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Trailer

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

1948Movie2 h 6 minNR

Drama
91
ExcellentGoodWatch score
IMDb8.2Letterboxd4.3/5Metacritic988.2Rotten Tomatoes100%93%

A nerve-racking, relentlessly bleak adventure movie about the mind and history, with standout direction and performances.

Good for friends night · teens · thought-provoking

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · you want fast pacing

Where to watch

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Not for warmth, laughs or comfort.

Movies with

Story

The nearer they get to their treasure, the farther they get from the law.

Two jobless Americans convince a prospector to travel to the mountains of Mexico with them in search of gold. But the hostile wilderness, local bandits, and greed all get in the way of their journey.

Feels like

  • Classic Adventure Drama
  • Greed's Corruption
  • Psychological Western
  • Survival Story
  • Moral Descent
  • Human Nature Study
  • Desperate Quest
  • Iconic Performances
  • Paranoia Thriller

Cast

23 of 23

Crew

Directed by
John Huston
Written by
John Huston, B. Traven
Produced by
Henry Blanke
Music by
Max Steiner, Leo F. Forbstein

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

January 15, 1948 · 2 h 6 min · NR

Released
January 15, 1948
Runtime
2 h 6 min
Age rating
NR
Content
Violence, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Adventure, Drama, Western
Original language
English
Also spoken
Spanish
Made in
United States
Budget
$4 million
Box office
$4 million
Available in
76 countries
Keywords
based on novel or book

Tropes

Chekhov's Gun, "Shaggy Dog" Story, Big Bad Ensemble +9

  • Chekhov's Gun
  • "Shaggy Dog" Story
  • Big Bad Ensemble
  • Talking Your Way Out
  • Faux Affably Evil
  • Evil Laugh
  • All That Glitters
  • Rule of Symbolism
  • Alas, Poor Villain
  • Off with His Head!
  • Worthless Yellow Rocks
  • Ungrateful Bastard

12 of 89 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

5 questions, like "Where can I stream The Treasure of the Sierra Madre?"

Questions about The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Treasure of the Sierra Madre?

Kanopy

In the United States, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is free with ads on Kanopy. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, and Spectrum On Demand. It also streams in 3 other countries.

Is The Treasure of the Sierra Madre worth watching?

91
ExcellentGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 91 (IMDb 8.2, Letterboxd 4.3 out of 5, Rotten Tomatoes 100%, and Metacritic 98). Critics rate it higher (99 out of 100) than audiences (86).

Will I feel good after watching The Treasure of the Sierra Madre?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 9 of 10 for bleakness and 7 for melancholy, against 1 for hopefulness.

Is The Treasure of the Sierra Madre plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (9 of 10) and dialogue centrality (9 of 10) more than on its plot.

What tropes does The Treasure of the Sierra Madre use?

Chekhov's Gun"Shaggy Dog" StoryBig Bad EnsembleTalking Your Way OutFaux Affably EvilEvil LaughAll That GlittersRule of SymbolismAlas, Poor VillainOff with His Head!Worthless Yellow RocksUngrateful Bastardand 77 more

TV Tropes lists 89 tropes for it, including Chekhov's Gun, "Shaggy Dog" Story, and Big Bad Ensemble.