The "Champagne Bandits" keep robbing the gold shipments from Carson City to Virginia City. After robbing the stage they treat the passengers to a picnic with champagne.
Banker William Sharon tries to get engineer Jeff Kincaid (Randolph Scott) to work for him. Jeff is something of a brawler, but he takes the job. he is going to build railroad tracks to the mines.
Jeff's half-brother Alan works for the local newspaper, and they both like the publisher's daughter Susan.
When Susan's dad begins to suspect who is behind the robberies Big Jack Davis (Raymond Massey) shoots him in the back. Susan and some of the townspeople thinks that Jeff's railroad workers are responsible because her father had written things opposing what they were doing.
When Susan rejects Alan's advances he blames Jeff. Jeff is getting heat from all over and he isn't doing anything wrong.
There is a cave in at the mine and Jeff is caught inside. But everyone works together and Jeff and his men are freed.
The railroad is finished and the town celebrates and the first shipment of gold goes out. But Big Jack has other plans. He holds up the train, but Kincaid is on to him and shooting breaks out.
The all too predictable : Alan gets shot and makes up with his brother before he dies, Jeff shoots and kills Big Jack and Jeff goes off on a honeymoon with Susan,
A different kind of Western, more about engineering than gun-play.
The Ranown films will stay away from the predictable happy endings and get much better results.
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