The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

Director:

John Huston

Writers:

John Huston (screenplay)
B. Traven (novel)

Release Date:

7 January 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Western | Action

Tagline:

Storming to a New High in High Adventure !

Plot:

Fred C. Dobbs and Bob Curtin, both down on their luck in Tampico, Mexico in 1925, meet up with a grizzled...

Plot Keywords:

Rifle | Water Tank | Mountain | Death | Train Robbery

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 9 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Humphrey Bogart	...	Fred C. Dobbs
Walter Huston	...	Howard
Tim Holt	...	Bob Curtin
Bruce Bennett	...	James Cody
Barton MacLane	...	Pat McCormick
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	...	Streetwalker (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		(screenplay)
B. Traven		(novel)

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)

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

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

Camera and Electrical Department
William Classen	....	grip (uncredited)
Ellsworth Fredericks	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Mac Julian	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Music Department
Murray Cutter	....	orchestral arranger
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)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1948) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Elite Films
• Key Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Living Colour Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Neue Visionen Filmverleih (????) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1949) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• 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:

South Korea:12 | Canada:PG (video rating) | Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | West Germany:12 (nf) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Netherlands:AL | Sweden:15 (1977) | UK:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #12347)

Filming Locations:

Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

One of the first American films to be made almost entirely on location outside the USA.

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 How to Get the Man's Foot Outta Your Ass (2003)

A treasure presented to the viewer

Some movies have certain scenes in them that hold the viewers interest more than others. However every single scene in this film holds the viewers interest. There is never a dull or lagging moment. Three down and outers who at one time in their lives were maybe up and comers strike out in search of a fortune or at least enough to live better than they have been.

While Humphrey Bogart gives a superb performance it is Walter Huston who turns in the greatest performance as the old prospector Howard. The scene in the Indian village where he helps to restore a comatose child is one of the most touching in all of film history and is done virtually without any dialog. Mexican character actor Alfonso Bedoya of course steals all the scenes he appears in and delivers his classic "Stinking Badges" line. (what person would dress up as a Bandito for a costume party and not want to look exactly like Bedoya's Gold Hat character?) This film probably should have been a little higher on AFI's top 100. A must see!