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 | American | Greed

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 11 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)
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
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. Pictures (as a Warner Bros.-First National Picture)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (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 (1948) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Neue Visionen Filmverleih (1949) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1949) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1948) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Key Video (????) (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)
"Le trésor de la Sierra Madre" - Belgium (French title), Canada (French title), France
"Der Schatz der Sierra Madre" - Austria, West Germany
"Sierra Madres skatt" - Finland (Swedish title) (imdb display title), Sweden
"A Sierra Madre kincse" - Hungary (imdb display title)
"Altin hazineleri" - Turkey (Turkish title)
"Blago Sijera Madre" - Serbia (imdb display title)
"Comoara din Sierra Madre" - Romania (imdb display title)
"De schat in de Sierra Madre" - Netherlands (informal literal title)
"De schat van de Sierra Madre" - Belgium (Flemish title)
"El tesoro de Sierra Madre" - Spain
"El tesoro de la Sierra Madre" - Mexico (imdb display title)
"Ha-Otzar M'Sierra Madre" - Israel (Hebrew title)
"Il tesoro della Sierra Madre" - Italy
"O Tesouro da Serra Madre" - Portugal
"O Tesouro de Sierra Madre" - Brazil
"O thisavros tis Sierra Madre" - Greece (transliterated ISO-LATIN-1 title)
"Ougon" - Japan
"Sierra Madren aarre" - Finland
"Sierra Madres skatt" - Norway (imdb display title)
"Skarb Sierra Madre" - Poland
"Tre mand søger guld" - Denmark

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

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 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Netherlands:AL | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:Approved (certificate #12347)

Filming Locations:

Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

It was Clutter murderer Perry Smith's favourite movie. Robert Blake, who was in The Treasue of the Sierra Madre (still credited under his birth name) would go on to play Perry Smith in "In Cold Blood".

Goofs:

Continuity: When they are looking for gold, Curtin and Dobbs stop to rest, and Curtin puts the stick on his right leg. Immediately after, without his having moved, the stick is leaning on his shoulder.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

Referenced in How the West Was Fun (1994) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms

An excellent film

The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre

Certainly a consuming piece of cinematic achievement. I was delighted in viewing this film, especially when you have the talents of Bogart, Holt and Huston…..oh what abilities or should I say ‘gifts'.

My eyes never strayed from the screen, I couldn't take the risk of missing one second of this tremendous adventure/drama film. Bogart played the character ‘Fred C. Dobbs' so convincingly, it doesn't surprise me though he was at his career peak. It was like his portrayal of ‘Lt. Comdr. Philip Francis Queeg' in `The Caine Mutiny' surely no one would disagree he carried the part to it's limit.

The B & W format gave an added depth and the direction by John Huston (as usual) was nothing more then what I would expect from an accredited director like him. I was amused to see a very young Robert Blake in the role of the boy selling lottery tickets and the brief appearance of Bruce Bennett as ‘James Cody'…. whom starred with Bogie in `Sahara' several years prior. Another reliable support actor was Alfonso Bedoya as ‘Gold Hat' my fondest memory of any of his acting roles must be `The Big Country' in 1958.

Walter Huston stood out with his performance, this was the first time I've had the privilege to watch him in a film role. His portrayal was astounding…..and the script he had to work with was a treat to hear.

Another funny point I want to point out, I don't know why I kept comparing Tim Holt to John Derek. In some of the scenes his appearance and voice were so similar to Derek's it was uncanny. I'm probably the only one who thinks this, but I can't dismiss the similarities (to me anyway).

The plot was an interesting one, one that slowly draws you in until you can't stop watching. I really enjoyed `The Treasure Of Sierra Madre' certainly a ‘must see' film…highly recommended.