The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

"Treasure of the Sierra Madre" is not exactly a classic western. It is more of a drama set in the period when most westerns take place. However, it focuses on something that is very common in westerns: gold. It is an incredibly powerful film about what gold can do to you when you let it consume you, when you make it the most important thing in your life. Humphrey Bogart plays someone in this film who he usually does not play. You can imagine him as the guy from "Casablanca", usually seen in a perfectly fitting suit or a trench coat with a hat set low over his eyes. But here, he plays a literal bum, who barely scrapes by. However, a great opportunity presents itself to him. With another bum and an old prospector, they set off to the Sierra Madre to try their luck and find some gold. But gold is money, and money leads to greed. That's what makes this film so powerful. How even principled people can eventually succumb to gold and become its slaves. They don't care about others, they only go after profit. As is often the case, no good comes from evil. This also happens to the main hero. The ending is really good, and I must say it had quite an impact on me. Humphrey Bogart demonstrates top-tier acting, which he had done all his life. He didn't win an Oscar, but the film definitely didn't leave empty-handed. John Huston won an Oscar for both directing and the screenplay. Well-deserved. Even the old prospector Walter Huston (yes, he was John's father) won an Oscar for a supporting role. That's what you call a family success. This film is definitely worth seeing even after all these years. Another reason why westerns are so popular and why they rank so high in the best films lists. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2013/01/divosi-10-years-divoka-stvoreni-lets.html (05/03/2013)

An accurate study of the nature of ordinary people in a situation that would drive a wedge even between Pat and Mat. Unique performances by veteran actor Walter Huston, whose energetic prospector perfectly embodies the feelings of the gold rush, and the legendary Humphrey Bogart, who perhaps for the first time traded his dashing suit and looks for the shabby coat and creepy grin of a man with a treasure that has clouded his brain and awakened a lurking evil. John Huston conducts his masterpiece with his own precision, not forgetting to emphasize the cinematic trend of the time, full of western shootouts and unreadable heroes, while delving deep into the human soul and exploring its most basic nature. An exceptional film for which one screening is not enough and which can hardly be compared to anything American cinematography has ever produced. 100% (31/10/2013)

Fraňa Šrámek had his “Silver Wind". Across the pond, John Huston didn’t know half-measures and gave up immediately on shoddy silver. Because gold ore, even though it doesn’t sparkle, changes characters more reliably than anything else. And Humphrey Bogart, in this the best performance of his career, and the rest of the cast (who aren’t here just to be pretty) proves this to be true. The movie itself is flawless perfection in every thinkable respect. From the screenplay and camerawork, through the pace and all the way to the music. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is a picture that will probably never be forgotten. It was, is and (if human kind continues to exist) will be too relevant. We all have our price for forgetting our humanity and common sense. My price is Fred Dobbs’ scruffy fedora. I simply MUST have it, whatever the cost. (03/04/2008)