Editing Red River (1948 film) (section)

==Plot==

In 1851, Thomas Dunson and his friend Nadine Groot leave St Louis on the [[California Trail]]. When they are just north of the Texas border, Dunson says he is going to leave the wagon train saying he will go south and start his ranch there. The trail boss says it isn't safe as there are Indians around and he needs a good gunman like Dunson with the train. Dunson's love interest Fen wants to join him but he tells her to stay with the wagons and he will send for her when he is properly settled. Before he and Groot leave, Dunson gives Fen his late mother's bracelet.

Hours later, as Dunson and Groot reach the [[Red River of the South|Red River]] (the Texas border), they spot smoke coming from the direction of the wagon train. That night they are attacked by Indians, but manage to kill them all. On the wrist of one, Dunson finds the bracelet he had given Fen. The next day, teenager Matt Garth wanders into their camp, apparently the sole survivor of the wagon train. Dunson takes the boy with them. They enter Texas by crossing the river and four weeks later settle near the [[Rio Grande]]. Dunson names his new spread the Red River D, after his chosen cattle brand for his herd. He promises to add M (for Matt) to the brand, once Matt has earned it. Two men arrive and say they work for Don Diego who owns all the land from there south for {{convert|400|mi|km|spell=in}}. Dunson tells them to tell Don Diego that now all land north of the Rio Grande is his. One of the men draws on Dunson, who kills him. He tells the other to tell Don Diego what happened.

After fourteen years Dunson had built a successful ranch, but the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] has left him broke. His only option is to drive his herd of 10,000 head a thousand miles (1,600&nbsp;km) to the railhead in Missouri, where he believes they will fetch a good price. Cherry Valance, a professional gunman, joins the drive. Valance relates that he has heard the railroad has reached [[Abilene, Kansas]], which is much closer than Sedalia where they are heading. When Dunson confirms that Valance had not actually ''seen'' the railroad, he ignores the rumor in favor of continuing to Missouri.

One of the drovers, Bunk Kenneally, causes a stampede by accidentally making a lot of noise while sneaking sugar from one of the chuckwagons, resulting in the death of drover Dan Latimer. When Dunson attempts to whip him for causing the stampede, Kenneally draws his gun. Both Matt and Dunson draw, but Matt is faster, shooting and wounding Kenneally. Dunson confirms that he would have killed Kenneally. Valance tells Matt that he is soft for not shooting to kill.

Dunson keeps driving the men harder and harder and they get more and more disgruntled. They find the lone survivor from an earlier drive who says they should have followed the [[Chisholm Trail]] to Abilene. When Dunson presses him, he says he can't remember for sure that the railway had reached Abilene, so Dunson says they will still go to Missouri. Three men say they have had enough and are going to leave the drive. Dunson says they agreed to finish when they signed on. There is a shootout and the three men are killed, with Matt helping Dunson. Three more men leave in the middle of the night, taking precious supplies with them. Dunson sends Valence to bring them back.

They cross the Red River and camp for the night. The next morning Valance returns with two of the three deserters, the other having tried to fight and being killed. When Dunson announces he intends to lynch them, Matt says he won't allow it. Dunson tries to shoot Matt but is shot in the hand by Valance. With the support of the cowhands, Matt takes charge of the drive saying they will head for Abilene, leaving Dunson behind. Groot is the only one who offers to stay with Dunson, but is told to go with the drive. As they leave, Dunson says he will find Matt and kill him.

The drive saves a wagon train of gamblers and dance hall girls from an Indian attack. One of the girls, Tess Millay, becomes very interested in Matt, who is not interested, at first. With the weather getting worse, and the next river rising, Matt gets the drive moving on early the next morning. Eight days after they have left, Dunson arrives with some men he has hired to help him catch up with Matt. Dunson is surprised that Tess knows his name. Dunson notices she is wearing his mother's bracelet. He tells Tess what he wanted a son to pass his ranch on to, and that was going to be Matt, until he stole the herd. He offers her half the ranch if she will bear him a son. She agrees, on the condition he abandons his pursuit of Matt, and when he says he won't, she begs to go with him, to which he agrees.

When Matt reaches Abilene, he finds the town has been awaiting the arrival of such a herd to buy. He accepts an offer for the cattle, and later finds Tess in his room. She tells him Dunson is camped a few miles out of town. The next morning, as Dunson comes into town, he is challenged by Valance. They shoot each other, both getting wounded, but Dunson carries on towards Matt. He tells Matt to draw, but he refuses, even after Dunson has emptied his gun with near misses and grazing Matt's cheek. He throws his gun away and does the same with Matt's. Even when he starts punching him, Matt does not fight back, until eventually they both fight until Tess interrupts them. Making peace, Dunson advises Matt to marry Tess and tells him that when they get back to the ranch, he will incorporate an M into the brand, telling Matt that he has earned it.