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:

With a budget exceeding $3.5 million, this was the most expensive production ever mounted by Warner Brothers up until 1948, with the added uneasiness of it being shot in Mexico. To protect their investment the studio bosses insisted Bogart's character, Fred C. Dobbs remain alive until the very end of the script (after initially not wanting Dobbs to die at all). John Huston steadfastly resisted studio interference. While critically acclaimed, the film was a financial disappointment during its initial release.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Curtin reads Cody's letter out of sequence. He starts on the front page, then opens to the inside pages. He glances momentarily at page #2 on the left, but immediately starts to read page #3 on the right. He then reads page #2 before turning to the back page.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Farce of the Penguins (2006)

Soundtrack:

Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms

Truly something special

This film made a huge impression on me when I first saw it at the age of 15 or 16. A recent rewatching on DVD really served to bring home for me what makes this film so special.

The whole thing is quite good, but it really hits you when Howard goes off to celebrate with the Indians, leaving Dobbs and Curtin to care for his gold and burros. The ensuing scenes of their spiraling mistrust and tension are absolutely spellbinding--the kind of thing that makes you lean forward in your seat just to get your eyes a little closer to the raw humanity unfolding in front of you. Their paranoia, the way you can SEE scenarios of betrayal dancing in their eyes, Dobbs' burgeoning madness--these are the moments that make this film one for the ages.

At its best, film noir (which this most certainly is--Western surroundings or no) makes the viewer complicit in the evil depicted on screen. We find ourselves scheming and plotting in our heads along with the unsavory characters we are watching--we start to feel the same temptations and desires that they do. "Treasure of the Sierra Madre" accomplishes this bond with the audience as well as any film you are likely to see.

A magnificent film--one of the few great screen tragedies.