American Empire

In the wake of the Civil War, huge herds of displaced cattle roam the unclaimed land on the Texas side of the Sabine River. Sailor Paxton Bryce wants to tap into this opportunity, and convinces partner Dan Taylor to take a risk and join him in becoming a rancher. The gamble pays off, but Paxton's pride and ego soon get the best of him. Alienating his wife, friends, and fellow ranchers, and besieged by rustlers, Bryce's fledgling American empire appears doomed.

Richard Dix, a 1931 Best Actor nominee for his portrayal of Yancey Cravat in Cimarron, navigates western territory in this epic, as does Leo Carillo, who is most remembered for playing Pancho in the Cisco Kid films and television series.

• western