The film centres on two men: wealthy Texas rancher Bick Benedict (Rock Hudson) and the poor, low-class cowboy Jett Rink (James Dean) who pursue Leslie Lynnton (Elizabeth Taylor).
In their efforts to woo her, she ultimately chooses Benedict only to discover the widespread racism in the Texas oil fields. Locals of Mexican descent are belittled by the bigoted white Texans.
With Rink discovering oil on his own small plot of land and using the money he made to buy up everything around the Benedict ranch, it sows the seeds for conflict between the families that will last for generations.