The Naked Hills plot
The year is 1849. Tracy Powell, an Indiana farmer, is infected with the gold rush and leaves with Bert Killian for Stockton, California. In Stockton, Tracy leaves Bert and then hangs out with Sam Wilkins, an experienced prospector employed by Willis Haver. After six years, Tracy returns to his girlfriend Julie in Indiana and they both get married. Tracy tries to become a farmer again, but the gold rush won't let him go and on the night his son Billy is born he goes looking for gold again. This time, Tracy teams up with gold prospector Jimmo McCann. Ten years later, when Jimmo is robbed and murdered, a destitute Tracy returns to Indiana. But Julia doesn't want to hear from him anymore. His ex-boyfriend Bert doesn't believe him, but Haver, now a banker, is willing to give Tracy money, but instead wants his claim to the gold mine.