The Sheepman is a 1958 Western film directed by George Marshall and starring Glenn Ford and Shirley MacLaine. In the film, Ford plays Jason Sweet, a sheep farmer who arrives in the town of Powder Valley with his herd of sheep. He quickly clashes with the locals, most notably the powerful cattleman Jumbo McCall (played by Leslie Nielsen), who sees the sheep as a threat to his business.
Despite the hostility of the town's cattle barons, Sweet refuses to back down and instead challenges McCall to a poker game for the right to graze his sheep on the range. Sweet wins the game and gains the respect of the townspeople, including the beautiful saloon singer Dell Payton (played by Shirley MacLaine), who becomes Sweet's love interest.
But McCall and his cronies refuse to accept defeat, and they plot to sabotage Sweet's sheep drive. The climax of the film features a thrilling chase scene as Sweet and his men race to get their sheep to market before McCall can stop them.
The Sheepman was a departure from the traditional Western genre, which typically focused on cowboys and cattle ranches. The film's portrayal of a sheep farmer as a hero was unusual for the time, and it was seen as a commentary on the changing nature of the American West, as sheep farming and other forms of agriculture became more common. Despite mixed reviews upon release, The Sheepman has since become a cult classic and is regarded as one of Glenn Ford's most memorable roles.