# The Testing Block > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/The_Testing_Block > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/The_Testing_Block.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Testing_Block > Source revision: 1339512915 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) 1920 film The Testing Block Theatrical release poster Directed by Lambert Hillyer Screenplay by William S. Hart Lambert Hillyer Produced by William S. Hart Starring William S. Hart Eva Novak J. Gordon Russell Florence Carpenter Richard Headrick Ira McFadden Cinematography Joseph H. August Edited by LeRoy Stone Production company William S. Hart Productions Distributed by Paramount Pictures Release date December 26, 1920 (1920-12-26) Running time 60 minutes Country United States Languages Silent English intertitles ***The Testing Block*** is a 1920 American [silent Western film](/source/Silent_Western_film) directed by [Lambert Hillyer](/source/Lambert_Hillyer) and starring [William S. Hart](/source/William_S._Hart), [Eva Novak](/source/Eva_Novak), J. Gordon Russell, Florence Carpenter, Richard Headrick, and Ira McFadden. It was written by Lambert Hillyer and [William S. Hart](/source/William_S._Hart). It was released on December 26, 1920, by [Paramount Pictures](/source/Paramount_Pictures).[1][2] Full film ## Plot As described in a [film magazine](/source/Film_magazine),[3] Nelly Gray (Novak), a member of a traveling show, is stranded when the manager abandons the troupe, and Sierra Bill (Hart), a member of a gang, helps with the gift of some gold. Although the gang leader has designs on the young woman, he agrees that the gang will fight it out among themselves and the last man standing will get her. Sierra Bill wins, and in a drunken fury forces Nelly to marry him. After the wedding he becomes the model husband and soon Sonny (Headrick) is born who is the apple of his father's eye. The gang leader returns with Rosita, a young Mexican woman, and discloses Sierra Bill's past to Nelly and suggests that he is even having an affair with Rosita. The gang leader directs Rosita through her cards to tell Sierra Bill that his wife is longing to leave him. Nelly agrees to leave with the trouble-maker, but with the promise that Sonny will soon join them. Sonny, however, is taken ill, and the husband and wife have a reunion at his bedside that brings a happy ending. ## Cast - [William S. Hart](/source/William_S._Hart) as 'Sierra' Bill - [Eva Novak](/source/Eva_Novak) as Nelly Gray - J. Gordon Russell as Ringe - Florence Carpenter as Rosita - Richard Headrick as Sonny - Ira McFadden as Slim ## Survival and Availability *The Testing Block* has survived in complete form and a print is held by the Library of Congress. Much of the film was shot in and around Capitola, California, and to celebrate the film's 100th anniversary a scan of the LOC print was screened at the Capitola Community Center on January 26, 2020.[4] Afterward the Capitola History Museum [uploaded the film online](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU78Jz7v8MM), preceded by an introduction. Having been released in 1920, *The Testing Block* is in the public domain. ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Progressive Silent Film List: *The Testing Block*"](http://www.silentera.com/PSFL/data/T/TestingBlock1920.html). *silentera.com*. Retrieved January 23, 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["The Testing Block"](http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=1&Movie=16158). *afi.com*. Retrieved January 23, 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Reviews: *The Testing Block*"](https://archive.org/details/exhibitorsherald11exhi_1). *Exhibitors Herald*. **11** (25). New York City: Exhibitors Herald Company: 79. December 18, 1920. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-TGP_Online_4-0)** ["Testing Block: Capitola Screens 100-Year-Old Local Movie"](https://tpgonlinedaily.com/testing-block-capitola-screens-100-year-old-local-movie/). *TGP Online Daily*. Retrieved September 15, 2020. ## External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to [The Testing Block](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:The_Testing_Block). - *[The Testing Block](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU78Jz7v8MM)* on YouTube (Library of Congress film scan uploaded by the Capitola Historical Museum) - [*The Testing Block*](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0011756/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) v t e Films directed by Lambert Hillyer An Even Break (1917) The Narrow Trail (1917) The Mother Instinct (1917) Riddle Gawne (1918) Breed of Men (1919) The Poppy Girl's Husband (1919) The Money Corral (1919) Square Deal Sanderson (1919) Wagon Tracks (1919) John Petticoats (1919) The Toll Gate (1920) Sand! (1920) The Cradle of Courage (1920) The Testing Block (1920) O'Malley of the Mounted (1921) The Whistle (1921) White Oak (1921) White Hands (1922) Travelin' On (1922) The Super-Sex (1922) Caught Bluffing (1922) The Altar Stairs (1922) Scars of Jealousy (1923) Temporary Marriage (1923) The Shock (1923) The Spoilers (1923) Mile-a-Minute Romeo (1923) Eyes of the Forest (1923) Those Who Dance (1924) Barbara Frietchie (1924) I Want My Man (1925) The Knockout (1925) The Unguarded Hour (1925) The Making of O'Malley (1925) Her Second Chance (1926) Miss Nobody (1926) 30 Below Zero (1926) The War Horse (1927) Chain Lightning (1927) The Branded Sombrero (1928) Beau Bandit (1930) The Deadline (1931) One Man Law (1931) Forbidden Trail (1932) South of the Rio Grande (1932) Hello Trouble (1932) Dangerous Crossroads (1933) The Fighting Code (1933) Before Midnight (1933) Police Car 17 (1933) Unknown Valley (1933) Master of Men (1933) Once to Every Woman (1934) The Man Trailer (1934) Men of the Night (1934) The Most Precious Thing in Life (1934) The Defense Rests (1934) Against the Law (1934) One Is Guilty (1934) Behind the Evidence (1935) In Spite of Danger (1935) Men of the Hour (1935) The Awakening of Jim Burke (1935) Super Speed (1935) The Invisible Ray (1936) Dangerous Waters (1936) Dracula's Daughter (1936) Girls Can Play (1937) Speed to Spare (1937) All American Sweetheart (1937) Gang Bullets (1938) My Old Kentucky Home (1938) Extortion (1938) Women in Prison (1938) Convict's Code (1939) Should a Girl Marry? (1939) The Durango Kid (1940) Beyond the Sacramento (1940) North from the Lone Star (1941) The Return of Daniel Boone (1941) Hands Across the Rockies (1941) The Pinto Kid (1941) The Medico of Painted Springs (1941) The Son of Davy Crockett (1941) Thunder Over the Prairie (1941) King of Dodge City (1941) Prairie Stranger (1941) Roaring Frontiers (1941) The Royal Mounted Patrol (1941) The Devil's Trail (1942) North of the Rockies (1942) Prairie Gunsmoke (1942) Vengeance of the West (1942) Fighting Frontier (1943) The Stranger from Pecos (1943) Batman (1943) Six Gun Gospel (1943) The Texas Kid (1943) Smart Guy (1943) Law Men (1944) Ghost Guns (1944) Land of the Outlaws (1944) Partners of the Trail (1944) Range Law (1944) Beyond the Pecos (1945) Stranger from Santa Fe (1945) South of the Rio Grande (1945) The Lost Trail (1945) Frontier Feud (1945) Flame of the West (1945) Border Bandits (1946) Trigger Fingers (1946) Under Arizona Skies (1946) The Gentleman from Texas (1946) Shadows on the Range (1946) Silver Range (1946) Raiders of the South (1947) Valley of Fear (1947) Trailing Danger (1947) Land of the Lawless (1947) The Law Comes to Gunsight (1947) Flashing Guns (1947) Prairie Express (1947) The Hat Box Mystery (1947) Gun Talk (1947) Song of the Drifter (1948) Overland Trails (1948) Oklahoma Blues (1948) Crossed Trails (1948) Partners of the Sunset (1948) Frontier Agent (1948) Range Renegades (1948) The Fighting Ranger (1948) The Sheriff of Medicine Bow (1948) Outlaw Brand (1948) Gun Runner (1949) Gun Law Justice (1949) Trails End (1949) Haunted Trails (1949) Riders of the Dusk (1949) Range Land (1949) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [The Testing Block](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Testing_Block) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Testing_Block?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.