辽阔的西部草原住着一位父亲和他的三个儿子——父亲是退了休的骑兵上校，三个儿子个性鲜明：大儿子艾尔弗莱德（艾丹•奎因 Aidan Quinn nbs;饰）忠厚老实，二儿子特里斯坦（布拉德•皮特 Brad Pitt 饰）狂放不羁，最小的儿子塞缪尔（亨瑞•托马斯Henry Thomas饰）温文尔雅。 nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs;父子在大草原的生活随着塞缪尔未婚妻苏珊娜（朱莉娅•奥蒙德 Julia Ormond nbs;饰）的到来而改变。苏珊娜年轻漂亮，给艾尔弗莱德带来了内心的震动。他暗恋她，然而苏珊娜心里却不由自主的迷恋上豪放粗犷的特里斯坦。出于道德的坚守，他们一直压抑着内心的感情。 nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs; nbs;直到塞缪尔壮烈牺牲在前线，事情有了变化。特里斯坦非常爱戴哥哥，无法面对已经爱上苏珊娜的现实，于是离家出走。而苏珊娜万念俱灰，答应嫁给了艾尔弗莱德，而特里斯坦在草原之外也已结婚生子。事情好像趋于了平静，但特里斯坦妻子的亡故又令事情有了波澜。