by Brandie Ashe
It’s 1851, and an entire generation of Americans is shifting westward, seeking to settle the untamed lands on the other side of the Mississippi River. Among them is Tom Dunson (John Wayne), a willful, determined man who seeks to make his fortune as a cattle rancher. He leaves behind a wagon train and sets off with his longtime friend, Groot Nadine (Walter Brennan), to find a parcel of land in Texas to call his own. His lover, Fen (Coleen Gray), begs to come along, but Dunson does not think she is strong enough to handle the rough conditions and promises to send for her once he is more established.
As Dunson and Groot make their way south, they notice smoke behind them and realize that the wagon train has been attacked by Indians—something that is confirmed later when the pair are set upon by a couple of Indian scouts. As Dunson does away with one attacker, he notices his foe is wearing the gold bracelet he had given Fen as a token of his love, confirming her fate.
In the wake of the attack, Dunson and Groot stumble upon an orphan, Matthew Garth (Mickey Kuhn), who had escaped the massacre at the wagon train. Dunson takes in the boy, and later lays claim to a large parcel of land owned by a Mexican rancher after killing the rancher’s hired gunman. Dunson takes ownership of Matt’s cow, mating her to his own bull and crafting grand plans for the ranch he will soon build. (more…)