- Ballard's trail jumpers attack the Wyatt Company wagon train, killing young John's parents and kidnaping his brother, Jim. In post-Civil War California, John Wyatt, now a man, pulls together a vigilante posse, The Singing Riders, who all ride white horses, dress alike, and ride the trails singing and rounding up outlaw gangs. Meanwhile, John is ever on the lookout for the gang that murdered his parents.
- 小镇执法官威尔·凯恩(加里·库柏 Gary Cooper 饰)在卸任的当天,同未婚妻艾米(Grace Kelly 饰)举行了婚礼,两人预备开始蜜月旅行的当口,小镇迎来了三位不速之客,他们是皮尔斯、科比和本,三人在火车站等候五年前被威尔抓获的恶棍弗兰克·米勒。预感小镇将被卷入一场血腥仇杀的人们纷纷躲避,或者力劝威尔离开,但前任执法官执意留下,并开始在镇上寻找帮手,岂料不得升迁的员警哈维、当年审判弗兰克的法官等人全部与此事撇清了关系,新婚妻子亦不支持威尔的坚守,孤立无援的威尔只得拿起自己的枪战斗…… 这部影片中的时间与真实世界中的时间步调一致。本片获1953年奥斯卡最佳男主角奖等十余项专业褒奖。