Having inherited a huge cattle ranch from his late father, Will Keough (Fred MacMurray) wants nothing more than to tend to his work and live in peace. But the tense situation with his two younger brothers, Bless (Jeffrey Hunter) and Hade (Dean Stockwell), makes this impossible. Convinced that he was responsible for the death of his father, Bless refuses to use a gun, and is branded a coward. Hade, however, is wild and reckless, careening very quickly towards disaster. Making things worse is the brothers stern and merciless mother (Josephine Hutchinson), from whom Bless gets his guilt, and Wills sweetheart Aud Niven (Janice Rule), who finds herself drawn to the sensitive Bless. Ultimately, there will have to be a showdownbut who among the Keogh siblings will survive?