This sticks very closely to the Louis L'Amour novel and though praised by fans of the book I think it's a mistake for the film. Elliot (tough cowboy) is supposed to come 'in and out of the life of' a widow and they meet over one meal and not again in the first 1 1/4 hours of the film! I suspect the book was describing their thoughts of each other whilst telling their separate tales but the movie doesn't get this over. Mis-sold as an actioneer it comes across as a Mills & Boon romance.