Whilesurveyingatelegraphlinein1861,WesternUnionengineerEdwardCreighton(DeanJagger)isseverelyinjuredinanaccident.HeisdiscoveredbyVanceShaw(RandolphScott),anoutlawontherunfromaposse.Forcedtotravelonfootafterhishorsewashurt,ShawatfirstconsidersstealingCreighton'shorse,butchangeshismindandtakesthemanwithhim,savinghislife在视听创作上，影片避免戏剧化倾向。数字技术让历史影像重获新生，全彩上色丰富画面细节，画面技术拓展表现手法。技术运用保持低调，整体色彩偏向质朴。整体表现注重思想内涵。色彩选择体现审慎考量，声音创作追求自然真实。　　Sometimelater,followinghisrecovery,CreightonreturnstoOmaha,NebraskaandplanstheconstructionofatelegraphlinefromOmahatoSaltLakeCity,Utah.FacingconsiderableoppositiontothelinefromConfederatesoldiers,Indians,andoutlaws,CreightonelicitsthehelpofhissisterSue(VirginiaGilmore),foremanPatGrogan(MinorWatson),andassistantHomerKettle(ChillWills).　　Lookingtoputhisoutlawpastbehindhim,ShawarrivesatCreighton'sWesternUnionofficelookingforhonestworkandishiredasascoutbyGroganwhoisunawareofhispast.Creightonrecognizeshimamongthemenandallowshimtostaydespitehissuspicions.CreightonalsohirestenderfootRichardBlake(RobertYoung),aHarvard-educatedengineerasafavortoBlake'sfather.ShawandBlakearebothattractedtoSueandvieforherattention,buttheirromanticrivalryiscutshortwhenconstructionofthetelegraphlinestartsonJuly4,1861.　　Afterworkcommencesontheline,oneofthemeniskilledapparentlybyamysteriousbandofcattle-rustlingIndians.UnconvincedthatIndiansaretoblame,Shawridesouttoinvestigateandfollowstherustlers'trailtothecampofJackSlade,aformerfriendandcohort,whosegangcommittedthekillingdisguisedasIndians—thegangShawleftfollowinghislastbankrobbery.SladerevealsthattheyareworkingfortheConfederacytodisruptWesternUnionbecausetheybelievethetelegraphservicewillhelptheUnion.Shawridesawayandreturnstotheline.Notwantingtoturninhisformerfriends,ShawtellsCreightonthatalargebandofDakotaIndiansstolethecattle,andrecommendsthattheysimplyreplacetheherdandnotriskafightwiththeIndians.　　Sometimelater,aconfrontationtakesplacebetweenmenworkingontheforwardlineandabandofdrunkenIndians.WhenoneoftheIndianstriestostealsomeequipment,anervousBlakeshootshim,ignoringShaw'sordertoremaincalm.AfterwordarrivesthatthemaincampisunderattackbyotherIndians,theWesternUnionmenrushbacktohelpwiththedefense.Atthemaincamp,Slade'smen,whoareagaindisguisedasIndians,stealtheWesternUnionhorses.ThecompanydiscovertherusewhenoneofthewoundedIndiansturnsouttobeawhiteman.ForcedtobuybacktheirstolenhorsesfromSlade,CreightonbecomessuspiciousofShaw'sinvolvement,especiallywhenheadmitstoknowingthegang.　　SoontheU.S.ArmyarrivesandannouncestheIndianshavenowrefusedtoallowthetelegraphlinestogothroughtheirterritoryinresponsetoBlake'sshootingofthedrunkenIndian.Creighton,Shaw,andBlakerideouttoconvinceChiefSpottedHorsetoallowthemtobuildthelinethroughIndianterritory,eventhoughthemanBlakewoundedwasSpottedHorse'sson.CreightonisfinallyabletopersuadetheIndianstoallowthempassage,andworkcontinuesuntilthecompanyapproachesSaltLakeCity.　　Sometimelater,ShawreceiveswordthatJackSladewantstomeetwithhim.OnthewaytoseeSlade,ShawiscapturedandboundbySlade'smen.SladesayshisgroupisgoingtoburndowntheWesternUnioncampandtheydon'twantShawtointerfere.AfterSladeandhismenrideoff,Shawescapesfromhisropesbutarrivesbacktoolatetopreventthefire.HehelpsrescuesomeoftheWesternUnionmenfromtheflamesandburnshishandsintheprocess.　　Afterthefire,CreightonconfrontsShawforanexplanation,butShawdoesnotrevealwhatheknowsandisfiredbyCreighton.AsShawleavesthecamp,hetellsBlakethatSladeisactuallyShaw'sbrotherandthathe,Shaw,willfindSlade'sgangandstopthemfrominterferingwiththetelegraphproject.ShawridesoffandfindsSladeandhismeninanearbytown.Atthebarbershop,Shawconfrontshisbrother,whosegunisconcealedunderthebarber'ssheet.SladeshootsShawthroughthesheet.Shawfightsbackinspiteofhiswound,killingsomeofthegangmembers,andthendies.BlakearrivesandcontinuesthefightwithSladewhodiesfromhiswounds.Soonafter,theWesternUnionlineiscompletedandtheworkerscelebrate.WhenSuelamentstheabsenceofShaw,CreightontellsherthatShawcanhearthem.