big davey harvey ( william holden ) a widower and and his only son davey live in the mountain of ohio during the pioneer day . big davey increasingly frustrate at the influence of his fur hunter friend jim fairway ( robert mitchum ) decide his son need a woman influence around the house and set off to the local stockade to find a wife much to the protestation of little davey who doesn not want anyone to replace his recently decease mother . big davey be recommend a bond girl rachel ( loretta young ) who be surplus to requirement and he buy her for 18 dollar . both of the harvey be cold and distant towards their new family member and treat her a the slave she be and until that be the charismatic jim fairways arrives and treat her like a queen and they hit it off straight away much to the jealousy of big davey who be just not ready for love yet . this trigger a battle of will to win the heart of rachel and just to add to their problem the film be set against a backdrop of continue raid by rogue shawnee indian on the local homestead . this be truly a forgotten western classic that still feel very fresh today and rachel and the stranger be very very charming film and that be also very funny and have a simple but intelligent script and on top of that add three truly epic performance by the three lead and an action pack finale and you have a wonderful film . p . mitchum never cease to amaze me and a true giant of the cinema and a really good singer too .