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Humphrey Bogart, Walter Huston, Tim Holt, Bruce Bennett, Barton MacLane ... see more see more... , Alfonso Bedoya , Arturo Soto Rangel , Manuel Donde , Jacqueline Dalya , Roberto Canedo , Spencer Chan , Ralph Dunn , Pat Flaherty , Martin Garralaga , Jack Holt , Margarito Luna , Julian Rivero , Ann Sheridan , José Torvay , Harry J. Vejar , Clifton Young , Robert Blake , John Huston

John Huston's 1948 treasure-hunt classic begins as drifter Fred C. Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart), down and out in Tampico, Mexico, impulsively spends his last bit of dough on a lottery ticket. Later on, Dob... read more read more...bs and fellow indigent Curtin (Tim Holt) seek shelter in a cheap flophouse and meet Howard (Walter Huston), a toothless, garrulous old coot who regales them with stories about prospecting for gold. Forcibly collecting their pay from their shifty boss, Dobbs and Curtin combine this money with Dobbs's unexpected windfall from a lottery ticket and, together with Howard, buy the tools for a prospecting expedition. Dobbs has pledged that anything they dig up will be split three ways, but Howard, who's heard that song before, doesn't quite swallow this. As the gold is mined and measured, Dobbs grows increasingly paranoid and distrustful, and the men gradually turn against each other on the way toward a bitterly ironic conclusion. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is a superior morality play and one of the best movie treatments of the corrosiveness of greed. Huston keeps a typically light and entertaining touch despite the strong theme, for which he won Oscars for both Director and Screenplay, as well as a supporting award for his father Walter, making Walter, John, and Anjelica Huston the only three generations of one family all to win Oscars. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Unrated, 2 hr. 6 min.

Directed by: John Huston

Release Date: January 7, 1948

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DVD Release Date: September 30, 2003

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Humphrey Bogart & Tim Holt in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre The Treasure of the Sierra Madre Le trésor de la Sierra Madre The Treasure of the Sierra Madre The Treasure of the Sierra Madre The Treasure of the Sierra Madre The Treasure of the Sierra Madre The Treasure of the Sierra Madre The Treasure of the Sierra Madre The Treasure of the Sierra Madre The Treasure of the Sierra Madre The Treasure of the Sierra Madre Humphrey Bogart in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre The Treasure of the Sierra Madre Walter Huston in The Treasure of Sierra Madre The Treasure of the Sierra Madre The Treasure of the Sierra Madre The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
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Flixster Reviews (1,471)

  • fb100001048934982
    March 5, 2013
    fb100001048934982
    A classic tale of greed and gold, John Huston proves to be at the top of his form with 'Treasure of the Sierra Madre'. Thanks largely to the great performances of its three leads and a brilliant script, the film easily stands the test of time and proves to be potent and relevant,... read more even for today's standards.
  • guaybanex
    October 8, 2012
    guaybanex
    Watch John Huston's masterpiece "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" and recognize so many areas of brilliance that later inspired a multitude of films thereafter. One of the best films depicting greed and paranoia ever, "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" is a must watch for any m... read moreovie lover.

    Based off a 1927 novel, "Treasure" is the story of three financially strapped "gringos" who meet by chance in a Mexican city and discuss how to overcome their financial distress. They then set out to discover gold in the remote Sierra Madre mountains. Not only do the "gringos" have to survive the threat of "bandidos" and of the "federales", they also have to deal with the consequences of Fred C. Dobbs (an against-type yet incredible Humphrey Bogart) losing his mind as he starts to covet the gold all to himself. This leads to paranoia and self-destruction as the three "gringos" begin to turn on each other - leading to an impressive exploration of moral decay.

    "Treasure" is well-paced and incredibly scripted (it's the source of infamous "Badges? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges! I don't have to show you any stinkin' badges!"), John Huston lets you plunge into the paranoia at the pace the characters are lending to extra tension - and with them having to not only battle external forces but also internal ones the film has a dimensionality that goes beyond any conventional film.

    A true masterpiece.
  • JonathanHutchings
    August 8, 2012
    JonathanHutchings
    Having had his day as an idolized star and romantic leading man, Humphrey Bogart came to a crossroads in his career and decided to get down to the serious business of acting. For eighteen years it had usually been Bogart playing Bogart in various shadings, but once "Bogey" was go... read morene, in his place was an older and far less romantic figure, one who found new challenges and was able to meet most of them successfully. This new phase of his continued growth began with a story of three men in search of gold, and ended up being the finest performance of his career.

    Although The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is indisputably one of Bogart's best films, it was co-star Walter Huston who won an Academy Award as did the movie's director and scenarist, the brilliant John Huston. Based on a novel by the mysterious B. Traven, the film told a riveting tale which explored the degenerative effects of encroaching greed, distrust, and hatred on three prospectors who team up to search for gold in Mexico. Bogart's Fred C. Dobbs is an amazingly complex creation whose slow disintegration into paranoia was brilliantly managed on Huston. He is a born loser with no potential for change in sight. Suspicious, unfeeling, savage, and easily corruptible, he seems clearly destined for a tragic fate almost from our first glimpse of him.

    However, it is the director's father, Walter Huston, who literally stole the picture as Howard, a wise old toothless codger who knew all along what would happen and took it all in stride, kicking up his heels and having a marvelous time. Life can't surprise him any more. He's already had successes and failures enough for one lifetime. Like a faithful dog, he's along for the thrill of the hunt, and should there be another pot of gold at the end of this rainbow, well, that's just a bonus.

    It is mainly the interaction of these three men from their first meeting and uneasy partnership through their final confrontation that made The Treasure of the Sierra Madre an everlasting classic and one of Warner Brothers' triumphs of the forties...
  • bathshebamonk
    June 24, 2012
    bathshebamonk
    Seeing this movie in 2012 makes me, perhaps, a little more critical than I would have been 60 years ago or whenever it was made. And maybe it was a pioneering piece in terms of what we know about human nature, but in 2012 we know that greed is a huge motivator, that greed begets... read more greed, and that a lot of people are looking for the big break that will allow them to live the rest of their lives on Easy Street. So no surprises or deep insights there. The pace was incredibly slow and how many times did we have to see John Huston giving a silver dollar to Humphrey Bogart? Once please. I knew what was going to happen 30 minutes before it did and I am not a movie seer. I admit the line "we don't need no stinking badges" is iconic and one that I've used gleefully. Or maybe it's a man movie. But as a women in 2012 I did not find it interesting.
  • TomBowler
    January 1, 2012
    TomBowler
    One of Bogart's best performances and an amazing western by John Huston. Full review later.
  • cosmo313
    November 19, 2011
    cosmo313
    I can't believe it took me so long to finally see this. I'm sure glad I finally got artound to it though. This is, without a doubt, one of the most influential adventure movies ever made (especially on the Indiana Jones series, though it's not the only influence on those).

    The ... read morefilm concerns a couple of down and out drifters in Tampico, Mexico who join up with a wily old man to go out on a treasure hunt for gold in order to better themselves, but encounter many troubles along the way such as the elements, bandits, and most dangerous of all, themselves. This is a wonderful study of greed and paranoia, but despite the heavy and dark themes, it's done in a very light and entertaining fashion, even though it is a morality tale.

    Shot almost entirly on location, this has some great cinematography and everything just looks fantastic, no matter how ugly things get. Max Steiner's score likewise enhances the mood and makes the already epic adventure even more so. If not for it's cautionary message, I'd say this film would be quite great at inspiring people to go out on their own adventures.

    All of the above are great, but it's the acting that really seals the deal for me. Humphrey Bogart, great guy that he is, really shines in a change of pace role as the disreputable antihero Dobbs who gets increasingly paranoid and dangerous as the film progresses. Tim Holt is really good as his likeable companion Holt, but the real scene stealer is director John Huston's own father Walter as the old timer Howard who, despite predicting that toruble would ensue, goes along anyway, showing that you're never too old for an adventure. All these guys are great, but Huston was the won who walked away with an Oscar for his efforts, and he deserved it too. He's just a joy to watch.

    Watching this today, the film might not seem as fresh and amazing, but it is quite watchable and avery entertaining. I really dug it though, and think it holds up quite well. Definitely give this one a shot. It's one of the greats.
  • fb1664868775
    November 14, 2011
    fb1664868775
    A study on greed and what it can do to a man's soul, this masterpiece is probably one of the deepest, most meaningful films ever to come out of Hollywood. Walter Huston and Humphrey Bogart are amazing.
  • axadntpron
    February 28, 2011
    axadntpron
    When Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart) rolls into a small Mexican town by the name of Tampico, he is down and out, in need of a meal, and more importantly a source of income. After working a long job for an American who promises to pay Dobbs and his new friend Curtin (Tim Holt) an honest w... read moreage, the man reneges on his promise. Dobbs and Curtin find this man and assault him in an attempt to get what's coming to them, what they feel they have earned fair and square. Director John Huston uses these opening moments brilliantly to set up the men's sense of justice in order to show just how much it would be perverted later in the film.
    Huston's exceptional 1948 film, is not the adventure picture that the title suggests, but a harrowing and brutally realistic parable regarding human greed.
    Even before Dobbs becomes enchanted by gold, Huston gives the audience subtle hints about man's penchant for short term material gain. As Dobbs roams around the town looking for a meal, he asks the same man for a handout 3 times in one day. When the stranger (played by the director) confronts him about this, Dobbs genuinely seems surprised and apologizes by saying that he just only looked at the man's hands and the money he gave him. While his blind greed isn't in the forefront of his conscious yet, it is certainly shaping his actions.
    When Dobbs & Curtin's fates collides with veteran prospector Howard (Walter Huston), they venture into the mountains to find their fortune.
    In one particularly amazing scene which Huston uses to illuminate the powerful hold that this gold is starting have on these men, all three men awake in the middle of the night at different times and end up all following each other for fear of being robbed. Avarice turns completely rational actions into subversive. This is also seen when a seemingly well intentioned man approaches the prospectors with nothing in mind but a warm fire and good company. Before he can get a word out he is vilified and perceived as only a threat.
    Huston's camera isn't flashy because he has faith in the power of this story. He manages to get such good performances out of these actors that it made me forget about my previous distaste for Bogart. Huston's characters remain characters when in a story such as this, they could have easily become caricatures. There is still a sense of humanity in Dobbs all through his descent into madness. He isn't over the top and you find yourself at times sympathizing with this man who is obviously becoming unhinged before your eyes.
    Huston also pulls off some well executed shots. After Dobbs has made enemies with a fellow prospector and a horrific act takes place, he attempts to fall asleep in front of the campfire. The shot is framed so it appears as though the flames were leaping up and engulfing Dobbs and the audience gets a brief glimpse into the personal hell that he is going through.
    While I could sit here and discuss every scene of this film, I don't want to give too much away. Huston has crafted an exquisite film and one of the best studies of human greed & the malleability of man's moral compass that I have ever seen.
  • ajv2688
    October 24, 2010
    ajv2688
    A really exciting, dramatic, and well made movie. The story is suspenseful and the cast is great. I highly recommend this movie.
  • FireStormStudios
    April 7, 2010
    FireStormStudios
    I was into this movie at the beginning, but I really didn't know where it was going to turn throughout the middle. I could not believe that the main character was Humphrey Bogart. He is stereotyped into a lot of roles, but he really stretched and played an entirely different ch... read morearacter in this film. So different, in fact that I had a hard time telling that is was him. The second half of the movie made me feel for the characters, and it did a great job at sparking emotion all the way into the end. It finally redeemed itself by giving a glimpse of something to the audience, hope. That glimmer of hope made the whole film worth watching. It was a fine film.

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Critic Reviews

April 20, 2009
TIME Magazine

Treasure of Sierra Madre is one of the best things Hollywood has done since it learned to talk; and the movie can take a place, without blushing, among the best ever made. Full Review

Don Druker
July 2, 2007
Don Druker, Chicago Reader

John Huston has rarely been in better form than in this 1948 study of gold fever and worse obsessions among an unlikely trio of prospectors... Full Review

Stephen Garrett
February 9, 2006
Stephen Garrett, Time Out

There's a quite enjoyable yarn buried under the hollow laughter. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 15, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The movie has never really been about gold but about character, and Bogart fearlessly makes Fred C. Dobbs into a pathetic, frightened, selfish man -- so sick we would be tempted to pity him, if he wer... Full Review

Bosley Crowther
May 20, 2003
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

Greed, a despicable passion out of which other base ferments may spawn, is seldom treated in the movies with the frank and ironic contempt that is vividly manifested toward it in Treasure of Sierra Ma... Full Review

Herb Schoenfeld
February 13, 2001
Herb Schoenfeld, Variety

The characters here are probed and thoroughly penetrated, not through psychoanalysis but through a crucible of human conflict, action, gesture and expressive facial tones. Full Review

James Agee
August 30, 2012
James Agee, The Nation

This is one of the most visually alive and beautiful movies I have ever seen; there is a wonderful flow of fresh air, light, vigor, and liberty through every shot. Full Review

Wesley Lovell
June 9, 2011
Wesley Lovell, Cinema Sight

A finely-crafted western-style character drama where greed and paranoia drive desperate men over the edge. Full Review

Rob Humanick
April 20, 2011
Rob Humanick, Slant Magazine

Transcends the medium to become a mandatory viewing experience for anyone that identifies themselves as a human being, period. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
March 26, 2011
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

Humphrey Bogart gives one of his best performances in John Huston's chronicle of greed and crime, for which Walter Huston (John's son) won the Supporting Oscar; years later Jonn's daughter won the Oscar. Full Review

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    • Gold Hat: Badges? We ain't got no badges! We don't need no badges! I don't have to show you any stinking badges!
    • Howard: Water's precious. Sometimes may be more precious than gold.
    • Curtin: Remember what you said back in Tampico about having to carry that old man out on our backs?
    • Fred C. Dobbs: That is when I took him for an ordinary human being, not part goat.
    • Howard: Ah, as long as there's no find, the noble brotherhood will last but when the piles of gold begin to grow. . .that's when the trouble starts.
    • Howard: If I were you boys, I wouldn't talk or even think about women. Taint good for your health.
    • Howard: I know what gold does to men's souls.
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The Treasure of the Sierra Madre Trivia

  • What movie first hade this line used in it "badges we don't need no stinking badges"?  Answer »
  • Top 100 Movie Quotes Which 1948 movie has the quote "Badges? We ain't got no badges! We don't need no badges! I don't have to show you any stinking badges!"?   Answer »
  • In which Humphrey Bogart movie is this line from: "We don't need no stinkin' badges"?  Answer »
  • Humphrey Bogart played a prospector looking for gold in Mexico in this 1948 John Houston classic.  Answer »
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