Cole Thornton, a gunslinger-for-hire, is hired by wealthy rancher Bart Jason to help him in a range war with the McDonald family in the Texas town of Eldorado, Texas. The local sheriff, an old friend of Thornton, J. P. Harrah gives Cole more details that Jason had deliberately left out, including the possibility of having to side against Harrah. Unwilling to fight his friend, Thornton quits, to the relief of saloon owner Maudie, who is in love with Thornton (and was for a time a romantic interest of Harrah's).