Gil Carter (Henry Fonda) and Art Croft (Henry Morgan) ride into a town frustrated by th prevalence of cattle rustlers. Suddenly, word comes that a popular rancher has been murdered, which puts the already enraged town over the edge. When the spiteful mayor forms a posse, Gil and Croft are swept up in their mission - to seek vengeance - even upon those innocent of any wrong-doing. As it becomes clear that blood-lust may win out over rationality, the tension mounts in this masterpiece with its timeless message about the dangers of mob mentality.