An epic family history of drama and betrayal that follows the intertwined destinies of two families - the Trasks and the Hamiltons. Adam Trask came to California from the East to farm and raise his family on the new rich land. His sons Aaron and Cal are twins, yet one boy thrives, carefully nurtured by the love of all those around him; the other grows up in loneliness enveloped by a mysterious darkness. There is also the mystery of their mother - is she really dead, as the boys have been told ? Cal determines to find out and succeeds, with awful consequences. This became a major film starring James Dean.