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Curly, a local ranch hand, comes to call at Laurey's farmhouse where she is working with her Aunt Eller. Laurey has a lot in common with the cowman - they are both in love with each other, but are too proud and stubborn to admit it. Curly has prepared a rig to take Laurey to the box social, but Laurey refueses to believe that he can take her in suitable style for the occasion.
Jud Fry, a hired hand, announces that he will be taking her to the social. Out of fear, Laurey agrees to accompany the vile-tempered Jud. Curly retorts by asking Aunt Eller to ride with him.
Laurey's friend, Ado Annie, is also unable to choose her partner. Will Parker has just earned $50 in a Kansas City rodeo. This is precisely the sum that Ado Annie's father, Andrew Carnes, told Will that he needed if he wanted to marry his daughter, convinced that the poor cowman would never be able to reach such a high price.
During Will's absence, Ado Annie has become transfixed by the Persian peddler man, Ali Hakim, and is no longer certain that she wants to marry Will. Will is so excited, however, that he spends the $50 on wedding gifts for Ado Annie and so Carnes is no longer obliged to accept his proposal. Meanwhile, Carnes sees Ali Hakim as so forward with Annie that nothing short of a shotgun wedding will do!
Laurey is still confused by her love for Curly and her fear of Jud, whom she has been using just to make Curly jealous. The two men, apparently reconciled, meet at Jud's smokehouse. Curly excitedly describes how popular Jud would be when dead. The two fight about Laurey and an emotional Jud, once he is alone, confronts himself and the loneliness that fills him with anger and violence.
Laurey is desperate to choose between the two men and takes a fortune potion provided for her by the peddler. Her friends ridicule her as she drifts into a dream in which she sees herself about to marry Curly when Jud kills him and abducts her. She wakens only to see Jud, who hauls her off to the party, leaving Curly dejected.
After the tense day, the box social begins and only Aunt Eller prevents complete chaos from breaking out as farmers and cowmen face up to each other. Jud plans a trap for Curly as he discovers that WIll Parker's Little Wonder is more than just a picture of a pretty girl.
Ali Hakim manages to give WIll his $50 back, freeing himself from the obligation of marriage. A charity auction continues for a hamper and a picnic with whichever girl prepared it - and Ado Annie is won by two men at once!
Jud seems about to beat all other bids for Laurey when Curly returns and sells his saddle, his horse and even his gun to raise enough cash for Laurey's hamper. The two men nearly come to blows, but a group effort breaks the tension and prevents the Little Wonder from being used.
Jud corners Laurey in the barn, but her yells bring Curly to her side. Jud escapes, but finally Laurey and Curly admit their love. With his $50 safe in his hand and a few rules in mind, Will approaches Ado Annie again, and at last they set the date.
Three weeks later, Laurey and Curly are married. Gertie Cummings, an annoying flirt who couldn't get her hands on Curly, has also managedd to snare husband, a far from happy Ali Hakim.
As the party continues, Jud arrives drunk and angry. He starts to fight with Curly, but falls on his own knife and is killed. To avoid Curly's arrest, a trial is held on the spot and Curly is (of course) acquitted.
With their friends cheering, Curly and Laurey set off on their honeymoon in the style of Laurey's dreams.