On the Dominy farm, the aging Milt Dominy, [Henry Hull], and his son Daniel "Snug" Dominy, [Lon McCallister], live under a cloud of tension, quietly sharing a mutual loathing for Milt’s second wife Judith, [Anne Revere], and her brutal son Stretch, [Robert Karnes]. Milt’s weariness with the life at home grows into a bigger decision: return to the sea. Meanwhile, Snug dreams of a steadier income and begins to chart a path that could change his future, even as he navigates the awkward, uncertain courtship with Rad, [June Haver], Roarer McGill’s daughter, who keeps him guessing about her true feelings.
When Snug comes up with a plan to boost his earnings, he offers to buy two mules, Crowder and Moonbeam, from his boss. Roarer McGill, played by [Tom Tully], agrees to the sale but makes it clear that ownership will revert to him if Snug misses even a single payment. Snug then carries the mules to [Tony Maule], [Walter Brennan], a former mule driver turned down-on-his-luck farmer who now drifts in and out of luck, especially with alcohol clouding his days. Tony, who once knew the road and the rhythm of the team, becomes a coach of sorts, teaching Snug the essential commands like "scudda hoo" and "scudda hay" that steer a team to the right and left, a small but vital education for a young man hoping to lift himself out of trouble.
This fragile arrangement is underscored when Snug’s stubborn streak leads [Roarer] to fire him from the field. Snug shifts to a lumber camp, chasing pay and the chance to keep some financial control, especially since he intends to use the first week’s wages to keep up with the mules’ payments. Tony, however, returns home intoxicated and unable to deliver the hoped-for paycheck, straining Snug’s plans further. Roarer’s wife, Lucy, steps in to help, lending the money so Snug can stay in control of the mules and the dream of the Dominy farm doesn’t slip away.
Tragedy soon touches the Dominy household when Snug learns that his father has died, leaving him the Dominy farm. The news lands with quiet weight, and Tony promises to seek a legal route to secure the property against Stretch and Judith, who have long been a thorn in Snug’s side. On Tony’s property, Stretch strikes a cruel note by placing a wire snare in Crowder and Moonbeam’s stall, a desperate move to cripple the mules and undermine Snug’s plan. Snug and Rad, who is his love interest but often keeps him guessing, return from a date to discover Stretch in trouble with the animals, and Snug acts swiftly to rescue Stretch from the danger—then, in a final measure of control, ejects Stretch from Tony’s land.
Judicial and civic power soon steps in. Judge Stillwell and Sheriff Bursom move to evict Stretch and Judith from the Dominy farm, restoring a fragile balance in the family. Yet the drama isn’t finished, as Snug and Rad ride home past a stuck tractor belonging to Roarer. Snug proposes a test: if Moonbeam and Crowder can pull the tractor free, Roarer will forget the debt; if they fail, the mules will be reclaimed. The team works in unison under Snug’s careful guidance, and the tractor slides free, showcasing the mules’ true potential and Snug’s growing skill.
With the debt resolved in a manner favorable to the younger couple, Roarer’s stance softens. He grants his blessing to Snug and Rad’s marriage, a moment of cautious reconciliation that suggests a future where the mules—and the family they symbolize—will remain together. The ride back to Tony’s place is marked by a quiet sense of relief, and Roarer concedes that, at least for now, the mules will stay in the family, preserving a legacy that began in the fields and now stretches toward a shared, if tentative, happiness for Rad and Snug.
Throughout the tale, the film threads together themes of hard work, family loyalty, and the struggle to maintain dignity in the face of poverty and succession disputes. The performances weave a grounded portrait of rural American life, balancing moments of humor with the weight of responsibility. The characters—Milt and Snug, Judith and Stretch, Roarer and Rad, and Tony—each carry their own anxieties and hopes, and the story unfolds with patience, small victories, and the steady rhythm of a life built on labor, trust, and the stubborn belief that a better future is possible, even when the odds are stacked against you.
