hart wrote really is terrific, compelling and absorbing - betrayal, revenge, heroism, villainy, and an outlaw with a troubled past and an honest heart. Some westerns in all the past one hundred years have been unable to conjure a saga as rich and engrossing as this, or to subsequently shape a full-length picture with as much care, skill, and intelligence. All told there may be fewer stunts and scenes of action here than we get in some other like fare, but those we do get are well worth it, and the storytelling is so excellent and carefully plotted that it's more than enough by itself to keep us invested.
I'd stop short of saying the title is an outright must-see, and it's not perfect. There are a couple instances where poor lighting, deterioration of the surviving print, and/or a mild lag in the narrative combine for a scene that comes off a tad confused, or at least lackluster. There's also a single ill-considered line (related by the intertitles) to come in the back end of the runtime that's quizzical on the face of it and comes off as pointlessly, casually racist - a sense that is confirmed with another line or two to follow in turn. I don't know what else may have been true of Hillyer, Hart, or others involved, but I do know that these inclusions were unnecessary, and senseless, and are not a good look. And even if we set these factors aside, this movie may not be the one to change the mind of anyone who has a hard time engaging with older cinema, least of all as there are fluctuations in the image quality in the last reel or two, reflecting the struggles to preserve a work of so many years ago. Add in some old-fashioned heavy-handedness as the intertitles try to achieve some profundity, and not everything about 'The toll gate' has aged well.
Yet for whatever criticisms one may level, and for any of those ways in which the whole may falter, by and large this remains a great, upstanding genre piece. The troubles it faces in various ways are surely less severe than those of some of its kin. I'm not washing over the feature's weaknesses, but rather, its strengths handily outweigh and outshine the indelicacies and marginal inelegance. The writing, direction, and acting are all fantastic, and the contributions of the crew behind the scenes not truly any less so. I can understand how it won't appeal to all comers, yet as far as I'm concerned if one has any interest in the silent era or in westerns at large then this is a marvelous early example that mostly holds up and is well worth exploring. Don't necessarily go out of your way for 'The toll gate,' but if you do have the chance to watch, at only seventy-three minutes it's a classic that deserves recognition.