What Is The Second Greatest Sex About?
The premise of The Second Greatest Sex in 288 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the dusty summer of 1880, three Kansas towns—Osawkie, Jones City and Mandaroon—are locked in a stubborn contest to become the county seat. The rivalry keeps the men racing back and forth, their tempers as dry as the prairie, while the women watch the days stretch thin. The film balances bright, off‑beat humor with a frontier atmosphere, letting the rugged landscape echo the stubbornness of its inhabitants.
At the heart of the story is the soon‑to‑be‑married Matt Davis, a restless young cowboy whose longing for adventure clashes with the expectations of his pending marriage. His bride, Liza McClure, the sheriff’s headstrong daughter, inherits the wit of her namesake from an ancient comedy and becomes the catalyst for change. Alongside them are Birdie Snyder, a fresh‑ly married woman whose voice grows louder as tensions rise, and Cassie Slater, the pragmatic schoolteacher whose counsel steadies the group. Job McClure, the sheriff’s brother, adds a larger‑than‑life presence that underscores the community’s collective spirit.
When the men’s endless quest for the coveted county seat begins to erode domestic life, the women decide to make their own stand. Inspired by the legend of Lysistrata, they organize a peaceful but determined marital strike, retreating to a makeshift fort and refusing to let the men return home until they prove they can balance ambition with responsibility. The tone remains playful yet pointed, as the women’s resolve is matched by the men’s stubborn pride, creating a lively tug‑of‑war between duty and desire.
The film rolls forward with a lively blend of comedy, romance, and frontier drama, inviting the audience to wonder how these rival towns and their determined residents will negotiate power, partnership, and the promise of a shared future—without revealing the paths they ultimately choose.
What Happens in The Second Greatest Sex?
The complete story of The Second Greatest Sex, from the first scene to the last, in 630 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 4 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
In 1880, three Kansas towns—Osake, Jones City, and Mandaroon—wage a dusty, stubborn battle to decide which will host the county seat, with a single safe filled with important documents standing as the prize that could tilt political power in any direction. The tension among the men is mirrored at home, where the women watch time drift by as husbands drift in and out of peril and labor. The drama centers on Birdie Snyder, Mamie Van Doren, a young wife whose voice grows louder as the crisis deepens, and on Liza McClure, Jeanne Crain, the sheriff’s daughter whom Matt Davis, George Nader, hopes to marry.
The trio of rivals falls into a pattern: the men race off to claim the safe, then return exhausted, wary that their bid for the county seat is as fragile as the documents they guard. Matt Davis courts Liza, but Sheriff McClure remains unsure whether the union is about romance or the town’s fate. Osake’s faction of men secures the prize and even starts building a courthouse, a concrete sign of their lead—until the safe is stolen and the couple’s hopes are knocked off balance. Liza grows furious at Matt’s absence just as the danger shifts, and the chase resumes with a new urgency: a posse forms, and the other towns join the effort.
In a bold nod to Aristophanes, Lysistrata, the women decide to act. Led by Liza, they are joined by Birdie Snyder, [Mamie Van Doren], and Cassie Slater, Edna Skinner, among others, as they retreat to a fortified stronghold and literally lock the men out. The strike is peaceful in tone but powerful in intention: the women challenge the men to prove their worth if they want back into the life they’ve interrupted. The men, for their part, must demonstrate their seriousness and adaptability to win back the trust of their communities.
Yet the crisis persists. The safe is captured once more by Osake, only this time it sinks in the river, leaving everyone to wonder if the tug-of-war over power will ever reach a clear ending. The women briefly presume victory, but the men insist on waiting for the waters to fall so they can retrieve their prize again—only to discover the river’s retreat isn’t straightforward. With the fort still controlled by the women, Job McClure, [Bert Lahr], steps forward to lift morale and rally the men with a performance of a song that has become a symbol of their stubborn resilience: the title ballad “The Second Greatest Sex”.
As the water level recedes, the men race back to the sunken site, only to find another town already there with the prize in hand. A full-scale confrontation erupts as fists fly and alliances shift among the three towns. In the chaos, the wagon carrying the safe loses its grip and tumbles into a pool of quicksand, swallowing both metal and mystery alike. The fight dissolves into a broader scramble for control, and the men return home to a startling discovery: the women of Mandaroon and Jones City have vanished again, only to reveal that they’ve all holed up in the same fortified position.
What follows is a hard-won reconciliation. The women force the men to call a truce and to choose a completely new location for the county seat, signaling a reset of the long-standing feud. In the end, the conflict resolves not through brute force or single-handed wins, but through a coalition of voices from every town, led by the women who held their ground and refused to bow to pressure. The story remains a portrait of stubborn rivals learning to share power, with the fort as a symbol of their stand and a reminder that the heart of a community often beats strongest when both sides listen to one another.
The Second Greatest Sex Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
11 key events in the order they happen, from “Feud over the county seat” to “A new county seat is chosen”. 11 events name a place, across 8 locations.
- 1
Feud over the county seat
In 1880, three Kansas towns Osake, Jones City and Mandaroon feud over which one will host the county seat, with a safe containing important documents as the prize. The ongoing absence of men for long periods strains families, especially the women back home who grow weary of the fighting. The competition centers on control of the documents and the perceived legitimacy of each town.
When:1880 Where:Osake, Jones City and Mandaroon, Kansas
- 2
Matt pursues Liza and town leadership
Matt Davis hopes to marry Sheriff McClure's daughter Liza while also presenting himself as a future town leader. McClure remains unsure whether Matt is motivated by romance or political ambition, adding tension to their courtship. The personal and political stakes are tied to the county seat contest.
When:1880 Where:Osake, Kansas
- 3
Osake seizes the safe and builds a courthouse
The men of Osake secure the safe containing the important documents and begin constructing a courthouse to symbolize their claim to the county seat. The act consolidates power for Osake and signals a shift in the regional balance. The other towns watch closely as the race intensifies.
When:1880 Where:Osake, Kansas
- 4
Wedding and departure; Matt leaves to pursue the safe
Matt marries Liza, but soon leaves again when the safe is stolen. He forms a posse with the other men and heads out to recover the prize, leaving the wedding behind. The absence of the men worsens the women’s frustration and deepens the stalemate.
When:1880 Where:Osake, Kansas
- 5
Women go on strike and seal themselves in a fort
Following the men's departure, the women inspired by Lysistrata join Liza in a protest and close the fort to the men. They refuse to cooperate until the men prove themselves worthy of their respect and the town's future. The fort becomes the staging ground for a gender driven stand-off that halts normal life.
When:1880 Where:Fort near Osake, Kansas
- 6
Safe recaptured but sinks in the river
The Osake men recapture the safe, but it sinks in the river, eluding recovery. The river becomes a major obstacle in the county seat race and heightens the urgency of the women's strike. The setback forces a reevaluation of strategy by both sides.
When:1880 Where:River near Osake, Kansas
- 7
Women wait for the water to fall
Believing the conflict to be paused, the women consider returning to their routine. They decide to wait for the river to drop so the safe can be retrieved again, keeping the standoff alive. The stalemate continues to shape the town dynamics.
When:1880 Where:Fort near Osake, Kansas
- 8
Men resume pursuit as water recedes
As the water level lowers, the men set out anew to recover the sunken safe. They arrive at a river site already occupied by another town, complicating the attempt to claim the prize. The renewed chase rekindles inter-town rivalry.
When:1880 Where:River site near Osake, Kansas
- 9
A brawl on the hill ends with the safe in quicksand
A fistfight erupts between the men from all three towns at the river site. During the melee, the safe is knocked off a wagon and rolls toward a pool of quicksand, sinking from reach. The chaotic fight marks a breakdown in orderly competition.
When:1880 Where:Hill by river, near Osake, Kansas
- 10
Women vanish and force a new truce
All the men return home to find the women of Mandaroon and Jones City have vanished as well, having gathered in the same fort. The women force a truce and insist on selecting a completely new location for the county seat. The power balance shifts to a coordinated female-led decision.
When:1880 Where:Fort shared by three towns, Kansas
- 11
A new county seat is chosen
The communities reach an agreement after the women's stand, deciding on a completely new site for the county seat. The feud ends for now as the towns commit to a fresh arrangement. The outcome reflects the influence of the women and the changed dynamics after the long stand-off.
When:1880s Where:New site in Kansas
Who Are the Main Characters in The Second Greatest Sex?
6 characters, among them Birdie Snyder (Mamie Van Doren), Liza McClure (Jeanne Crain) and Matt Davis (George Nader): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- BS
Birdie Snyder (Mamie Van Doren)
Played by Mamie Van Doren
Birdie is a spirited, quick-witted woman who joins the strike alongside Liza. She embodies frontline support for the women’s movement, helping organize shelter in the fort and keeping morale high. Her presence adds humor and resilience, illustrating female agency in a male-dominated frontier town.
- 🎯 Free Spirit
- 👭 Ally
- 🧭 Bold Move
- LM
Liza McClure (Jeanne Crain)
Played by Jeanne Crain
Liza, Sheriff McClure’s daughter, becomes a de facto leader among the women, challenging the men’s bravado with practical plans and resolve. She navigates romance with Matt while prioritizing the community’s welfare. Her leadership accelerates the strike and tests traditional gender roles.
- 💪 Leader
- 🧭 Strategist
- 🗳️ Civic Pride
- MD
Matt Davis (George Nader)
Played by George Nader
Matt Davis is a conflicted suitor torn between romance and a political ambition to control the county seat. He leads the pursuit of the stolen safe and strives to prove his worth to the community. His arc highlights the tension between personal desire and civic duty.
- 🏛️ Ambition
- 💘 Romantic Interest
- 🎯 Tactician
- JM
Job McClure (Bert Lahr)
Played by Bert Lahr
Job McClure is the gruff patriarch whose rough humor anchors the movie’s frontier ethos. He embodies stubborn male pride but also earns respect as events unfold and a truce becomes possible. He ultimately supports a wiser, more equitable resolution.
- 🎭 Patriarch
- 🛡️ Protector
- CS
Cassie Slater (Edna Skinner)
Played by Edna Skinner
Cassie is a pragmatic spinster who joins the women’s fort and provides steady counsel. She observes the male war with quiet resilience, proving experience and wit can guide collective action. Her presence helps hold the alliance together.
- 🧠 Wise
- 👵 Veteran
- 💬 Advisor
- KC
Katy Connors (Kitty Kallen)
Played by Kitty Kallen
Katy Connors is part of the Connors family and a member of the women’s coalition. She brings youth and enthusiasm to the fort, supporting the plan to force a new county-seat decision. Her loyalty reflects the film’s emphasis on community solidarity.
- 🎶 Support
- 👭 Ally
Where and When Is The Second Greatest Sex Set?
The Second Greatest Sex is set in Osake, Jones City and Mandaroon (1880). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
1880
The film takes place in the year 1880, a frontier era marked by settlement and local power struggles in rural Kansas. Life in these small towns is defined by communal loyalties, feuds, and improvised justice. The stakes center on a safe containing important documents that will determine the county seat.
Where
Osake, Jones City, Mandaroon
Set in 1880s Kansas, the story unfolds across three rival towns—Osake, Jones City and Mandaroon. The county-seat race shapes daily life, with a wooden courthouse rising and falling with each twist. The frontier setting features dusty streets, simple storefronts and a river that becomes a focal point when the safe sinks.
- 🧭 Frontier towns
- 🏛️ County-seat dispute
- 👩 Women's strike
What Are the Themes of The Second Greatest Sex?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Gender Roles, Frontier Rivalry and Musical Comedy.
-
01
Gender Roles
The film uses a Lysistrata-inspired female strike to challenge male authority and highlight women’s agency in a frontier town. Women like Liza, Birdie and Cassie organize, endure, and negotiate power at the fort’s gates. The men must prove themselves worthy before reconciliation, underscoring the shifting balance of social influence.
-
02
Frontier Rivalry
Three Kansas towns compete for the county seat, turning civic pride into a comic and chaotic contest. The pursuit of the safe drives brutal and farcical measures, while alliances shift with every river crossing or wagon wheel. The rivalry shapes everyday life, from courthouse construction to social gatherings.
-
03
Musical Comedy
The narrative is punctuated by songs, most notably The Second Greatest Sex, which lightens frontier tension with catchy commentary. Music advances plot while highlighting characters’ personalities and offering satire of gender norms and town ego.
What Kind of Film Is The Second Greatest Sex?
Light in tone, with steady pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Light
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Happy
A spirited and comical Western that balances a lighthearted feud between towns with a playful yet determined marital strike, culminating in a feel-good reconciliation driven by community collaboration.
- comical
- uplifting
- feisty
- stubborn
- hopeful
- community-focused
- gender roles
- marriage strike
- frontier rivalry
- community reconciliation
Quiz
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