John Huston's 1948 classic, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, sees Humphrey Bogart, Tim Holt and Walter Huston (John Huston's father) unite in their search for gold. For them, finding gold would be the start of a better life, and a ticket to exit Mexico. The film features some superb performances. Huston is magnificent, Holt is wonderfully understated and Bogart, in an unusual role, is also at the top of his game. In true Huston style, the performances work wonderfully together - no-one steals scenes nor detracts from the direction of the film. Having said that, Walter Huston's work here is an absolute joy to watch - his laugh is nothing short of infectious. He went on to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1948. Beautifully shot and directed, the themes of the film - the dark side of greed, the pressures of wealth and the evil in deception - still resonate today. A mid-movie slump causes the film to stall for a short while, it may be a little long, but this is still a remarkable film which has certainly passed the test of time.
8.5 on the DaveScale.
(dir. John Huston, USA, 126 mins)
note: It's widely acknowledged that Bogart owes a lot to Huston for his career taking off. Prior to working with Huston on The Maltese Falcon in 1941, Bogart was type-cast as the bad guy who always dies before the end of the film. Obviously, he went on to become something of a Hollywood icon. John Huston has a cameo in Sierra Madre playing an American who keeps giving his pesos to the poor Bogart beggar. A great moment in film history sees Bogart beg for some money after already having hit up the Huston character a few times prior. Huston obliges but notes, "But from now on, you'll have to make your way through life without my assistance."
Isn't that just great.
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