Two buddies who rise from fly-by-night wildcatters to oil tycoons over a twenty year period both love the same woman. McMasters and Sand come to oil towns to get rich. Betsy comes West intending to marry Sand but marries McMasters instead. Getting rich and losing it all teaches McMasters and Sand the value of personal ties.
Clark Gable
as Big John McMasters
Spencer Tracy
as Square John Sand
Claudette Colbert
as Betsy Bartlett
Hedy Lamarr
as Karen Vanmeer
Frank Morgan
as Luther Aldrich
Lionel Atwill
as Harry Compton
Chill Wills
as Harmony Jones
Marion Martin
as Whitey
Minna Gombell
as Spanish Eva
Joe Yule
as Ed Murphy
Horace Murphy
as Tom Murphy
Marietta Canty
as Maid