The dawn of the twentieth century brings with it the prospect of great change. This exciting time was seen as a frightening infringement upon the range life of many cowboys. Monte Walsh (Tom Selleck) is one such ranch hand, a Wyoming rambler whose way of life is becoming obsolete. The industrialization and widening economic gap is leaving behind the likes of Monte and his companions, many of whom are "ridin' fence," erecting physical boundaries to separate land owned by the rich and thereby eliminating the freedom of the vast wilderness.

Based on Jack Schaefer's (SHANE) novel, this western (made for cable network TNT) is a languid, picturesque slice of life that mourns the existence of people on the fringe, an issue just as relevant today in this age of globalization. This version directed by Simon Wincer (LONESOME DOVE) follows a 1970 theatrical release based on the same novel which starred Lee Marvin.