 In a sharpshooting match, the manager of a Cincinnati hotel bets on the fellow who s been supplying the hotel with quail...who turns out to be young Annie Oakley. Result: Annie is hired for Buffalo Bill s Wild West Show (which is faithfully re-enacted in the film). She s tutored in showmanship by champ Toby Walker. But when Annie wins top billing, professional rivalry conflicts with their growing personal attachment, leading to misunderstanding and separation.