Summary
Humphrey Bogartstarred in four classic westerns throughout his storied career, but the last one – a 1948 masterpiece by John Huston – is still the best of the bunch. Bogart is one of the most iconic movie stars in Hollywood history, renowned for his magnetic screen presence and inimitable leading-man charisma. Very few actors can boast a résumé as prolific as Bogart’s. He starred inCasablanca, considered by some publications to be the greatest movie ever made, and also appeared in such gems asThe Caine Mutiny,The African Queen, andTo Have and Have Not.
With his private detective roles, Sam Spade inThe Maltese Falconand Philip Marlowe inThe Big Sleep, Bogart created the archetype of the film noir antihero. Every noir protagonist fromChinatown’s J.J. Gittes toBlade Runner’s Rick Deckard has followed the Bogart template. But film noir isn’t the only genre that Bogart dipped his toes in. He also starred in war movies, gangster movies, romantic comedies, and, indeed, westerns. He didn’t make anywhere near as many westerns as, say, John Wayne or Henry Fonda, but he did star in one of the genre’s finest entries.
The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre Is Humphrey Bogart’s Best Western – What The 1948 Movie Is About
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is about three guys seeking their fortune
In 1948, Bogart teamed up with writer-director John Huston to adapt B. Traven’s novelThe Treasure of the Sierra Madrefor the big screen.Bogart stars with Tim Holt as a pair of drifters named Dobbs and Curtin, respectively, who are looking for a way to make a quick buck.Walter Huston, the director’s father, plays an old prospectorwho tells them about a massive supply of gold in Mexico. They pick up some supplies, take the train down to Mexico, and amass a fortune in placer gold. Unfortunately for them, their troubles are only just beginning.
Although they agree to split the gold three ways, Dobbs instantly becomes distrustful of the other two. He fears they will make off with his share of the gold, so he grows increasingly paranoid of them. Ironically,Dobbs’ worsening paranoia makes him the one that the other two should be worried about. His paranoia makes him more and more erratic and his reckless decision-making starts dwindling their fortune, meaning that there’s less and less gold to fight over as time goes on. It’s a brilliantly constructed screenplay that keeps tightening the noose.
Why The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre Is Considered One Of The Best Western Movies Of All Time
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is the ultimate cinematic study of greed and paranoia
Upon its initial release,The Treasure of the Sierra Madrewas a critical and commercial success. It won three Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Screenplay for John Huston and Best Supporting Actor for Walter Huston, marking the first time a father and son won Oscars for the same movie. It also won the Best Picture trophies at the BAFTAs and the Golden Globes. Today, it’s a bona fide classic, often dubbed Huston’s masterpiece. In 1990,the Library of Congress selectedThe Treasure of the Sierra Madrefor preservation in the United States National Film Registry.
WhatmakesThe Treasure of the Sierra Madreso greatis its timeless exploration of humanity’s penchant for greed, and the corrupting power of that greed.Greed becomes Dobbs’ downfall; he’s so worried that his cohorts will take his share that he starts plotting to take their share. When a Texan named Cody tries to join their group, they elect to kill him rather than share their gold. This isn’t just any average western;it’s a study of the human condition. It builds to one of the greatest endings in movie history: a cruel twist of ironic fate.
Stanley Kubrick, Spike Lee, Sam Raimi, and Paul Thomas Anderson have all citedThe Treasure of the Sierra Madreas one of their favorite movies. The latter was inspired by the film when he made his own cinematic examination of greed and man’s corruptibility inThere Will Be Blood. The scene in which Dobbs and co. debate whether they should kill Cody wasreferenced inBreaking Badseason 5, episode 6, “Buyout.”
The American Film Institute ranked Bogart as the greatest male screen legend.
How Treasure Of The Sierra Madre Compares To Humphrey Bogart’s 3 Other Westerns
The other three were panned by critics and forgotten by audiences
The Treasure of the Sierra Madrewas the last of Bogart’s four westerns; he’d previously starred inA Holy Terrorin 1931,The Oklahoma Kidin 1939, andVirginia Cityin 1940. WhereasThe Treasure of the Sierra Madrehas a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Bogart’s previous westerns were panned by critics.Virginia Cityscored 56%,The Oklahoma Kidscored 48%, andA Holy Terrordoesn’t have enough reviews for an official rating, but it received even worse reviews than the other two. Clearly, the consensus is thatThe Treasure of the Sierra Madreis Bogart’s best western.
A Holy Terrorwas a bog-standard B-movie that didn’t do anything to stand out.The Oklahoma Kid’s casting of Bogart and James Cagney was criticized for having cowboys with gangster accents; it works as an unintentional comedy, but not so much as a straightforward western drama. Despite being helmed byBogart’s futureCasablancadirector Michael Curtiz,Virginia Cityis a disappointment, too, as it favors mindless spectacle over genuine tension and thrills.The Treasure of the Sierra Madreis Bogart’s greatest contribution to the western genre, and it’s not even close.
Why Humphrey Bogart Never Made Another Western After The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre
Bogart told friends he was “too short to be a cowboy”
After a phenomenal success likeThe Treasure of the Sierra Madre, it would seem as though Hollywood studios would be eager to get Bogart into another western, but the actor never returned to the genre. This is because he didn’t feel comfortable in western roles. Bogart told his friends that he was “too short to be a cowboy” (viaINSP). Whenever he took on a western role, the producers made him wear elevator shoes and shoulder pads, which made him feel “like a dummy,” so he decided to focus on other genres that didn’t require him to alter his height.
It’s safe to say that forgoing future western projects didn’t have a negative impact onHumphrey Bogart’s career. He continued to regularly star in movies until his untimely passing in 1957. He received three nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actor – first forCasablancain 1942, then forThe African Queenin 1951, then forThe Caine Mutinyin 1954 – and he won on his second nomination forThe African Queen. In 1960, he posthumously received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He did just fine without the western genre.
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Cast
In this classic adventure, Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart) and Curtin (Tim Holt) team up with an experienced prospector Howard to hunt for gold in Mexico’s Sierra Madre mountains. Amidst treasure and peril, they confront ruthless bandits and inner demons fueled by greed, risking conflict and betrayal in their quest for riches.
