Walter Huston

Two down-and-out Americans in Mexico meet a grizzled old prospector who piques their interest with stories of his gold-hunting experiences. The Americans gather a stake and set off with the old prospector in search of fortune.

Two brothers, Phil and Ted Stoneman, visit their friends in Piedmont, South Carolina: the family Cameron. This friendship is affected by the Civil War, as the Stonemans and the Camerons must join up opposite armies. The consequences of the War in their lives are shown in connection to major historical events, like the development of the Civil War itself, Lincoln's assassination, and the birth of the Ku Klux Klan.