August 19 - Treasure of the Sierra Madre

This is a film with a scene that happens today – August 19. I hope you will enjoy this movie and watch it tonight.

THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE

Fred C. Dobbs is a hobo living in Tampico, Mexico on handouts. He and Bob Curtin, another drifter takes jobs on an oil well, but get cheated out of their wages. They listen with interest when an older man, Howard talks about gold prospecting. Curtin and Dobbs beat up the man who cheated them and take their wages. This and Dobbs lottery win gives the three enough cash to go prospecting. They trek into the bush and start mining. The work is hard and Curtain saves Dobbs in a tunnel collapse, but they eventually do find gold. On August 19, 1925 [34:00 to 36:45] the three protagonists decide to divide up the gold they have found as the first faint stirrings of suspicion and greed start to take hold of them. Curtain is followed back from town where he went to get supplies by Cody.  The three decide to kill Cody to keep from having to share the gold with him, but just as they are about to do so they see bandits preparing to attack their camp. They with the help of some Federales, drive the bandits off, but Cody is killed. Howard cures a native boy, but when they are leaving the area, the men of the boy’s village forcefully insist he return to be honored. Curtain and Dobbs march on, with Dobbs becoming more and more paranoid. He finally shots Curtain and steals all the gold. Dobbs is later killed by bandits who steal their donkeys and equipment and scatter the bags of unrefined gold, believing it to be sand. Curtain, who was only wounded is found by Indians and taken to Howard who fixes him up. The bandits try to sell the donkeys and equipment, but it is recognized as stolen property, so they are arrested and shot. Curtain and Howard discover the wind has blown away all the gold. They two part company.   

A powerful story about the power of greed. Even though Howard tries to warn them the others refuse to accept the truth that ‘the love of money is the root of all evil”. Curtain ends up almost dead and Dobbs does lose his life in the pursuit of a dream. 

At 1:00 the year is given as 1925. At 34:48 the calendar shows a month starting on Saturday. In 1925 that could only be August. The 19th is crossed off and it’s evening, so it is almost certainly that day. 

Producer - Henry Blanke

Director - John Huston

Awards – The film won the Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Supporting

                 Actor(Huston) Oscars. It was also nominated for Best Picture at the

                 21^st Academy Awards

Screenplay - John Huston

Runtime – 2 hours 6 minutes

Released – January 6, 1948

Starring -

Humphrey Bogart as Fred C. Dobbs

Walter Huston as Howard

Tim Holt as Bob Curtin

Bruce Bennett as James Cody

Barton MacLane as Pat McCormick

Alfonso Bedoya as Gold Hat

Arturo Soto Rangel as El Presidente

Manuel Dondé as El Jefe

José Torvay as Pablo

Margarito Luna as Pancho