Nancy Kelly

In 1880s China, young Lalu is sold into marriage by her impoverished father. Rather than becoming a bride, Lalu ends up in an Idaho gold-mining town, the property of a saloon owner who renames her, China Polly, and plans to sell her as entertainment for the locals. Refusing to become a whore, Lalu ultimately finds her own way in this strange country filled with white demons.

The cowgirls in this documentary are modern-day women aged six to sixty, who ride, rope and tough out the elements just as well as their more famous cowboy counterparts. The film spans three generations, telling the inspirational real-life stories of women who are living their own "dream-come-true" existences.

This evocative documentary examines the plight of the ranchers of Nevada and California, who find their grazing areas increasingly threatened by many groups (even environmentalists) competing for use of the same public lands on which these ranchers depend. With its graceful images and emphasis on community and continuity, A Cowhand's Song makes a strong case for the preservation of a traditional way of life.

American Playhouse is an anthology television series periodically broadcast by Public Broadcasting Service in the United States.