A 1930s Tennessee Valley Authority Agent is sent to oversee the completion of the Tennessee River Dam and encounters opposition from locals who do not want to leave their homes.
A 1930s Tennessee Valley Authority agent, Chuck Glover (Montgomery Clift), is sent to oversee the completion of the Tennessee River dam, with the assignment of convincing the locals to move from their homes for this project. Opposition from the locals includes one farmer who is upset that he must hire black laborers, and an elderly holdout (Jo Van Fleet) who is convinced that if she is forced to move from her land she will die.