Sprawling, epic tale of a wealthy Texas rancher and his wife, their descendants, and their life together over twenty-five years. Jordan "Bick" Benedict, Jr. (Rock Hudson) met his future wife Leslie (Dame Elizabeth Taylor) while on a trip East to buy breeding stock, returning home with a bride. Living on a half-million acre ranch takes some getting used to for Leslie, as does the rough and tumble lifestyle. They have children who have their own minds and are apt to disappoint their parents over their life choices. As Leslie says at one point, "you can't live their lives for them, you can only raise them." Bick's rival is a former ranch hand, Jett Rink (James Dean), who inherits a tract of land from Bick's late sister Luz Benedict (Mercedes McCambridge). Jett strikes oil and becomes as wealthy as the Benedicts although there is one thing Bick has that he can never have as his own.—garykmcd