Synopsis: Pittsburgh Markham is a coal-miner with backwoods roots, but he has ambition. He's out to get ahead any way he can, whether by forcing friend Cash to box, stringing along the glamorous Josie, swindling a suit from a surly tailor, forging the signature of a steel mill owner or greasing up to a steel magnate by marrying his daughter. Eventually, Markham seeks redemption for his ruthlessness.