While surveying a telegraph line in 1861, Western Union engineer Edward Creighton (Dean Jagger) is severely injured in an accident. He is discovered by Vance Shaw (Randolph Scott), an outlaw on the run from a posse. Forced to travel on foot after his horse was hurt, Shaw at first considers stealing Creighton's horse, but changes his mind and takes the man with him, saving his life.
Sometime later, following his recovery, Creighton returns to Omaha, Nebraska and plans the construction of a telegraph line from Omaha to Salt Lake City, Utah. Facing considerable opposition to the line from Confederate soldiers, Indians, and outlaws, Creighton elicits the help of his sister Sue (Virginia Gilmore), foreman Pat Grogan (Minor Watson), and assistant Homer Kettle (Chill Wills).
Looking to put his outlaw past behind him, Shaw arrives at Creighton's Western Union office looking for honest work and is hired as a scout by Grogan who is unaware of his past. Creighton recognizes him among the men and allows him to stay despite his suspicions. Creighton also hires tenderfoot Richard Blake (Robert Young), a Harvard-educated engineer as a favor to Blake's father. Shaw and Blake are both attracted to Sue and vie for her attention, but their romantic rivalry is cut short when construction of the telegraph line starts on July 4, 1861.
After work commences on the line, one of the men is killed apparently by a mysterious band of cattle-rustling Indians. Unconvinced that Indians are to blame, Shaw rides out to investigate and follows the rustlers' trail to the camp of Jack Slade, a former friend and cohort, whose gang committed the killing disguised as Indians—the gang Shaw left following his last bank robbery. Slade reveals that they are working for the Confederacy to disrupt Western Union because they believe the telegraph service will help the Union. Shaw rides away and returns to the line. Not wanting to turn in his former friends, Shaw tells Creighton that a large band of Dakota Indians stole the cattle, and recommends that they simply replace the herd and not risk a fight with the Indians.
Sometime later, a confrontation takes place between men working on the forward line and a band of drunken Indians. When one of the Indians tries to steal some equipment, a nervous Blake shoots him, ignoring Shaw's order to remain calm. After word arrives that the main camp is under attack by other Indians, the Western Union men rush back to help with the defense. At the main camp, Slade's men, who are again disguised as Indians, steal the Western Union horses. The company discover the ruse when one of the wounded Indians turns out to be a white man. Forced to buy back their stolen horses from Slade, Creighton becomes suspicious of Shaw's involvement, especially when he admits to knowing the gang.
Soon the U.S. Army arrives and announces the Indians have now refused to allow the telegraph lines to go through their territory in response to Blake's shooting of the drunken Indian. Creighton, Shaw, and Blake ride out to convince Chief Spotted Horse to allow them to build the line through Indian territory, even though the man Blake wounded was Spotted Horse's son. Creighton is finally able to persuade the Indians to allow them passage, and work continues until the company approaches Salt Lake City.
Sometime later, Shaw receives word that Jack Slade wants to meet with him. On the way to see Slade, Shaw is captured and bound by Slade's men. Slade says his group is going to burn down the Western Union camp and they don't want Shaw to interfere. After Slade and his men ride off, Shaw escapes from his ropes but arrives back too late to prevent the fire. He helps rescue some of the Western Union men from the flames and burns his hands in the process.
After the fire, Creighton confronts Shaw for an explanation, but Shaw does not reveal what he knows and is fired by Creighton. As Shaw leaves the camp, he tells Blake that Slade is actually Shaw's brother and that he, Shaw, will find Slade's gang and stop them from interfering with the telegraph project. Shaw rides off and finds Slade and his men in a nearby town. At the barber shop, Shaw confronts his brother, whose gun is concealed under the barber's sheet. Slade shoots Shaw through the sheet. Shaw fights back in spite of his wound, killing some of the gang members, and then dies. Blake arrives and continues the fight with Slade who dies from his wounds. Soon after, the Western Union line is completed and the workers celebrate. When Sue laments the absence of Shaw, Creighton tells her that Shaw can hear them.
时至今日，西部片几乎已经不单独出现，而是作为一种元素和风味融入各种类型的电影里。东木爷爷用公路来诠释西部的想法还是挺好的，之前《朱》也还挺高质量的，但是毕竟九十高龄，各方面在这部作品里不可避免地显颓。作为影迷看这样的作品心理感情挺复杂的，只是希望他保重身体～
看完之后莫名特别悲伤，这可能是老爷子的倒数第二部电影了
虽然不是我期望看到的西部对决类型，但东木老爷子拍出来的都不错，真是看一部少一部了。
It is old-fashioned but surprisingly timely, and its clean, spare style feels classical because it’s fluent and clear-minded. Eastwood seems to be one of the few remaining filmmakers committed to conscientious storytelling.
真的挺佩服老牛仔的，91岁高龄还在自导自演，故事还算有趣，不会很闷
公路爷孙情，送完毒品送小孩，永远的老牛仔老司机，片尾想起了廊桥遗梦，要强了一辈子该歇歇了
勉强三星。91岁的东木依然高产，状态还行，但毕竟岁数摆在那儿，又导又演显然还是吃力的。
我相信，暮年的东方木之于电影，正如乔丹之于篮球一样，只是单纯地喜欢，不为名，不为利。
你为什么会懂手语？只是漫漫人生路的一种收获。
公路爷孙情，送完毒品送小孩，永远的老牛仔老司机，片尾想起了廊桥遗梦，要强了一辈子该歇歇了
东木用摄影机带着我们逛了一圈他的精神疗养院
剧情、音乐其实真的可以的。实在是…小男孩演技尴尬，前半段节奏不够紧凑。可以说因为还小，但东木这次也太宽容了。
整体还是很温馨轻松的，不知为什么这是惊悚片。最刺激的镜头不过是反派把主角的车蹭下了公路。墨西哥人民很友好呀，车只可以随便“借”。
卧槽!东木牛逼!都这岁数了还自导自演发新片!我爱东木!一万年!
看多了爽片，偶尔看一下这么温馨的电影还真不太习惯，老爷子今年都九十多了，还拍片，真是热爱啊，居然还在电影里谈了场恋爱。
观后感:结尾出乎意料，我以为农场主欺骗了kid和东木，于是一老一少便留在了墨西哥小镇过平静的生活。
基本上是轻喜剧版的骡子，东木大爷拍这部已经完全是一种老小孩的状态了，轻松诙谐，拍电影这件事对于已经90多岁的人来说已经是一个传奇了，老牛仔风姿仍存.
够潦草，也够敷衍，估计东木的精力也的确无法保证影片的高质量了，自然规律无法避免。
饒了老頭吧 講沒幾句就喘成那樣....... 還要他去救你兒子???
Cineplex. International Village. 东木爷爷的“货运司机”情节系列，可以拍到天荒地老，反正老爷子开心就好，从运货运人到运鸡鸭鱼牛羊马，随意搭配。小打小闹的公路片，单身老汉南下寻爱，顺路搭个表演尴尬的小哥北上得州与父团圆。好的，就是昏昏沉沉的下午钻进电影院看一个没什么人的午餐剧，睡着也就当小憩，醒来也没有错过什么大场面。看到7.0的评分被吓到了，5/10其中1.5还是给了美丽风光，不信DB评分了，经此一次
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