Hud Bannon is a ruthless young man who tarnishes everything and everyone he touches. Hud represents the perfect embodiment of alienated youth, out for kicks with no regard for the consequences. There is bitter conflict between the callous Hud and his stern and highly principled father, Homer. Hud's nephew Lon admires Hud's cheating ways, though he soon becomes aware of Hud's reckless amorality to bear him anymore. In the world of the takers and the taken, Hud is a winner. He's a cheat, but, he explains "I always say the law was meant to be interpreted in a lenient manner."

A real estate developer goes to his 25th high school reunion without his wife, and finds his old teenage band playing. They get him up on stage for a couple of songs, and convince him come to a rehearsal. His wife is outraged that he played. His daughter thinks it's kind of cool. His Mother, in a retirement home, encourages him to enjoy life. He feels some temporary relief from the pressures of business complexities and the stress of marriage tensions. The band gets booked at a popular bar, which leads to a last minute booking to open for a reunion tour, with the possibility of additional tour dates. But the band has internal conflicts. He faces a tough decision to give it a shot even though it will affect his marriage, his family, particularly his daughter, and his business.

Individualistic and idealistic architect Howard Roark is expelled from college because his designs fail to fit with existing architectural thinking. He seems unemployable but finally lands a job with like-minded Henry Cameron, however within a few years Cameron drinks himself to death, warning Roark that the same fate awaits unless he compromises his ideals. Roark is determined to retain his artistic integrity at all costs.