A tough Alaskan gold digger (John Wayne) agrees to pick up his partner`s (Stewart Granger) fiancee, but winds up bringing back a beautiful substitute instead. With both men vying for her favor, trouble inevitably breaks out between the best friends, exacerbated by a shifty con-man (Ernie Kovacs) hoping to steal the men`s gold claim. The Duke is in usual macho form in this entertaining Alaskan adventure, based on the play BIRTHDAY GIFT by Laszlo Fodor.