Texas Ranger Chic Shelby is sent to capture James Trammel and his son, John--two outlaws hiding in the mountains who are victims of a cattle war. Shelby tricks John, who has killed a cattleman, into believing he is an itinerant preacher by delivering a sermon on eternal love. John comes forward to be arrested, obviously moved by Shelby's sermon. Meanwhile, Sam Hervey betrays John's sister, Susie. Fearing her father's wrath, Hervey seeks out James Trammel, shoots him, and blames the crime on Shelby. Shelby clears himself by capturing Hervey, John is acquitted, and Susie ends her own life by drowning.
Jilted on her wedding day, Maud Wainwright becomes a confirmed man-hater. Homesteading in the Southwest, she ignores the attentions of both bandit "Three Gun Smith" and Sheriff Steve Kennedy. When Smith's gang accidentally knocks over Maud's cabin, the men take her to Smith's cabin while they rebuild her dwelling. There, Maud discovers a mail pouch and believing that it was stolen by Smith, reports him to the sheriff, who persuades her to assist him in arresting the bandit. After Smith is captured, Maud discovers papers that prove he is actually a secret service agent and that the sheriff is the real bandit. Riding to Smith's rescue, Maud prevents him from being lynched at the hands of vigilantes and then proclaims her love for him.
To avenge her sister's disgrace and death, Audrey Graham leaves her theatrical engagements in New York, and in one of the caravans of the early '70's seeks Hell's Paradise, a mining camp to which Steele, the betrayer, has gone. The caravan nearly perishes in Death Valley, and Audrey, disguised as a child, goes to seek relief from a band of outlaws. Her subterfuge is perceived and she is given her liberty only on condition that she bring Steele to the bandit, who married a woman Steele deceived. Audrey keeps her word but turns aside the happiness within her grasp for the sake of the other woman.
After a ruthless bandit forces a young cowgirl to kill her own brother, she sets out on a dangerous path of revenge. This remarkable HKU graduation film delivers gritty Western authenticity, raw emotional power, and an utterly relentless pace.
The 15-chapter plot follows, in a fanciful manner, the General Fremont expedition into Spanish California to acquire California for the United States, and the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill.
Sylvia Mason, a mysterious girl, lives in a cabin by herself and sells her bead work to the visitors at a large hotel nearby. At the hotel, Sylvia meets Easterner Henry Hilliard, who falls in love with her, but she refuses to marry him and will not explain her reasons. Thus Henry returns East without learning that Sylvia's father had been murdered by his private secretary Jack Leslie in revenge for her refusal to marry him. One night after Henry's departure, Leslie, now known as the outlaw "The Shadow", breaks into Sylvia's cabin. There is a struggle that leaves Sylvia unconscious, and when she awakens she finds a note claiming that because Leslie has violated her, she must marry him.
Happy-go-lucky cowboy Bob Fleming exhibits such prowess with his pistol, that he wins the three gold coins offered by millionaire Luther Reed to test his marksmanship. Bob also makes an impression on Reed's pretty daughter Betty. The cowboy is so admired by the local citizenry that when crooks J. M. Ballinger and Rufus Berry arrive in town, they decide to make Bob their patsy. After planting oil on Bob's land, they sell stock to the townfolk and the cowboy, who has been innocently drawn into the scheme, turns it over to the crooks for safekeeping. For his efforts, Bob is arrested and found guilty of defrauding the stock holders, and also charged with being notorious outlaw Pat Duncan. After several adventures, Bob succeeds in capturing the real Duncan, vindicates himself of the charges and wins Betty for his bride.
The manager of the American oil company quits out of fear of El Jaguar, the bandit who is terrorizing the Mexican countryside, Phil Jordan is sent in his place. Phil arrives with his younger sister Nancy, when the bandit makes a unwanted pass towards the girl, Phil beats him, causing El Jaguar to vow revenge. Waiting until Phil's bride Beth arrives, El Jaguar captures all three Americans and sadistically forces Phil to choose between leaving with his sister or his wife. Beth volunteers to remain as a sacrifice, and Phil and Nancy ride off, soon to encounter a troop of rangers. They all rush back to rescue Beth, but before they arrive, the bandit is killed by a woman whom he had abducted and violated on her wedding night.
Miss Arizona Farnley (Gertrude Bondhill), tomboy of the West, avenges the death of her father, who was killed by Bob Evans during a bar fight at The Oasis.
In order to arouse the jealousy of Philip Steele, a wealthy young man who is infatuated with her, Isobel Becker introduces her father to him as her husband. Steele is bitterly disappointed and before Isobel can explain her little joke, he leaves and joins the Northwest Mounted Police, in which he soon distinguishes himself. He is assigned to bring in Bucky Nome, a notorious gambler and lecher who is wanted for murder. Colonel Becker, Isobel's wealthy father, is interested in the fur business and goes to Canada, taking her with him. Bucky wrecks the pleasure train on which they are riding and kidnaps Isobel. Steele eventually catches up with Bucky, bringing him to justice and rescuing Isobel. The subdued girl explains her joke, and Steele resigns from the force, again taking his place in polite society.
Dong Erbo, born into a scholarly family, resolves grievances through his benevolence and righteousness. The film establishes his chivalrous image through scenes like Dong Erbo caring for the daughter of the murderer of his father, writing a certificate of indebtedness in blood to a robber, and freeing a young man who accidentally killed a relative. He takes in and protects an orphan swordsman, ultimately dying during a crackdown by government troops. The film uses a rugged visual language to depict the desolate geography of the West, and through the portrayal of these chivalrous men who relentlessly avenge their enemies, it conveys the philosophy that "the sword cannot subdue anyone."
Fernanda, a cook, returns to her land in the rugged desert of Chilca in search of her late father’s secret recipe, where more than one obstacle awaits her.
Ranch owner Jack Kennedy is in need of some cowhands. Young Betty Craig, a friend of Jack's sister Florence, bets her that she can disguise herself as a man and get a job at the ranch, fooling all the cowboys As "Bob Craig", she gets hired, but although Jack and the cowboys aren't fooled by her "disguise", they decide to have some fun with "Bob" and put her through a series of practical jokes to test "Bob's" mettle. However, things don't turn out quite the way the boys expected--and Betty has an even bigger surprise in store for them.