The 1947 film "Pursued", is a Western film set in the New Mexico territory around the beginning of the 20th century. Jeb Rand's family was murdered when he was a child and he is adopted by a middle-aged widow, Mrs. Callum. Her children and also her brother-in-law call her "Ma" Callum or "Ma." Mrs. Callum has two children of her own, a son Adam and a daughter Thor (Thorley) and she raises the three together. When they become adults Jeb and Thor form a relationship. When the two boys and Thor reach adulthood, the Spanish American war starts (in 1898). The men ask Thor to flip a silver dollar to decide which of them will join the Army. The coin appears to be a real Morgan type US silver dollar. After Jeb returns from the war he leaves the house to work in a gambling casino. There are several scenes of coins and cash on the gambling roulette and poker tables. Motion picture prop or imitation coins are used in these scenes but they are hard to identify.

Adult Jeb and Thor are hiding in an abandoned ranch house from some pursuers.

Jeb and Thor are talking and the story then starts when they were children. When Jeb was around 11 years old he witnessed his parents and family murdered by gunmen. He doesn't remember much about the killings except in nightmares.

Jeb is adopted by a middle-aged widow, Mrs. Callum and joins her two children, Adam and Thor. Mrs. Callum owns a small ranch located near the town of Lone Horse. The children usually get along but sometimes the boys fight. Jeb is out riding a pony and someone, shooting at Jeb, kills the horse. Ma Callum goes to town and sees Grant Callum, the brother of her deceased husband, who has a hatred of the entire Rand family and who she believes did the shooting. She asks him to leave the boy alone and Grant agrees, telling her that Jeb will become a danger to her as an adult. When the three reach adulthood Jeb and Thor are having romantic feelings about each other. The Spanish American war starts (in 1898) and local officials inform the family that Jeb or Adam have to join the Army. The men ask Thor to flip a silver dollar to decide the question.

Thor tells the men that the coin was "heads" meaning that Jeb will join. The coin appears to be a real Morgan type US silver dollar.

Jeb picks up the coin and carries it as a memento. He is wounded in Cuba and after he recovers is sent back to New Mexico and discharged.

Jeb is also awarded a medal for heroism. He talks to Thor and tells her that someone has been following him. He asks Thor to marry him but she refuses for now. Jeb rides out into the country and finds an abandoned ranch house and suspects that he has been there before. He returns home and asks Mrs. Callum about the place.

Mrs. Callum explains that the buildings were the Rand Ranch and that Jeb lived there when he was a child and that his family was murdered there. Jeb and Adam have been arguing about the ranch money and Jeb decides to leave.

Jeb heads for town and Jake Dingle's "Honest Wheel" saloon and gambling casino. Jeb pulls out his silver dollar and hands it to Jake.

Jake suggests playing it at roulette and Jeb heads to the roulette table. Jake signals to his roulette croupier to let Jeb win. Jeb then switches to poker where he wins more money.

On the table are a "Full House" poker hand, some currency, and four stacks of coins. The coins appear to be Los Angeles Rubber Stamp Company silver-dollar size prop coins.

For more information on these prop coins please visit: Motion Picture Prop Coins

Jeb likes to ride a horse in the country for recreation and someone fires a rifle at him. Jeb fires back and kills the man, who he then finds out is his brother Adam. Grant Callum, now a county official, tries to have Jeb charged with murder but a coroner's jury rules the shooting to be self-defense. Jeb then sees Thor and Mrs. Callum outside.

Mrs. Callum and Thor call Jeb a murderer and tell him they do not want to see him any more. Jeb stays in town and Jake Dingle offers Jeb a partnership in the casino.

Jeb's money is shown accumulating and he is becoming wealthy.

Thor unexplainedly starts warming up to Jeb and they begin seeing each other. Mrs. Callum asks her why she is seeing the murderer of her brother and she tells her mother that she intends to marry Jeb and then kill him on their honeymoon. Mrs. Callum tells Thor that she does not want to be involved in her scheme and sells the ranch and moves out.

Jeb takes Thor and tells her that he has bought the ranch house and the pair move in. Thor brings a few items for the honeymoon.

Thor pulls out the gun.

Jeb tells her that he knew what she was planning, Thor relents, and they embrace. Grant Callum is now openly hunting Jeb and brings in a gang of relatives.

Jeb and Thor flee to the abandoned Rand Ranch followed by Grant's men. Jeb now remembers the long ago murders and that Grant was in charge of the killers. The trouble started when Jeb's father and Mrs. Callum began an affair, her husband found out and tried to kill her lover but was killed instead. Grant Callum, the husband's brother, then led a gang to massacre the entire Rand family but accidently left Jeb alive.

The film story catches up to the present as Jeb and Thor talk. Jeb decides to surrender to Grant to avoid harming Thor. Grant and his men prepare to lynch Jeb and he sends one man to fetch Mrs. Callum so that she can watch the hanging.

Thor pleads with Grant not to hang Jeb but he refuses as Mrs. Callum arrives.

Mrs. Callum shoots and kills Grant and then talks to Jeb and Thor.

Mrs. Callum apologizes for her past actions which caused the trouble and she is forgiven by the pair who then ride away.

Director: Raoul Walsh
Writers: Niven Busch