Review of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) by Aditya M — 15 Feb 2014
"You're not a star until they can spell your name in Karachi", Humphrey Bogart once said. And such a star he was, although you'd never guess it from 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre' - Dusty, grimy, unshaven, Bogart plays Fred C Dobbs, a pitiable vagabond who decides to look for gold with two other similarly positioned men, and spirals into increasing desperation and paranoia over the course of his quest.
It is a mesmerizing and utterly convincing performance, matched by his two on-screen partners - the quiet and sensible Curtin (Tim Holt), and the savvy, no-nonsense veteran prospector (Walter Huston, fantastic).
This is a thrilling movie about a treasure hunt through the Mexican mountains, but it is also riveting as a character study: It is thoroughly convincing in its portrayal of how morality can slowly melt away under the wild sun, assisted by the slow simmer of greed.
This review of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) was written by Aditya M on 15 Feb 2014.
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre has generally received very positive reviews.
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