Dan Duryea

Dan Duryea and his cronies rob a fake spiritualist and then take it on the lam to Atlantic City. Nat, Gladden, Baylock and Dohmer comprise a disparate band of Philadelphia-based thieves, who, despite their differences, are able to pull off their latest heist of a bejeweled necklace which Baylock, the jewelry specialist, appraises at $150,000 retail. The heist itself was not without its problems, they having a couple of close calls in the process. The heist only exacerbates the issues between the four. Baylock has always had problems with Gladden who he sees as adding nothing to their gang, while brutish Dohmer always seem solely to want to manhandle her. While Nat realizes that they have to hold on to the necklace until things cool down in it being too hot, Baylock, on parole, wants to get rid of it as soon as possible to reduce their risk. While most realize they will ultimately only be able to get a fraction of the retail amount, Dohmer wants to push for as close to retail as possible. Through it all, Nat, the leader, seems to have a protective nature toward Gladden - the reason he comes to her defense against Baylock and Dohmer - even though the others can see that he isn't interested in her in a romantic sense. Nat, in turn, is unaware that Gladden is indeed in love with him. While the four lay low together with Baylock and Dohmer in particular going stir crazy, Nat is able to convince Gladden to hide out in the open somewhere else - the choice being Atlantic City - to protect her against those stir crazy feelings of the other two. When Nat eventually discovers that Gladden is in danger from someone who believes she may be in possession of the necklace, the reason her pursuer believes she was sent away, Nat, who is still the holder of the jewels, feels obligated to protect her at all cost. —Huggo

In 1876, cowboy Lin McAdam and his good friend, Frankie "High Spade" Wilson, travel to Dodge City, Kansas to participate in the Centennial Rifle Shoot, which is being held on the Fourth of July. Lin knows that his sharpshooting brother, Dutch Henry Brown, whom he suspects murdered their father, will also be in the contest, as first prize is a rare Winchester '73 rifle. Soon after their mutual arrivals in Dodge City, Lin and Dutch Henry are stopped from killing each other by the town's famous marshal, Wyatt Earp. Later, Lin narrowly defeats his brother in the rifle contest, but Dutch Henry and his friends ambush Lin and steal the Winchester. Two days later, a penniless Dutch Henry loses the rifle in a poker game to Joe Lamont, an Indian trader. Lamont is later killed by Young Bull, an Indian chief whom Lamont had hoped to cheat with defective guns and rifles. Meanwhile, Lin learns from Jack Riker, a saloon keeper, that Dutch Henry is headed for Tascosa to meet up with Waco Johnny Dean, an outlaw. That night on the trail, Lin and High Spade run into a U.S. Cavalry unit, led by Sgt. Wilkes, which has been surrounded by Young Bull's warriors. The Indians attack the next morning, but they are repelled when Lin shoots and kills Young Bull. After Lin and High Spade leave, Wilkes discovers the rare Winchester by the dead Indian chief and gives it to Steve Miller, the cowardly fiance of Lola Manners, a dance hall girl. Steve and Lola then travel to Tascosa, where they accept the hospitality of the Jameson family. Waco Johnny and his men soon arrive at the Jameson home, with a posse in hot pursuit, and the outlaw uses Lola as a hostage when Steve refuses to give him the Winchester. Waco Johnny kills Steve in a gunfight, then escapes from the farmhouse with Lola and the rifle and heads for Dutch Henry's hideout in the nearby mountains. Dutch Henry quickly recognizes the Winchester and demands it back. The outlaws then plan a bank robbery, only to have Lin and High Spade arrive in Tascosa that same day. Lin kills Waco Johnny just as Dutch Henry and his men are leaving the bank, and Lola is shot and wounded in the ensuing gunfight. Lin takes off alone after his brother, who heads back toward his mountain hideout. Though he is trapped below Dutch Henry, Lin torments his brother by calling him by his given name, Matthew McAdam, then manages to sneak behind him as he reloads the Winchester. Lin then shoots and kills Dutch Henry, finally avenging their father's death. Later, Lin returns to Tascosa with the Winchester, where his return is welcomed with open arms by both Lola and High Spade.

While fighting in Libya during World War 2 Sergeant Joe Gunn (Humphrey Bogart) and his M3 Lee tank lovingly referred to as Lulabelle are attached to the British Eighth Army. A retreat order comes through and Joe and his crew, Waco (Bruce Bennet), and Jimmy Doyle (Dan Duryea) are separated from their division and travel across the desert hoping to avoid Rommel's troops, when they meet a rag tag group of British soldiers at a field hospital unaware of the retreat. In desperate need of water, Joe and his new passengers head into the desert toward the site of some ancient Roman ruins that contains a well many miles into the sand. Along the way they rescue an Italian soldier who goes by the name of Guiseppi (J. Carrol Naish - who was nominated for an Academy Award "Best Actor In A Supporting Role") and a Sudanese soldier and are attacked by a German fighter 'plane. They shoot down the 'plane and take the pilot prisoner and soon learn that there are hundreds of German soldiers needing water who are also heading for the same well that Gunn and his crew are heading for. When Gunn arrives at the watering hole the flow of water is very slow and they work diligently to get enough for themselves. Wanting to slow down the incoming Germans and prevent them from rejoining the war, Gunn sends Waco out across the desert hoping to get relief from the British 8th Army, but the question is whether the desert may prove to be too much.