Young Billy Starr spends the summer with elderly John Vogelin (Buddy Ebsen) on a ranch in southern New Mexico. John has a '48-'50 Ford pickup. Cruza Peralta is John's young woman housekeeper. Lee Mackie (Ron Howard) is a land speculator who anticipates selling land to the United States government for military use. Lee has a Ford Bronco. Lee and Cruza attempt to form a relationship. John's ranch becomes commandeered by the government. John doesn't want to sell. The government rounds up John's cattle and sells them in El Paso. John isn't necessarily unpatriotic; he just wants things to stay as they are. John can't fight the government and win, and he doesn't want to adapt to a different way of life. What will become of him?
Review of Fire on the Mountain
