Question: Build a movie plot around this: where did the railroad reach? Abilene, Kansas
Answer:
In 1851, Tom Dunson (John Wayne) and friend Nadine Groot (Walter Brennan), join a wagon train in St. Louis (or near St. Louis), headed for California. After three weeks, they approach north Texas, where the land looks good to Tom. He decides he wants to break away from the wagon train and go find a place to start a ranch of his own. The wagon master tries to order him to stay, then tries talking him out of it, all to no avail. Tom is also pretty handy with his fists and a gun, so there wouldnt be any forcing him.Along with Tom and Nadine on the trip to California is Fen (Colleen Gray), Toms love interest. He and Fen are basically engaged (in love, anyway) and she wants to come with Tom and Nadine to find a ranch. Tom wont hear of it, promising to send for her once hes settled in. She doesn't like the idea of having to wait, but promises to come. Before leaving, Tom gives Fen a bracelet that belonged to his mother.Tom and Nadine take off with their wagon, horse, one bull and two cows, and get maybe 10-15 miles from the wagon train, near the Red River, when they look back and see black smoke. Realizing that the wagon train has most likely been attacked by Indians, they know they cant get back in time to help, and that some of the Indians are likely to come looking for them soon enough anyway, so they set up in a defensive posture and wait.Sure enough, maybe 6-7 Indian braves show up and begin an attack with a fire arrow that hits Tom's and Nadine's wagon (but doesnt do much damage). Both Tom and Nadine are good shots and they kill most of the attackers right away. However, one of their cows was killed by the Indians and then Tom has to fight hand-to-hand. He kills one Indian as they fight and fall into the river. Tom notices the Indian he killed was wearing the bracelet hed given to Fey. Tom then sneaks out to kill the last one or two Indians of the group, who were still out there hiding.The next day, theres a young boy named Matt Garth (Mickey Kuhn) who comes strolling along leading a cow and talking to...