In this stunning Technicolor Western, Joel McCrea, Zachary Scott, and Douglas Kennedy star as three ranch-owners struggling to defend their livelihoods after the Civil War covers the nation in a dark cloud of lawlessness. When their Three Bell ranch is torched by Union raiders (led by Victor Jory), the partners split up. Price (Kennedy) enlists with the Confederate army, while Davis and Burns (McCrea and Scott) become gun-runners to rebuild their fortunes. During the ensuing dangers and romantic entanglements (in the form of Dorothy Malone and Alexis Smith), the three partners occasionally lose sight of their ranching ambitions, but never for a moment forget the face of the man who wronged them.