Whilesurveyingatelegraphlinein1861,WesternUnionengineerEdwardCreighton(DeanJagger)isseverelyinjuredinanaccident.HeisdiscoveredbyVanceShaw(RandolphScott),anoutlawontherunfromaposse.Forcedtotravelonfootafterhishorsewashurt,ShawatfirstconsidersstealingCreightonshorse,butchangeshismindandtakesthemanwithhim,savinghislife.Sometimelater,followinghisrecovery,CreightonreturnstoOmaha,NebraskaandplanstheconstructionofatelegraphlinefromOmahatoSaltLakeCity,Utah.FacingconsiderableoppositiontothelinefromConfederatesoldiers,Indians,andoutlaws,CreightonelicitsthehelpofhissisterSue(VirginiaGilmore),foremanPatGrogan(MinorWatson),andassistantHomerKettle(ChillWills).Lookingtoputhisoutlawpastbehindhim,ShawarrivesatCreightonsWesternUnionofficelookingforhonestworkandishiredasascoutbyGroganwhoisunawareofhispast.Creightonrecognizeshimamongthemenandallowshimtostaydespitehissuspicions.CreightonalsohirestenderfootRichardBlake(RobertYoung),aHarvard-educatedengineerasafavortoBlakesfather.ShawandBlakearebothattractedtoSueandvieforherattention,buttheirromanticrivalryiscutshortwhenconstructionofthetelegraphlinestartsonJuly4,1861.Afterworkcommencesontheline,oneofthemeniskilledapparentlybyamysteriousbandofcattle-rustlingIndians.UnconvincedthatIndiansaretoblame,ShawridesouttoinvestigateandfollowstherustlerstrailtothecampofJackSlade,aformerfriendandcohort,whosegangcommittedthekillingdisguisedasIndians—thegangShawleftfollowinghislastbankrobbery.SladerevealsthattheyareworkingfortheConfederacytodisruptWesternUnionbecausetheybelievethetelegraphservicewillhelptheUnion.Shawridesawayandreturnstotheline.Notwantingtoturninhisformerfriends,ShawtellsCreightonthatalargebandofDakotaIndiansstolethecattle,andrecommendsthattheysimplyreplacetheherdandnotriskafightwiththeIndians.Sometimelater,aconfrontationtakesplacebetweenmenworkingontheforwardlineandabandofdrunkenIndians.WhenoneoftheIndianstriestostealsomeequipment,anervousBlakeshootshim,ignoringShawsordertoremaincalm.AfterwordarrivesthatthemaincampisunderattackbyotherIndians,theWesternUnionmenrushbacktohelpwiththedefense.Atthemaincamp,Sladesmen,whoareagaindisguisedasIndians,stealtheWesternUnionhorses.ThecompanydiscovertherusewhenoneofthewoundedIndiansturnsouttobeawhiteman.ForcedtobuybacktheirstolenhorsesfromSlade,CreightonbecomessuspiciousofShawsinvolvement,especiallywhenheadmitstoknowingthegang.SoontheU.S.ArmyarrivesandannouncestheIndianshavenowrefusedtoallowthetelegraphlinestogothroughtheirterritoryinresponsetoBlakesshootingofthedrunkenIndian.Creighton,Shaw,andBlakerideouttoconvinceChiefSpottedHorsetoallowthemtobuildthelinethroughIndianterritory,eventhoughthemanBlakewoundedwasSpottedHorsesson.CreightonisfinallyabletopersuadetheIndianstoallowthempassage,andworkcontinuesuntilthecompanyapproachesSaltLakeCity.Sometimelater,ShawreceiveswordthatJackSladewantstomeetwithhim.OnthewaytoseeSlade,ShawiscapturedandboundbySladesmen.SladesayshisgroupisgoingtoburndowntheWesternUnioncampandtheydontwantShawtointerfere.AfterSladeandhismenrideoff,Shawescapesfromhisropesbutarrivesbacktoolatetopreventthefire.HehelpsrescuesomeoftheWesternUnionmenfromtheflamesandburnshishandsintheprocess.Afterthefire,CreightonconfrontsShawforanexplanation,butShawdoesnotrevealwhatheknowsandisfiredbyCreighton.AsShawleavesthecamp,hetellsBlakethatSladeisactuallyShawsbrotherandthathe,Shaw,willfindSladesgangandstopthemfrominterferingwiththetelegraphproject.ShawridesoffandfindsSladeandhismeninanearbytown.Atthebarbershop,Shawconfrontshisbrother,whosegunisconcealedunderthebarberssheet.SladeshootsShawthroughthesheet.Shawfightsbackinspiteofhiswound,killingsomeofthegangmembers,andthendies.BlakearrivesandcontinuesthefightwithSladewhodiesfromhiswounds.Soonafter,theWesternUnionlineiscompletedandtheworkerscelebrate.WhenSuelamentstheabsenceofShaw,CreightontellsherthatShawcanhearthem.如果您喜欢碟调电影网(www.njqskj001.com)分享的《西部联盟》,别忘了推荐给你的好友!
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