Widowed Elinor Randall and her young daughter Jerrine arrive in a barren stretch of Wyoming in 1910 after Elinor's application for work as a housekeeper is accepted by Clyde Stewart, a rancher. The work is back-breaking and the isolation is brutal, particularly as winter arrives. Elinor begins to think about homesteading her own property near Stewart's ranch, but Stewart tries to dissuade her with explanations about the killing conditions and poor rewards, especially for a woman with no man to help her ranch. Although their temperaments are different and little affection exists, Elinor and Stewart agree to marry and combine homesteads. What lies ahead is the severest test of all.

Rip Torn
as Clyde Stewart

Conchata Ferrell
as Elinore Randall Stewart

Barry Primus
as Jack

Megan Folsom
as Jerrine

Lilia Skala
as Mrs. Landauer

Amy Wright
as Clara Jane

Jerry Hardin
as Cattlebuyer

Mary Boylan
as Ma Gillis

Bob Sirucek
as Dan Byrd

Marvin Berg
as Justice of the Peace
CinemaSerf
With decades of experience in this genre behind him, Rip Torn is on good form as the hardened Wyoming rancher all too familiar with the travails of making ends meet in this remote wilderness. Here he takes on the role of “Clyde” who employs the newly arrived widow “Elinor” (Conchata Ferrell) as his ...