This great western - the third film in John Ford's cavalry trilogy, following Fort Apache and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon - tells the story of a daring off-the-record solution to Indian raids from across the border. It also features a powerful romantic relationship between John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara as the fort commander and his long-separated wife. O'Hara was the strongest leading lady Wayne ever had and almost his match in stubborn pride (they co-starred in four more films). Here, she re-enters Wayne's life seeking to protect their son (Claude Jarman Jr), a private sent out west to serve under him. Once again, Ford creates a stirring picture of the Old West - if this wasn't the way it was, it's the way it should have been.

Lt. Col. Kirby Yorke is posted on the Texas frontier to defend settlers against depredations of marauding Apaches. Col. Yorke is under considerable stress by a serious shortage of troops of his command. Tension is added when Yorke's son (whom he hasn't seen in fifteen years), Trooper Jeff Yorke, is one of 18 recruits sent to the regiment.