Tennessee mountain patriarchs Laban Feather (Rod Steiger) and Pap Gutshall (Robert Ryan) and their respective broods have long been fussing over a desirable piece of meadowland. One of the Gutshalls escalates the rivalry, sending the hot-blooded Feather boys a postcard from a mysterious femme. The intent of the card is to lure the boys to meet the nonexistent woman, leaving the Feathers' moonshine operation unguarded. Falling for the ru
