I’ve always believed Barbara Stanwyck was more than capable when acting alongside her male counterparts in westerns, and she proves that again here as the scheming "Lily." She attaches herself to a wagon train traveling west, but stories of gold separate the group, leading her onward to the coast where she swiftly establishes a successful saloon. She’s essentially dividing authority with the unpleasant store owner/price gouger "Pharaoh Coffin" (George Colouris) when old friends "Trumbo" (Ray Milland) and "Fabian" (Barry Fitzgerald) show up, all while pressure grows for California to become a state. Understandably, those in charge locally want things to remain as they are—the newcomers desire something more “democratic.” What follows is a succession of conflicts that keep the film progressing at an acceptable pace, though I have to say I found the ending somewhat underwhelming. Stanwyck truly shines, and Fitzgerald along with Coulouris, who seems like an unusual choice for his part, also deliver solid performances. Milland, unfortunately, doesn’t quite live up to expectations, and there's a considerable amount of talking as the narrative takes too long to gain momentum. Despite this, I appreciated its pioneering feel.

Source on TMDB