Captain James McKay (Gregory Peck) is a retired and extremely wealthy seaman, who along with his soon to be wife Pat Terrill (Carroll Baker) journey out west to begin a new life. McKay’s flexible morals and unique perspective on life get him into trouble as soon as he arrives, garnering the ire of rancher Steve Leech (Charlton Heston). Along with this conflict, Major Terrill (Charles Bickford) father to Pat and father in law to McKay is engaged is a brutal war over cattle and territorial rights that will tear apart the small town and may indeed cost some of their lives.