Mackintosh (Roy Rogers, in his first feature film role in 16 years) is a ranch hand and drifter traveling across Texas looking for work. He gives a ride to T.J. (Clay O'Brien), a fourteen-year-old boy with no family hitchhiking across the United States so he can see the Pacific Ocean. The two find work at the 6666 ranch, run by Jim Webster (Walter Barnes).
Mackintosh and T.J. contains examples of:
- ...And That Little Boy Was Me: Mackintosh tells T.J. about a boy about T.J.'s age who started work as a chicken wrangler and eventually worked his way up to straw boss. T.J. asks, "That chicken wrangler. Did he grow up to be a man called Mackintosh, by any chance?" Mackintosh confirms that he did.
- Angry Collar Grab: A man grabs T.J.'s front while accusing him of theft.
- Five-Finger Discount: The protagonists first meet as T.J. is trying to shoplift an apple. Mackintosh pretends T.J. is with him and pays for the groceries.
- Goodbye, Cruel World!: After killing Luke, Coley hangs himself from a windmill. He leaves a suicide note in his pocket explaining everything. Webster reads the note, which proves Mackintosh innocent of Luke's murder, and he and T.J. rush after the four men sent to find Mackintosh. They arrive just as the men are trying to drown him.
- Never Bring A Knife To A Fistfight: A man at a bar accuses T.J. of stealing his money and draws a knife. Mackintosh inflicts Grievous Bottley Harm, knocking him over and causing him to drop the knife.
- Off-into-the-Distance Ending: Mackintosh and T.J.'s truck driving down the highway, away from the 6666 ranch.
- The Peeping Tom: The lecherous Coley's (Andrew Robinson) Establishing Character Moment involves looking through a window, trying to watch Maggie Jenkins (Joan Hackett) change. To his annoyance, she walks away from the window just as she takes her shirt off, and doesn't reappear until she's in her nightgown. He tries it again late in the movie. Maggie's husband Luke (Billy Green Bush) catches him and tries to strangle him. Coley hits him with a rock, killing him.
- Poster-Gallery Bedroom: Coley's room is decorated with pinups of naked or scantily-clad women. Mackintosh disapproves, thinking the pictures turn women into disposable objects.
- Precious Photo: Mackintosh has a photo of his wife and child, who were killed in a car crash.
- Shopping Montage: Mackintosh earns bounty money killing some rabid coyotes. He and T.J. spend the money on new clothes for T.J., kitchen items for their cabin, and root beer floats while country music plays in the background.
- Special Thanks: "A special thanks to the 6666 Ranch, and the people of Guthrie, Matador and Dickens, Texas, and the Texas Department of Public Safety."
