Dramatic Western, U.S. production

Former U.S. Cavalry Colonel William Ludlow runs his ranch at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in Montana, where he tries to raise his three sons away from the madness of his time. Alfred, the eldest, is obedient and restrained but has a strong will of his own. Samuel, the beloved youngest brother, embodies the idealism of the early century. The middle brother, Tristan, is a wild, untamed spirit. Samuel's return from college throws the family into turmoil, as both of his brothers fall in love with his new fiancée—until the outbreak of World War I upends their lives. Through the horrors of war and back home in Montana, in a world that overnight transformed into the modern era, the brothers' story is one of love and loss, betrayal, and hope, written in large letters.

The film is based on the novella by Jim Harrison and was nominated for three Academy Awards, ultimately winning Best Cinematography.