Ronald Reagan, Errol Flynn, and Olivia de Havilland headline this thrilling western, which recounts the legend of infamous abolitionist John Brown (Raymond Massey) and the heated battle leading to a final showdown with the US Army at Harpers Ferry, Virginia -- a bloody encounter that marked the pages of history and changed the course of America forever. Although Brown's crusade to free slaves is admirable, his methods of doing so are deplorable, and therefore, he must be stopped. Appointed for the job are two young cavalry officers-- George Armstrong Custer (Ronald Reagan) and Jeb Stuart (Errol Flynn) -- friends who share affection for the lovely Kit Carson Halliday (Olivia de Havilland). The young men are given the risky mission of capturing Brown just days before graduation from West Point as punishment for fighting with fellow classmates. They are consequently sent to Fort Leavenworth (otherwise known as "bloody Kansas territory") where John Brown and his gun-slinging cronies have holed up. What ensues at Leavenworth is a treacherous game of cat-and-mouse, resulting in a violent standoff at Harpers Ferry just on the cusp of the Civil War. - Container

In this historical drama, Jeb Stuart, the famed Southern cavalryman arrives at West Point, where he befriends George Armstrong Custer. Both compete for the attention of "Kit Carson" Halliday. As a punishment for fighting with fellow classmates, both men are sent to an outpost in Kansas where they must battle the abolitionist John Brown. This experience causes them to examine their personal feelings about slavery.