The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

( 10 )

Overview

John Huston's 1948 treasure-hunt classic begins as drifter Fred C. Dobbs Humphrey Bogart, down and out in Tampico, Mexico, impulsively spends his last bit of dough on a lottery ticket. Later on, Dobbs and fellow indigent Curtin Tim Holt seek shelter in a cheap flophouse and meet Howard Walter Huston, a toothless, garrulous old coot who regales them with stories about prospecting for gold. Forcibly collecting their pay from their shifty boss, Dobbs and Curtin combine this money with Dobbs's unexpected windfall ...
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Overview

John Huston's 1948 treasure-hunt classic begins as drifter Fred C. Dobbs Humphrey Bogart, down and out in Tampico, Mexico, impulsively spends his last bit of dough on a lottery ticket. Later on, Dobbs and fellow indigent Curtin Tim Holt seek shelter in a cheap flophouse and meet Howard Walter Huston, a toothless, garrulous old coot who regales them with stories about prospecting for gold. Forcibly collecting their pay from their shifty boss, Dobbs and Curtin combine this money with Dobbs's unexpected windfall from a lottery ticket and, together with Howard, buy the tools for a prospecting expedition. Dobbs has pledged that anything they dig up will be split three ways, but Howard, who's heard that song before, doesn't quite swallow this. As the gold is mined and measured, Dobbs grows increasingly paranoid and distrustful, and the men gradually turn against each other on the way toward a bitterly ironic conclusion. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is a superior morality play and one of the best movie treatments of the corrosiveness of greed. Huston keeps a typically light and entertaining touch despite the strong theme, for which he won Oscars for both Director and Screenplay, as well as a supporting award for his father Walter, making Walter, John, and Anjelica Huston the only three generations of one family all to win Oscars.
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Editorial Reviews

Barnes & Noble - Ed Hulse
This superb adaptation of B. Traven's novel about gold and greed reunited Humphrey Bogart with writer-director John Huston, whose 1941 version of The Maltese Falcon put both of them on Hollywood's A-list. In an unusually daring bit of casting, Bogart played an unsympathetic protagonist: down-at-heel Fred C. Dobbs, a man of weak character whose larcenous impulses get the better of him while on an ill-fated expedition in the Sierra Madre mountains. Accompanied by newfound friend Curtin erstwhile cowboy star Tim Holt, Dobbs trails along with Howard Walter Huston, the director's father, a crusty, eccentric old prospector who needs the younger men to help him mine the gold he has found in the desolate hill country. Huston's screenplay initially focuses on the camaraderie of these unlikely partners, then on their euphoria at striking pay dirt, and later on the greed and paranoia that grips them. Bogart's characterization of Dobbs, who believes his partners are scheming to steal his share of the gold, is a tour de force unequalled in this legendary actor's distinguished career. But Walter Huston, who won a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his bravura turn as the wizened desert rat, upstages even the remarkable Bogie. In fact, that year's Oscar ceremony was a bonanza for the whole family: John won two awards of his own for the film's script and direction. More than a half century later, Treasure still impresses as a powerful commentary on the dark side of human nature. Gritty and uncompromising, it tells a basically unpleasant story but does so quite entertainingly -- which is why it remains a favorite of movie buffs and filmmakers alike.
All Movie Guide - Dan Jardine
Loosely based on the Biblical parable of the thieves and the "Pardoner's Tale" in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, John Huston's morality tale is one of the great cinematic proofs of the Biblical adage radix malorum est cupitidas, or, the root of evil is the love of money. The film is a clever study of the erosive effect that money can have on flawed men's characters. Shot entirely on location in Mexico, the film's dry and dusty atmosphere is clearly authentic. Humphrey Bogart's maniacal Fred Dobbs is one of moviedom's great characterizations, a conglomeration of cunning, greed and paranoia. As his wealth mounts, so does his distrust. While external threats abound, the real enemy lies within. The Treasure of the Sierre Madre examines the essential existential hopelessness and loneliness of the avaricious man, drawing an implicit parallel between the prospectors and man's contemporary pursuit of material wealth. A failure with audiences who apparently didn't want to see Bogie playing such a nefarious anti-hero, the movie is now recognized by most critics as an American classic: AFI voted it #30 on the list of 100 all time great American films, while for the first time ever, a father and son -- John (for directing and screenplay) and Walter Huston (for best supporting actor) -- won Oscars for their stellar work.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 11/23/2010
  • UPC: 883929176151
  • Original Release: 1948

    • Rating:

  • Source: Warner Home Video
  • Region Code: 1
  • Language: English, English
  • Time: 2:06:00
  • Format: DVD
  • Sales rank: 576

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Humphrey Bogart Fred C. Dobbs
Walter Huston Howard
Tim Holt Curtin
Bruce Bennett Cody
Barton MacLane McCormick
Alfonso Bedoya Gold Hat
Arturo Soto Rangel Presidente
Manuel Donde El Jefe
Jacqueline Dalya Flashy Girl
Robert Blake Mexican Boy
Roberto Cañedo Mexican Lieutenant
Spencer Chan Proprietor
Ralph Dunn Flophouse Bum
Pat Flaherty Customer
Martin Garralaga Railroad Conductor
Jack Holt Flophouse Man
John Huston White Suit
Margarito Luna Pancho
Julian Rivero Barber
Ann Sheridan Senorita Lopez
José Torvay Pablo
Harry Vejar Bartender
Clifton Young Flophouse Bum
Technical Credits
John Huston Director, Screenwriter
Henry Blanke Producer
Leo F. Forbstein Musical Direction/Supervision
John Hughes Art Director
H.F. Koenekamp Special Effects
Robert B. Lee Sound/Sound Designer
Fred MacLean Set Decoration/Design
Owen Marks Editor
Ted D. McCord Cinematographer
William McGann Special Effects
Max Steiner Score Composer
Perc Westmore Makeup
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Scene Index

Disc #1 -- The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
1. Foreword; His Own Man [4:56]
2. His Own Giant [4:11]
3. Writer in the Making [4:47]
4. The Maltese Falcon [4:38]
5. The Battle of San Pietro [6:52]
6. Let There Be Light [3:49]
7. Ladies' Man [1:28]
8. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre [4:33]
9. Horse Crazy [3:26]
10. Papa and Cheena [3:11]
11. The Asphalt Jungle; The Red Badge of Courage [3:57]
12. Facing Death Unafraid (September Song) [3:27]
13. The African Queen [4:58]
14. Moulin Rouge [3:13]
15. Soul of a Painter [2:23]
16. Beat the Devil [3:49]
17. Ireland [6:30]
18. Moby Dick [3:23]
19. Heaven to the Unforgiven [6:20]
20. The Misfits [4:26]
21. The Night of the Iguana [3:40]
22. The Actor [2:18]
23. Weaknesses [1:59]
24. For Love of Money [4:27]
25. The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean [3:04]
26. The Man Who Would Be King [5:35]
27. Mexico; Going Fast [6:32]
28. Family Legacy (Prizzi's Honor) [4:35]
29. The Dead [:35]
30. Knock 'em Dead [3:11]
31. End Credits [2:04]
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Menu

Disc #1 -- The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
   John Huston: The Man, the Movies, the Maverick
      Scene Selections
   Continue
      Discovering Treasure: The Story of the Treasure of the Sierra Madre
      8 Ball Bunny
      4/18/1949 Lux Radio Theatre Broadcast
      Treasure Trove Galleries
         Storyboards
         Dressed Set Stills
         Cast & Crew
         Publiciti & Posters
      Continue
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 10 )
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Sort by: Showing all of 10 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Gripping Tale of the Seduction of Wealth Into Greed

    'The Treasure of Sierra Madre' is a story of greed, deception, murder and adventure - and that's just for starters. It stars Humphrey Bogart as Fred Dobbs, a reprobate who eschews the work ethic at every turn for a handout or the prospect of getting rich quick. Naturally, a prospect from an old codger, Howard (Walter Huston) - that Dobbs and another greed driven young hopeful, Bob Curtin (Tim Holt) steak out their claim for gold in the mountains ¿ suddenly appeals to Fred¿s cynical quest for untold wealth. But the journey to rich rewards is marred by Fred¿s paranoia that everyone is trying to steal from him. This fear ultimately leads Fred to mistrust both his compatriots and actually attempt to kill Bob in the middle of the desert. The betrayal backfires for all those involved with the treasure remaining an elusive mirage that none of the principle players ever get their hands on. John Huston masterfully directs and costars in a cameo, in this masterful, gritty and thrilling action/adventure/drama! Warner's gives us a cleaned up but very inconsistent transfer. There are a few problems worth noting, including aliasing and shimmering of fine details that crops up and detract from the visual presentation. There's also a bit of pixelization and some edge enhancement. The gray scale has been nicely balanced. Fine details are beautifully rendered. You won't believe this film is over 60 years old! One aside: approximately two thirds into the film, at the point where Fred almost kills Bob in the desert, the image quality suddenly spirals into a third generation looking print quality that is totally out of sync with the rest of the video presentation. There¿s an incredible amount of excessive film grain and age related artifacts. This poor video quality is never explained on either the film¿s audio commentary track or the documentary that is included on the making of the film so I, in turn, am at a total loss to explain it myself. At best I have to assume that no first generation print master was available for this portion of the film, hence other film sources were considered and ultimately utilized to make the film whole again. The audio is mono but well balanced. Extras include documentaries on both the film and the career of John Huston, featurettes, audio commentaries, trailers and a stills gallery. Very handsomely mounted and very thoughtfully put together. My hat off to the good people at Warner Brothers!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Gold and Greed

    'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre' is the memorable story of a group of drifters and their quest for, discovery of, and destruction by gold. There is a truly authentic feel to this film. Humphrey Bogart is at his best and Walter Huston is at his crustiest. Mexican actor Alfonso Bedoya delivers one of Hollywood's classic lines... 'Badges? We doan need no badges! Ah doan have to show you any steenkin' badges!'. This film never lags and it will captivate you as it unfolds. If you're building your own film library this movie is a 'must have'.

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    Posted November 9, 2008

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    Posted October 26, 2008

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    Posted April 19, 2009

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    Posted November 26, 2010

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