"For the love of money is the root of all evil."
I Timothy 6:10

Fred C. Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart) is stuck in a real rut when we first meet him, and despite what he may think, he stays that way through to the end of “Treasure Of The Sierra Madre”. A seedy bum trying to find day labor in Mexico (but more frequently having to rely on handouts from strangers), Dobbs strikes up a friendship with Curtin (Tim Holt), a younger and slightly more idealistic version of himself. The two intend to seek a fortune in gold in the Sierra Mountains, and enlist the help of a crusty old prospector named Howard (Walter Huston) to guide them. Along the way, all three men are witness to how greed can rot a man’s soul away, if he allows it to.

“Treasure Of The Sierra Madre”, released in 1948, is generally regarded by fans and critics alike as the best movie ever to come from legendary director John Huston, and they’ll get no argument from me. Huston packs a load of adventure, intrigue and an examination of the human condition into two hours that few filmmakers would dare attempt.

Once on the mountain, the men do indeed strike a rich vein, and begin the laborious process of sifting gold powder (or “the goods”, as they refer to it) from the dirt in the ground. Dobbs appears to be a solid enough fellow early in the proceedings, but as their load increases, so does his paranoia and propensity for violence, as well as his tendency to refer to himself in the third person (“You better think twice before you try to put one over Fred C. Dobbs!!”). Also growing gradually is his pathological hypocrisy; he’s afraid beyond all reason that Curtin and Howard will kill him and make off with his goods at the first opportunity, but at the same time seems ready and willing to do precisely that to his companions.

Bogart, who became a star in Huston’s “The Maltese Falcon” (1941), grew a scraggly beard and disappeared into the role of the villain, going completely against the type of romantic leading man for which he’d become famous. The result is Bogart’s most engaging work, a fully realized character helplessly (and perhaps gleefully) caught in a downward spiral into greed, delusion, and finally, madness.

Tim Holt, who was best known for roles in B-grade westerns, attacked with gusto what was probably the most thankless part in the picture. Holt plays Curtin as the straight man whose purpose is essentially to contrast with Dobbs’s mounting dementia. Huston was careful, however, to note that Curtin was equally susceptible to the lure of their fortune. Watch the scene in which Dobbs is trapped in a collapsed cave. Curtin stalls at the cave entrance, clearly enticed by the thought of leaving Dobbs to his fate and taking his share of the gold. After a moment, of course, you know his conscience will override his more primal instincts, and he’ll dash in, risking his life to save his companion.

Huston’s father, Walter, is the most fun in the movie. His portrayal of Howard, who talks a mile a second but doesn’t waste a single word, is a delight from beginning to end. It’s a wildly entertaining, enigmatic performance, one which won Huston Sr. an Oscar.

The main moral of “Treasure” is that anyone is susceptible to the lure of riches, and many will resort to criminal acts not previously imagined to keep the loot (a theme that’s greatly expanded upon in Scott Smith’s superb novel, “A Simple Plan” – I like to work a recommendation of that book in anywhere I can). But just as humans are capable of evil deeds, they are every bit as capable of heroism and goodness. Curtin and Howard prove that at the end. It’s testimony to their humanity that when the worst thing that could possibly happen – short of death – happens, they’re able to laugh it off, shake hands, and ride into the sunset.

The DVD package of “Treasure” is a winner, with an informative - if dry – audio commentary by author and historian Eric Lax and a new “making of” featurette. The crown jewel, however, is the outstanding documentary on the life of John Huston, who is shown as a maverick (ending an argument with studio execs about color saturation on 1952’s “Moulin Rouge” by quipping “Gentlemen, fvck you”) who nevertheless worked well within the studio system. He apparently was a loving, attentive father, but his skills as a husband left much to be desired. Toward the end, I’m not sure even Huston himself would’ve been able to remember exactly how many women he’d married.




Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12