Granted a small plot of land in a lush valley and a start of cattle by the generous landowner and cattle baron, Dennis Deneen (Donald Crisp), the once-feared gunslinger, Steve Sinclair (Robert Taylor), has renounced violence, intent on keeping the peace in the community. However, the sudden arrival of Steve's much younger brother, Tony (John Cassavetes), and his saloon singer fiancée, Joan Blake (Julie London), will pave the way for a bitter rivalry between siblings, as the volatile young gunfighter craves to prove his mettle. More and more, Tony's tricked-out custom six-shooter demands blood. Is Tony destined to be the lord of the rich valley?