Decision at Sundown

Bart Allison and his loyal friend Sam ride into the town of Sundown, carrying a thirst for vengeance. Bart believes Tate Kimbrough seduced and abandoned his wife, a tale that fuels his desire to confront the town's powerful boss. Their arrival marks the beginning of a conflict that will polarize Sundown.

Tate Kimbrough plans to marry Lucy Summerton as a move to cement his political and economic grip on Sundown. The wedding is meant to solidify his influence, though Lucy's father disapproves and others doubt the arrangement. The ceremony hangs in the balance as Bart's volatile presence unsettles the town.

Bart aims to disrupt the ceremony by objecting to the marriage after the priest's question. The mob-like tension rises as the wedding party grows uneasy and the event edges toward confrontation. Tate's attempt to push through the marriage appears increasingly brittle.

Bart's hostility creates friction with the local sheriff, fueling distrust between law and the insurgent townspeople. He even refuses to have his drinks paid in honor of Tate's wedding, adding to the charged atmosphere as Sundown edges toward violence.

After the chaotic confrontation, Bart and Sam find refuge in the local livery stable. They survive the immediate danger and the disruption leaves the wedding ceremony unfinished. The town begins to feel the sting of the conflict nascently taking root.

Doctor Storrow tends to Spanish, one of Tate's wounded guns, and voices his resentment about Tate's grip on Sundown. Tate attempts to avert further bloodshed by offering Bart a deal to leave town unharmed, thinking he can buy peace. Bart rejects the deceptive proposal, insisting on facing Tate.

Lucy visits the livery stable and suggests that Bart's deceased wife may not have been faithful, aiming to ease his obsession with revenge. Bart throws her out, while Sam tries to confirm Lucy's point but is knocked down by Bart.

Sam, allowed to have lunch in town, declares his intention to ride out of Sundown. Spanish shoots him in the back, killing Sam and shocking the town. The killing shifts public opinion against Tate's grip and strengthens the opposition.

Storrow addresses the townspeople at the saloon, stirring their consciences and rallying against Tate. Morley Chase and his men side with Storrow, and together they disarm some of Kimbrough's forces. The power of Tate's control begins to crumble.

The showdown on the street pits Sheriff Hanson against Bart Allison. Bart is faster with the draw but injures himself on the palm during the confrontation. The duel marks a turning point as Tate's hold over Sundown begins to unravel.

Ruby tries to prevent a fatal conclusion by urging Tate to retreat. She shoots him in the arm, forcing him to abandon the confrontation and flee Sundown alive. Bart, surprised by the intervention, is left to confront the realization of Ruby's true motives.

Ruby and the wounded Tate withdraw from Sundown, leaving Bart to face the bitter truth about his three-year obsession. He drowns his sorrows in alcohol, rejects the townspeople's returning warmth, and laments what Chase might have done had Sam's death been different. Bart rides out of Sundown, mourning his lost friend Sam and the life he could not salvage.