The Stranger is a harbinger of death, a nameless catalyst foreshadowing events to come. The Woman is a fading beauty who can’t quite conceal the scars of her past. The Sheriff is an alcoholic, lovelorn shell of a man who is literally mutilating himself over losing The Woman. The Big Man is a fat, jealous cohort of The Sheriff who lusts after The Woman. One day, The Stranger comes to town on horseback with The Wanted Man who he retrieved at the site of a massacre in the film’s opening scenes. The Stranger has come to collect the bounty money. He winds up getting roped into playing The Sheriff’s sadistic gambling game and loses The Wanted Man to the gloating Sheriff. Fed up by this self-destructive ploy, The Woman storms out of the saloon. Later that night, The Woman in a state of desperation seduces The Stranger. All hell breaks loose after their night of passion. A posse is formed under the Sheriff’s inept leadership and an epic manhunt ensues.