Saturday, January 24, 1998

50 years ago: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, the ultimate exercise in greed-based paranoia, released

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre


Released: January 24, 1948


Studio: Warner Bros.


Genre: western/film noir/adventure


Box Office (numbers in millions):

Domestic: 5.01 Worldwide: --


Adjusted for Inflation:

Domestic: 51.30 Worldwide: --

Directing: John Huston


Screenwriting: John Huston


Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Walter Huston, Tim Holt, Alfonso Bedoya



Review:

This “taut psychological drama” A98 was director and screenwriter John Huston’s “finest hour.” ML This “excellent adaptation of B. Traven’s tale” LM “of lustful greed, treachery, paranoia and suspicion” FS “and human nature at its worst” LM is “the ultimate exercise in greed-based paranoia.” ST The movie, “both an adventure and Western,” A07 is “a classic which many critics feel is one of the best films ever made.” VD

In a bid against typecasting, Huston cast the usually “heroic” RS Humphrey Bogart as Fred Dobbs (Bogart) is “a down-on-his-luck thief” ST and “a greedy, deranged, selfish bastard who distrusts everyone.” FS He and another drifter, “an innocent, honest young Curtin (Holt),” FS take a construction job where they meet Howard (Huston), “a wise and experienced, fast-talking, grizzly, toothless” FS “old-time gold prospector.” VD Walter Huston, the director’s father, delivers “a stellar performance” A98 in “one of his best parts on film.” A07

They “take their earnings and head into the hills” VD “of Tampico, Mexico, for that elusive pot of gold.” A07 They’re doing well until they cross paths with Gold Hat (Bedoya) and his Mexican bandits. Soon “a new ‘partner’ and greed cause the plan to unravel.” VD “Dobbs suspects the others are conspiring against him, with his subsequent actions eventually leading to his demise.” ST The movie “ends with an ironic climactic scene when the wind blows the gold dust away.” FS

This was one of the first films shot almost entirely outside of the United States in Mexico. MSN John Huston delivers a cameo as an American tourist toward the beginning of the film and a young Robert Blake appears selling lottery tickets. The movie “later provided the framework for a classic episode of The Simpsons.” ST


Sources:

Awards/Honors/Lists:


Dave’s Movie Database Lists:


Awards:


Oscars:

Wins: 3 – Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Huston), Best Screenplay

Nominations: 4 – including Best Picture


Lists:


Experts’ Picks:


Genre Lists:


First posted 6/10/2023.

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