Money is the root of all evil - The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

9/1/13 The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Best Supporting Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director, 1948

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is not just a Western with horses (actually burros are more common in this movie) and good guys and bad guys, gunfights; it's a bit of a morality play, Aesop's fable with a little cactus and cilantro on the side. Humphrey Bogart is Dobbs, a down on his luck American in Mexico, looking for a break. He seems like an honest guy, at least in his relationship with Curtin as they partner up to seek their fortune in the hills of the Sierra Madre, hoping to avoid the banditos and the Federales. They meet an old-timer, played by Walter Huston, the director John Huston's father. Howard knows the hills and understands the ways of the people who live there, he also speaks better Spanish than the other two, which comes in handy. As one might expect, the three are quite chummy and talk about how they trust each other, (especially Dobbs and Curtin), but that all for one, one for all bit starts to show bits of wear soon after they discover the gold. Dobbs, in particular, seems susceptible to envy, jealousy, and overall distrust, while Curtin appears to be very grounded and altruistic and Howard is almost like a Western version of Yoda, and Huston won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. John Huston directed movie classics like Moby Dick, The African Queen, The Maltese Falcon and more. He won the Oscar for both Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. John Huston was also an actor and played the creepy father in Chinatown, and had a cameo at the beginning of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Who knew a parable could be so entertaining. The movie is sixty-five years old, but it holds up well; the acting doesn't have that 'dated' feel where it seems so obvious that the actors are trying to act, and the story, with it's quest for gold and the good life it could bring, is probably still relevant today. It's got adventure, some good lines, good acting, and a twist at the end that makes you go hmm. Since there is virtually no profanity (maybe none), the violence is pretty tame compared to what is on television these days, it would make a good film for family movie night (if you do that, which you should, by the way, and invite me over for free color commentary and mention in the blog).