It's 1885. Wild bison are scarce in the North West Territories. Luther Giddings (Paul Spence), a scout of mixed blood returns to the buffalo ranch where he was born to reunite with his half brother, William Turner (Dave Lawrence). Greeted by a rag tag posse of racists, homophobes and gossips, the only kindness Luther receives is from the rancher's effeminate son. Whiskey floats more trouble than it drowns and before long, he is on the run, the bison rancher's inept outfit on his tail. When Luther discovers that the captive white buffalo has followed him, he vows to return the animal to her people to trigger the return of the Great Herds. With an two thousand pound buffalo and a reluctant brother from another father in tow.
The movie takes place in the present, but in this universe, a plague has broken out and the infected have been transformed into zombies. No explanation is provided for the source of the plague, nor is it explained how the original victims were infected, since by the time the narrative begins the infection spreads by bite. Nevertheless, the action starts 80 years after the initial outbreak. The western United States has devolved into a disconnected series of ghost towns overrun by zombies, and the government is awarding bounties in exchange for the pinkies of the undead.
Jim Flanders, a wealthy ranchman, has a beautiful daughter, Alice, who is loved by Tom Ripley, the foreman of the ranch. The match is objected to by Flanders, who desires his daughter to wed a more cultured and refined man.
In this Western, Ken Curtis, Columbia Pictures' low-budget answer to Gene Autry, romanced one of the studio's most beautiful starlets, Rita Hayworth-lookalike Dusty Anderson. She played Helen Wyatt, whose father (the rotund Guy Kibbee) loses his ranch to the hayseed singing group the Hoosier Hot Shots. Unbeknownst to Wyatt, the Hot Shots have been swindled by a couple of Eastern crooks (Ian Keith and Matt Willis) and consider themselves the lawful owners. Chased by the irascible Wyatt, the band members seek protection from aspiring singer Curt Stanton (Curtis), who they mistake for a gunslinger.
Bob Carson and sidekick Grizzly take a job driving a stage for a line that is being repeatedly robbed. The culprits place a large box on the stage in which Runt can hide and steal the gold without the driver or guard knowing it. When Bob realizes what is happening, he replaces Runt in the box in hope of catching the outlaws.
Ranch owner Tex McCloud is convinced there is oil under his property and brings in a drilling rig and equipment to drill for it. But a gang who wants the property wage a sabotage and theft war against him.
Daredevil cowboy Ned Ferguson is hired by John Stafford to stop the cattle rustling plaguing his ranch. On the way to the ranch Ned is bitten by a rattlesnake and is nursed by Mary Radford, who is writing a western novel. Ranch foreman Dave Leviatt tells Ned that Mary's brother Ben is behind the rustling. After Ben and Ned come to an understanding, Dave shoots Ben from under cover but Ben is sure that Ned double-crossed him. Mary will have nothing to do with Ned, even after Ned saves her life during a cattle stampede. Ned finally runs down the rustlers, and Mary sees him as a hero instead of merely putting him in her novel.
Peter Salem, a former Wall Street executive recently released from prison, returns to his ex-wife and children in the small town of Bunker Hill, Kansas. Soon after he arrives, the town's electricity and power are shut off, and there is no way to communicate with authorities outside of town. The town's militant past is reawakened and forces coalesce to protect citizens from an unseen enemy. The town's fear leads to the creation of a posse of gunmen, resulting in torture, illegal searches and eventually, murder, against which Salem must stand.
Cowboy Billy Fortune is in love with Hope Beecher, who prefers Billy's friend Ben Morgan, but resists his advances because of his fondness for drink. Hope's discontent is echoed by the town wives' public outcry against drink. To divert their interest, Billy is nominated to make love to their leader, widow Fay Bittinger, who has already disposed of four husbands....
Northwest Mounted Policemen Fitzgerald and Herrick, who are later joined by Indian guide Uncas, have been detailed to track down a gang of whiskey-runners.
Each year the unique surroundings and novel characters of this great and typical American custom is becoming more and more obsolete and in a few short years entirely extinct. Can you imagine a more exciting or sensational picture than a great cattle stampede, curbed by fearless cowboys and dauntless riders of the western range horse?
We have detected that you are using an ad blocker. In order to view this page please disable your ad blocker or whitelist this site from your ad blocker. Thanks!
