In 1870s Arizona territory, a vigilante mob hangs a man named Coburn for allegedly stealing a horse. His two young sons, Jed and John, are forced to watch the lynching. Older son John is ashamed of his father but Jed, who's much younger and more like his father, is overcome by emotions and revenge feelings. Years later, the two kids are grown men. John changed his last name to Brazos and works as territorial marshal. Jed, also nicknamed Chip, has become a notorious horse rustler and gang leader of the Blue Chip Gang. After a stint in prison, Chip is released and is warned by his marshal brother to stay out of trouble or else. Having a previous business arrangement with rancher Matt Chissum to sell him wild horses in exchange for fertile land, Chip heads for Matt Chissum's ranch, the Turkey Track Ranch. Unknown to Chip, the old rancher is dead and his ranch is controlled by ranch manager Ben Bodeen. Assisting the greedy and crooked Bodeen are a group of henchmen, led by violent foremen Cass and Hondo. Bodeen wants to acquire all the fertile lands in the region, for the benefit of the cattle growers association. The cattlemen are in a feud with the farmers and compete against them for the best lands. With the horses-for-land deal dead, Chip is left without options. Both groups, the cattlemen's association and the farmers' association, want Chip on their side. But he decides to remain neutral in this feud and wait to see who's stronger. When Tucson's honest sheriff is murdered by one of Bodeen's gunslingers, the territory is wide open to fraud and abuse. Bodeen names a new sheriff, one of his own men, and starts a war against the farmers. Killings, farm burning attacks and robberies ravage the region. Fearing that Chip will side with the farmers, Bodeen murders farmers and makes it look like Chip's handy-work. These rumors spread all over Arizona and reach Prescott, the town where Chip's brother John is marshal. John decides to head to Tucson to investigate the case and arrest Chip, if necessary. The final stage in the cattlemen versus farmers feud starts when the former lands of the deceased rancher Matt Chissum go on public auction. Bodeen manages to bid for most of the lands but cannot purchase the last piece of land, the most fertile and most coveted one, which goes to the farmers. However, the farmers do not have their money yet, they expect a money shipment from a credit-bank to arrive in the next few days. The auctioneer warns the farmers that if they do not pay for the land within ten days, they will forfeit the purchase, allowing Bodeen to grab it for himself. The money is set to arrive by stagecoach the next day. It's Chip's move to either help the farmers or rob the stagecoach and throw in with Bodeen and his cattlemen. Double-dealing and back-stabbing occurs while marshal John Brazos, Chip's brother, is arriving in the area. The next day, the farmers, armed and seconded by the marshal, make their way toward the town bank to pick-up the money shipment. Barring their way, Bodeen is aided by his henchmen and gunfighters as well as the crooked town sheriff who's in Bodeen's pay. The final settling of scores takes place in the middle of the main street, between the bank and the saloon. Chip, seconded by his gunfighter-pal Slick Kirby, is hesitating about staying neutral or taking sides. His choice will determine the outcome of the shoot-out. Written by nufs68

• Plot Summary

• cattleman
• cattle
• gun
• farm-work
• farmer
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• Drama
• Western

• Finland:K-16
• Norway:7 (recommended rating)
• Norway:16 (cinema rating)
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• United Kingdom:U
• United States:Approved
• United States:Passed (National Board of Review)
• West Germany:16 (nf)