There are some movies that give the wrong impression. Maybe by a quick glance at the story, or a misinterpretation of the title, the movie you’re watching turns out to be not quite as you expected. This happened to me with Treasure of the Sierra Madre. I was under the impression that this was an adventure movie starring Humphrey Bogart in Mexico (Come to think of it, I must have mistaken it for The African Queen.). When the movie began, I could see that I was wrong.

Bob and Fred (Tim Holt and Humphrey Bogart) are two slackers (polite way of saying lazy, stinkin’ no-good dead carcasses) in the Mexican town of Tampico. They laze around all day, bumming money off rich American tourists and half-heartedly looking for jobs. They find a job on a derrick but eventually get cheated out of their pay. They meet up with an old man (Walter Huston) who speaks of gold mining with a passion. After winning the lottery and robbing their old boss, they head out in the mountains to mine for gold. Bob and Dobbsey (Bogart) get more than what they expected. Mining for gold is hard work, with very little to show after a day’s work.. When eventually they do get their gold, they become paranoid, greedy and complete maniacs. And that’s not the last of their worries.

TOSM (as it will be known from now on) is a very profound film that deals with human conditions, although that really isn’t apparent at first. Obviously, the theme of the film is greed and the movie really did open my eyes to what greed can do to a person. Watching Humphrey Bogart break down in the desert was probably one of the most important experiences of my short movie buff life. This movies teaches you that greed is bad (can’t get much broader than that). I’m really having trouble putting my ideas into this review.

TOSM may not be the adventure movie I thought it was, but it is the Humphrey Bogart movie I was expecting. Bogart is excellent here, one of his top 5 roles. The scenes in which he slowly breaks down, overcome by paranoia and thirst, are truly some of his best moments on film. Tim Holt (whom I had never heard of before this film) is also excellent. He plays the straight man to Bogart’s more developed character. In one scene, a mine shaft crumbles on top of Dobbsey. Bob, who is outside, ponders for a moment leaving his friend there, but can’t. He’s the one that got them there and he’s gonna leave with them, too. Walter Huston, the director’s father, gives a terrific, Oscar-winning performance. Just to show how great his performance is, here’s a bit of info. I picked up a copy of The Book Of Lists a few years ago, and there was this obscure critic who wrote a list of the best performances ever (in the same categories as the Academy Awards). Most of its choices were rather obscure, with a couple of staples (Agnes Moorehead in The Magnificient Ambersons, Maria Falconetti in The Passion of Joan Of Arc, Marlon Brando and Toshihiro Mifune) but it surprised me immensely that Huston was here. His performance is truly memorable, as Huston crafts a unique, funny and touching character.

TOSM contains none of the corny dialog and overblown acting that most old movies suffer from. Like the truly great films, it does not age or does not become old. It is, and stays like that forever. None of the lessons it teaches age, and none of it grows aged over time. This movie has the force to enter my top ten, knocking The Elephant Man out. (Thinking about it, the Elephant Man was knocked out a long time ago. Oh well.) I urge you to check it out.



Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children up Ages 8