Here John Wayne plays a coal miner with ambitions, Pittsburgh Markham. His self-confidence manifests itself in a lack of consideration for others. He's usually friendly but he makes use of people; to promote a loan, to con a new suit out of a tailor, to raise some money from a boxing match—pushing his best friend, Cash Evans (Randolph Scott) into the ring. When he meets Josie Winters (Marlene Dietrich), he starts calling her "Countess" because of the impression she makes on him, although she reveals that she comes from the same kind of humble coal-mining background as himself. Josie remains somewhat unimpressed by his big ideas but when she dares him to quit his job in the mine he does so—and tenders Cash's resignation as well.