Gambler Jason Sweet wins a flock of sheep in a poker game and proceeds to take them by train into the middle of cattle country. Before long, the townsfolk take notice (and object), but Sweet is more than up to the challenge.
The first thing he does is pick a fight with the roughest, toughest man around, "Jumbo" McCall, and beats him up. He also reveals himself to be an expert with a gun. Dell Payton does not know what to make of him, but is attracted to him, as he is to her. Her fiancé, local cattle baron "Colonel" Steven Bedford, is troubled by this and also because he and Sweet know each other. The newcomer recognizes Bedford as an old acquaintance named Johnny Bledsoe, a card shark and gunfighter gone respectable.
When Bedford finds himself losing their battle for domination, despite initially having the whole town behind him, he sends for professional gunman Chocktaw Neal. Chocktaw and his two buddies all have grudges against Sweet. Chocktaw tries to goad Sweet into a shootout, but Sweet spots Chocktaw's friends waiting in ambush, aiming at him with their rifles. Dell and Milt Masters are able to disarm them, and Chocktaw, suddenly aware he is alone, panics and draws on Sweet but loses and dies. The final showdown then comes down to Bedford and Sweet (who is faster and smarter) and Bedford ends up dead, followed by his henchmen surrendering.
Later, to Dell's utter astonishment, Sweet sells the sheep so he can buy cattle. He explains that he only kept them because he refused to be pushed around by anybody. The couple then rides away.
The two BAFTA nominations were: Best Film from any source, and Glenn Ford for Best Foreign Actor.
References
^ abcThe Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
^"Top Grossers of 1958". Variety. January 7, 1959. p. 48. Please note figures are for US and Canada only and are domestic rentals accruing to distributors as opposed to theatre gross
