Eli Wakefield (Burt Lancaster) and his son are rugged Kentucky adventurers who long for an exciting life on the Texas frontier. They learn, however, that their greatest challenge lies not in the uncharted wilderness, but in the people they meet along the way. Thrust into the midst of a bitter family feud, Eli confronts both the deadly rage of a madman (Walter Matthau) and the love of a beautiful woman (Diana Lynn). He is soon lured into a brutal showdown where his convictions are tested.