Review of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) by Todd T — 29 Jul 2009

Well-crafted and unusual in moral complexity for the period, "The Treasures of the Sierra Madre" is an interesting adventure far ahead of its time in several areas, but still relies upon some of the cheesy melodrama common to films of the first half of the 20th century. All three main actors play their characters with remarkable depth and it is really the relationships and changes within the characters that move this story along. The plot itself meanders in terms of action and development, making the film overlong. The music is the worst part of this film, composed of wild string arrangements that are much too dramatic for the subtlety of the conflicts and the bleakness of the setting and theme.

Still, with its fine performances and depth of psychology and morality, it's easy to see why this film was so influential and groundbreaking for post-war filmmaking.