SYNOPSIS


Molly Stark, hired to be the new teacher at Medicine Bow, arrives by train in the tiny Wyoming town, far from her Vermont home. On the way from the train station to the ranch of her sponsor, Judge Robert Henry, her driver loses control of the carriage and falls into a roaring river. Molly is saved by the quiet, polite but formidable Virginian. While Molly maintains her distance, she clearly is struck by the Virginian's calm demeanor. The Virginian takes her to her destination, where the Judge and his nemesis Balaam, another local rancher, are meeting. At a dance, Trampas, one of the Judge's ranch hands, speaks poorly of Molly. When he moves as if to approach her, the Virginian intercedes, saving her from yet another tricky situation.

Molly begins teaching school; one day the Virginian visits her there. He brings her a horse he has tamed for her; in return, she vows to teach him Shakespeare. Implicitly, she will need to tame this rough character before he is good enough for her. Despite their differences, romance blooms--but slowly. Meanwhile, one of the Judges men has been killed and acts of sabotage performed. When the Judge asks the Virginian to take over as foreman, Trampas walks off the ranch; despite the Virginian's willingness to reconcile, Trampas cannot abide his rival's rise.

As his first official act as foreman, the Virginian is sent to Balaam to retrieve some horses the Judge has lent him. Balaam refuses. On his way back, the Virginian sees Steve playing poker with Trampas; the Virginian is concerned that his friend is falling under Trampas's influence. When Balaam finally returns the horses, he is so abusive to his own mount that the Virginian fights him. As they battle, the horses escape, and fall into the hands of some local men who refuse to relinquish them. Despite the Virginian's attempts to settle the conflict peacefully, a gunfight ensues and the Virginian is wounded.

The Virginian's trusty stead Monte manages his way back to Molly. Alarmed, she goes looking for the Virginian, and finds him bleeding badly. When, days later, he revives from his stupor, he tells her that he wants to be more "her kind": to be more learned and "civilized." She tells him that he has "beaten her," that she loves him, and that she will marry him.

After the Virginian mends, the Judge's men enlist him on a "hard ride." Rustlers have stolen cattle, and the Virginian and his crew are hot on their trail. When they catch two of them, the Virginian is saddened to find Steve among the pair; he suspects that Trampas was their leader. But this doesn't stop him from hanging them both. Molly hears of the hanging and confronts the Virginian; she does not believe in such rough justice. The Virginian does his best to explain his stand, but Molly is not so sure.

When Federal Marshals arrive in Medicine Bow, Molly puts her faith in their ability to capture and prosecute Trampas. Doubting the efficacy of the Eastern Marshals, the Virginian only reluctantly agrees not to hunt down his enemy. The Virginian's worst fears come true: the Marshals are promptly ambushed by Trampas and killed. Molly tries to talk the Virginian out of killing Trampas; ultimately, she threatens to leave him if he does. Despite his love for her, he feels that this something he must do; that he owes it to Steve, that he owes it to the law. The Virginian rides off to challenge Trampas; when he finds him, the Virginian is not surprised to find Balaam too -- the rancher was behind the criminal all along. In the ensuing duel, the Virginian kills Trampas and forces Balaam to promise that he will no longer engage in thieving ways.

The Virginian returns home, but not triumphant. He discovers that Molly has returned to Vermont. In a sign of his growing love, his new maturity, and his hard-won ability to meet others on terms other than simply his own, he decides to seek her out. He dresses his Sunday best and boards the train East. Once there, he and Molly speak beyond abstract principles and find the hope of compromise. They return to Medicine Bow to marry. They have discovered their deep need for each other, and their complementary natures: From here on out, they will ride side by side.


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