The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

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David S Yes this is one of my favorite movies- a lot of people enjoy this so what! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/28/24 Full Review William B One of the best adventure movies. Great plot and casting. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/22/24 Full Review Fer S Great movie! Nice pacing, unpredictable plot. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/19/24 Full Review Alec C Sometimes, the most dangerous of enemies can come from within! As a trio of drifters attempt to strike it rich by gold mining, they have to ward off claim-jumpers, the intense heat and their own greed before it consumes them. Played by a memorable cast of actors, this is a tale where the treasure is just as dangerous as the men pursuing it! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/03/24 Full Review Jeff S Moralistic without overreaching, this classic is filled with colorful characters and wild adventures. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/01/24 Full Review Matthew B John Huston made a number of movies in which flawed characters are pursuing a goal that will elude them. In The Treasure of the Sierra Madre however, the goal of the three anti-heroes is unambiguously and literally money. They are seeking gold. Our heroes experience the problems of money from both sides. They begin by struggling with the difficulties of not having enough of it, and they end by falling apart after they acquire too much of it. Too much or too little, it requires strong character or good luck to avoid falling victim to its corrupting influence. Whether these three men will find a way to manage their newfound money or will fall apart as a result is what this film explores. The story follows three poor gringos who are unable to find work in Mexico, and have to struggle to find a living. Fred C Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart) falls in with Bob Curtin (Tim Holt) while they look for work. As their money starts to go down, Dobbs and Curtin decide to join Howard (Walter Huston), a sprightly and enthusiastic old man who has been gold prospecting, and who has the urge to go again if he can find anyone to accompany him. By now we have learned enough about the three men to receive some intimations of what is to come. All are tough men who are willing to bend and break the rules. Curtin is the most pliable member. He is decent in his way, but likely to fall in with what the other members say. Howard seems like a garrulous and foolish old man as he dances on the spot where they finally find the elusive gold, but appearances belie him. Dobbs and Curtin worry about bringing an old man along, but the seasoned prospector is full of energy, and soon leaves them behind panting for breath. However Howard brings more than energy. He brings experience, and the wisdom that he has learned from that experience. His knowledge proves invaluable to the other men. That leaves Fred C Dobbs. We have seen enough to know that Dobbs is a roughneck, and his complacency about the dangers of gold prospecting does not bode well. He also takes a ruthless pleasure in killing the bandits who attack the train on which the men are travelling. Bogart said of his role: "Wait till you see me in my next picture. I play the worst shit you ever saw". Indeed fears that Walter Huston's lively performance as Howard would upstage Humphrey Bogart were without merit. Bogart makes Fred C Dobbs into one of movie's most memorable bad apples, selfish and greedy yet still somehow pitiful. However Dobbs is not without his redeeming features. When he and Curtin beat up the boss who swindled them, Dobbs takes only the pay that he is owed, rather than emptying the boss's wallet. He is also happy to use his lottery winnings to put up the money for the destitute Curtin to come on the expedition. To begin with, he has a sense of fairness. Surprisingly The Treasure of the Sierra Madre was not a great success on its first release, but it has sold well since, and has come to be a much-loved classic. There is something compelling about this simple morality tale, and it is told with great humour and enthusiasm by John Huston. I wrote a longer appreciation of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre on my blog page if you would like to read more: https://themoviescreenscene.wordpress.com/2018/02/06/the-treasure-of-the-sierra-madre-1948/ Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/22/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

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