Famous People Store

Gold in the hills, avarice in the hearts of men. Two hard-luck drifters (Humphrey Bogart, Tim Holt) and a grizzled prospector (Walter Huston) discover gold. Then greed and paranoia set in. Shot mostly on location in Mexico, The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre cost a then whopping $3 million--and led to a showdown. At that price, Jack Warner argued, the top-billed Bogart shouldn't be bumped off before the finale. But director John Huston stood his ground and went on to win high honors: two Academy Awards for his direction and screenplay. And his father won the Oscar as Best Supporting Actor. Without awards, but with enduring acclaim, is Bogart's performance, transforming before our eyes from a likable hobo to a heartless thug who simmers in his own greed. A half-century later, it's placement on the American Film Institute's Top 100 American Films confirms it's still a powerful movie.