Two buddies who rise from fly-by-night wildcatters to oil tycoons over a twenty year period both love the same woman. McMasters and Sand come to oil towns to get rich. Betsy comes West intending to marry Sand but marries McMasters instead. Getting rich and losing it all teaches McMasters and Sand the value of personal ties.
Big John McMasters
Clark Gable
Square John Sand
Spencer Tracy
Betsy Bartlett
Claudette Colbert
Karen Vanmeer
Hedy Lamarr
Luther Aldrich
Frank Morgan
Harry Compton
Lionel Atwill
Harmony Jones
Chill Wills
Whitey
Marion Martin
Spanish Eva
Minna Gombell
Ed Murphy
Joe Yule
Tom Murphy
Horace Murphy
Maid
Marietta Canty
Ferdie the Tailor
Curt Bois
Assistant D.A.
Richard Lane
Judge
George Lessey
Miss Barnes
Sara Haden
Barber
Frank Orth
McMasters' Butler
Charles Coleman
Compton's Secretary
Nell Craig
Geologist
Byron Foulger
Architect
Harry Hayden
Hotel Desk Clerk in Burkburnett
Eddy Waller
McCreery
Roy Gordon
Little Jack
Casey Johnson
Baby Jack
Baby Quintanilla
Deacon
Frank McGlynn Sr.
Worker in McMasters' Office (uncredited)
Bess Flowers
Nurse (uncredited)
Barbara Bedford
Hank - Man in Dance Hall (uncredited)
Hank Bell
U.S. Marshal Stebbins (uncredited)
Charles D. Brown
Man with Nitroglycerine (uncredited)
Francis X. Bushman Jr.
Karen's Maid (uncredited)
Marietta Canty
Parker - McMasters' Butler (uncredited)
Charles Coleman
Man Working in McMasters' Office (uncredited)
James Conaty
Hiring Boss (uncredited)
Dick Curtis
Mrs. Summers (uncredited)
Helen Dickson
Townsman (uncredited)
James Dime
Wildcatter (uncredited)
Eddie Dunn
Alarmed Townsman (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum
Man at Dice Table (uncredited)
Pat Flaherty
Rider / Roper (uncredited)
Sam Garrett
Baggage Man (uncredited)
George Guhl
Man Abandoned by Whitey (uncredited)
Frank Hagney
McCreery's Associate #2 (uncredited)
William Halligan
McMasters' Defense Attorney (uncredited)
John Hamilton
Racetrack Announcer (voice) (uncredited)
Tom Hanlon
Smith - the Architect (uncredited)
Harry Hayden
Doctor (uncredited)
Holmes Herbert
McCreery's Associate #1 (uncredited)
Howard Hickman
Rodeo Barker (uncredited)
Earle Hodgins
Saloon Brawler (uncredited)
Shep Houghton
Oilman at Producers' Convention (uncredited)
Jack Ingram
Oil Man at Meeting (uncredited)
Sheldon Jett
Oilman in New York (uncredited)
Robert Emmett Keane
Venezuelan Foreman (uncredited)
Mitchell Lewis
Sheriff Harris (uncredited)
Tom London
Man in Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
Frank McLure
Saloon Hostess Fighting Whitey (uncredited)
Carlotta Monti
Oil Man (uncredited)
Philip Morris
Mr. Springtime (uncredited)
John T. Murray
Oilman at Producers' Convention (uncredited)
Wedgwood Nowell
Man Asking 4 Bits to Cross (uncredited)
Ted Oliver
Venezuelan Officer (uncredited)
Nestor Paiva
Aldrich's Assistant (uncredited)
Milton Parsons
Man Fighting Oil Fire (uncredited)
Lee Phelps
Mr. Summers (uncredited)
Henry Roquemore
Lawyer at Prosecution's Table (uncredited)
Larry Steers
Hotel Lobby Extra (uncredited)
Bert Stevens
Hotel Desk Clerk #1 (uncredited)
William Tannen
Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
Eddy Waller
Townsman (uncredited)
Harry Wilson
Man in Saloon (uncredited)
Tom Wilson
Oil Man at New York Meeting (uncredited)
Douglas Wood