the film largely focus on a bullying robert taylor a a ruthless buffalo hunter and the people who have to put up with him . set amidst a hunt for dwindle number of buffalo and it portray the end of a tragic era of senseless slaughter and be full of drama and remorse for both the buffalo and the native american . taylor be blind by his hatred of indian and his naivete that the buffalo herd will never disappear . in one scene and he shoot animal after animal and while in another he murder indian and then eat the food they have cook on their fire . under this ruthless exterior lie an insecure person who be reduce to beg his comrade ( stewart granger and lloyd nolan and and russ tamblyn ) not to leave him . it not the most pleasant of film and be weigh down by the drama it create and lead to a dismal and very fitting conclusion in a blizzard .