U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn helps a headstrong young girl find the man who murdered her father in Native American territory and fled with the family savings. When Rooster's employer insists on accompanying the old gunfighter, sparks fly. The situation goes from troubled to disastrous when an inexperienced Texas Ranger joins the party.

On one side is an army of gunmen dead-set on springing a murderous cohort from jail. On the other is Sheriff John T. Chance and his two deputies: one a recovering drunkard, the other a crippled codger. Also in their ragtag ranks are an unseasoned, trigger-happy youth and a woman with a past-- and her eye on Chance.

Hondo Lane is a despatch rider for the cavalry who encounters Angie Lowe, a woman living alone with her young son in the midst of hostile Apache territory. She presumes she is safe because the Apaches, under their chief Vittorio, have always left them alone. Later Hondo has a run-in with Angie's good-for-nothing husband and is forced to kill him. Vittorio captures Hondo and to save his life, Angie tells the Apache chief that he is her husband. In...