The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

Director:

John Huston

Writers:

John Huston (screen play)
B. Traven (based on the novel by)

Release Date:

24 January 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Western

Tagline:

The more he yearns for a woman's arms . . . the fiercer he lusts for the treasure that cursed them all!

Plot:

Fred Dobbs and Bob Curtin, two Americans searching for work in Mexico, convince an old prospector to help them mine for gold in the Sierra Madre Mountains.

Plot Keywords:

Mexico | Gold | Prospector | Tampico Mexico | Greed

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 12 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Humphrey Bogart	...	Dobbs
Walter Huston	...	Howard
Tim Holt	...	Curtin
Bruce Bennett	...	Cody
Barton MacLane	...	McCormick (as Barton Mac Lane)
Alfonso Bedoya	...	Gold Hat
Arturo Soto Rangel	...	Presidente (as A. Soto Rangel)
Manuel Dondé	...	El Jefe (as Manuel Donde)
José Torvay	...	Pablo (as Jose Torvay)
Margarito Luna	...	Pancho
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Blake	...	Mexican Boy Selling Lottery Tickets (uncredited)
Guillermo Calles	...	Mexican Storeowner (uncredited)
Roberto Cañedo	...	Mexican Lieutenant (uncredited)
Spencer Chan	...	Proprietor (uncredited)
Jacqueline Dalya	...	Flashy Girl (uncredited)
Ralph Dunn	...	Flophouse Bum (uncredited)
Ernesto Escoto	...	Mexican Bandit (uncredited)
Pat Flaherty	...	Customer in Bar Who Warns Curtin and Dobbs about Pat McCormick (uncredited)
Martin Garralaga	...	Railroad Conductor (uncredited)
Jack Holt	...	Flophouse Bum (uncredited)
John Huston	...	American in Tampico in White Suit (uncredited)
Francisco Islas	...	Indian (uncredited)
Mario Mancilla	...	Child (uncredited)
Julian Rivero	...	Barber (uncredited)
Ann Sheridan	...	Pretty woman walking past barbershop (uncredited)
Jay Silverheels	...	Indian Guide at Pier (uncredited)
Valdespino	...	Indian (uncredited)
Ildefonso Vega	...	Indian (uncredited)
Harry J. Vejar	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Ignacio Villabajo	...	Mexican Bandit (uncredited)
Clifton Young	...	Flophouse Bum (uncredited)

Directed by
John Huston

Writing credits
John Huston		(screen play)
B. Traven		(based on the novel by)

Produced by
Henry Blanke	....	producer
Jack L. Warner	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Max Steiner

Cinematography by
Ted D. McCord		(director of photography) (as Ted McCord)

Film Editing by
Owen Marks

Art Direction by
John Hughes

Set Decoration by
Fred M. MacLean

Makeup Department
Perc Westmore	....	makeup artist
Betty Delmont	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Frank McCoy	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Monty Westmore	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Don Alvarado	....	production manager (uncredited)
Don Alvarado	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard Maybery	....	assistant director (uncredited)
John Prettyman	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Bob Bono	....	props (uncredited)
Frank Durlauf	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Ed Romero	....	painter (uncredited)
George Sweeney	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert B. Lee	....	sound
Rafael Ruiz Esparza	....	sound (uncredited)
Edward Ullman	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Hans F. Koenekamp	....	special effects (as H.F. Koenekamp)
William C. McGann	....	special effects director (as William McGann)
Eddie Craven	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Harvey Parry	....	stunts (uncredited)
David Sharpe	....	stunt double: Tim Holt (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dave Brodie	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
William Classen	....	grip (uncredited)
Ellsworth Fredericks	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Burdette Hoke	....	best boy (uncredited)
Mac Julian	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Clair Sealey	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Jorge Stahl Jr.	....	photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Robert O'Dell	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Ted Schultz	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Fred E. Farrell	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Murray Cutter	....	orchestral arrangements
Leo F. Forbstein	....	musical director
Jack Dumont	....	musician (uncredited)
Max Steiner	....	conductor (uncredited)

Other crew
Antonio Arriaga	....	technical advisor
Ernesto A. Romero	....	technical advisor
Fred Applegate	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Jaime Contreras	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Luis Sánchez	....	production chief (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros (as a Warner Bros.-First National Picture)

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1948) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Films (1948) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Suomi-Filmi (1965) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Fazer Musiikki Oy/Fazer Video (1990) (Finland) (VHS)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1969) (1975) (1991) (2006) (2008) (Finland) (TV)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1983) (Finland) (TV)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• Elite Films (1948) (Spain) (theatrical)
• M.P.E.A. (1949) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Motion Picture Export Association (MPEA) (1948) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Neue Visionen Filmverleih (1949) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1949) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1948) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Key Video (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• Living Colour Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"Treasure of Sierra Madre" - USA (poster title)

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Netherlands:AL | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:Approved (certificate #12347) | Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | South Korea:12 | West Germany:12 (nf) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Norway:16 | West Germany:6 | Netherlands:18 (original rating) (1948) | USA:TV-PG | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico

Company:

Warner Bros

Trivia:

The reclusive novelist B. Traven was asked if he would like to visit the set during location shooting. He demurred, but said he would be sending an associate instead. The associate was actually Traven himself, using a pseudonym.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Howard is laid on a hammock, being served by Indian women, he has a little bunch of flowers on his left ear which disappear in subsequent shots.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dobbs:Say buddy, will you stake a fellow Am...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Getting Wasted (1980)

Soundtrack:

Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms

A Tale of Greed, With Outstanding Direction and Performance of the Cast

In 1925, in Mexico, Fred C. Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart) is an American begging for food and trying to get any job. He meets Bob Curtin (Tim Holt), another American in horrible economical situation and also looking for job, and the former gold prospector Howard (Walter Huston), and together they go to the Mexican mountains seek for gold. After ten months of hard and tense work, including confrontation with bandits, each one of them gets a small fortune in gold. Meanwhile, their personalities are disclosed, and Dobbs shows himself a man obsessed by greed. The end of their journey is ironic and tragic. This movie is a masterpiece. Having an outstanding direction of John Huston, an astounding performance of Humphrey Bogart, Walter Huston and Tim Holt and supported by a fantastic screenplay, it is certainly one of the best movies ever, highly recommended for any audience. Walter Huston and Humphrey Bogart are really stupendous in their roles. My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): `O Tesouro de Sierra Madre' (`The Treasure of the Sierra Madre')