Wounded in a gunfight with the notorious James Gang, John Bonniwell (Richard Dix) awakens in a hospital to find that he's been elected marshal of Broken Lance, Kansas. He accepts the position, but quickly learns that the town is under the control of wealthy banker Steve Barat (Albert Dekker), whose crooked business practices are bleeding the citizens of Broken Lance dry. Unable to control the straight-shooting Bonniwell, Barat hatches a plot to discredit the defiant marshal and have him removed from office. He arranges for Bonniwell's arch enemies to be released from jail, with deadly results.
Richard Dix is best known for playing the role of Yancey Cravat in Cimarron, which earned him an Academy Award nomination in 1931. Albert Dekker, a prolific actor who often played villains, notably starred in the 1946 classic The Killers and Dr. Cyclops (1940). The Kansan also features Victor Jory as Steve Barat's gambling brother and Jane Wyatt as Bonniwell's love interest. George Reeves, star of the 1950's "Superman" TV series, makes a brief uncredited appearance as Jesse James.