Over the years Jim's time increasingly is consumed by his attention to various business ventures, including a hospital, laundry, restaurant, dairy, opera house, and hotel.

Jim decides to mine a nearby arroyo for copper, and when he learns new roomer Rita Kirby's abandoned husband George owns a New Jersey construction company, he invites the man to come to Tucson in the hope he'll invest in his latest project.

George arrives with his inebriated mother-in-law, ex-vaudeville entertainer Minnie Moon, but he refuses to discuss any business propositions until he sorts through his personal problems, although he gives Emily a $250 check, which is enough money to pay off the mortgage on their home.

When the owner of the arroyo threatens to close the mine unless Jim purchases the property immediately, he secretly takes out a new mortgage, hoping to buy it back after George invests in the venture.

[2] Among the actors rumored to be considered for or actually cast in major roles before filming began were John Payne, Maureen O'Hara, Henry Fonda, Jeanne Crain, and Florence Bates.

Three years later, Julius J. Epstein, the estate of his late brother Philip, and Taylor filed a copyright infringement/breach of contract suit against the film studio, claiming Fox did not own the television rights to the story.