辽阔的西部草原住着一位父亲和他的三个儿子——父亲是退休的骑兵上校，三个儿子个性鲜明：大儿子艾尔弗莱德（艾丹·奎因 饰）忠厚老实，二儿子特里斯坦（布拉德·皮特 饰）狂放不羁，最小的儿子塞缪尔（亨瑞·托马斯 饰）温文尔雅。父子在大草原的生活随着塞缪尔未婚妻苏珊娜（朱莉娅·奥蒙德 饰）的到来而改变。苏珊娜年轻漂亮，给艾尔弗莱德带来了内心的震动。他暗恋她，然而苏珊娜心里却不由自主的迷恋上豪放粗犷的特里斯坦。出于道德，他们一直压抑着内心的感情。
直到塞缪尔壮烈牺牲在前线，事情有了变化。特里斯坦非常爱戴哥哥，无法面对已经爱上苏珊娜的现实，于是离家出走。而苏珊娜万念俱灰，答应嫁给了艾尔弗莱德，而特里斯坦在草原之外也已结婚生子。事情好像趋于了平静，但特里斯坦妻子的亡故又令事情有了波澜。

World-renowned physicist Dr. Jack Murray and his lab partner Hank are experimenting with fifth-dimension time travel when they suddenly disappear without a trace. Several months after this mysterious event, Dr. Murray's children - the loving but youthfully awkward Meg and the gifted, eccentric Charles Wallace - have still had no news of their father. Then, quite suddenly, they and their neighbour Calvin O'Keefe are summoned by strange, mystical forces to find the missing physicist. Thus the three embark on a perilous quest to other worlds to find Hank and Dr. Murray. Guided by three celestial beings - Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which - the travellers must survive a myriad of dangers before the children can reunite their family. Part fantasy, part coming-of-age.