Tennessee mountain patriarchs Laban Feather (Rod Steiger) and Pap Gutshall (Robert Ryan) and their respective broods have long been fussing over a desirable piece of meadowland. One of the Guts halls escalates the rivalry, sending the hot- blooded Feather boys a postcard from a mysterious femme. The intent of the card is to lure the boys to meet the nonexistent woman, leaving the Feathers moonshine operation unguarded. Falling for the ruse, the feud that will cost both dearly. Adapting a novel she wrote before her Alphabet Series of detective novels, Sue Grafton co-scripts this cautionary tale about the course of violence. Jeff Bridges, Gary Busey and Randy Quaid join Steiger and Ryan in the tales chain of reprisal, unintended consequences and feverish slaughter.