“As long as there is no find, the noble brotherhood will last. But when the piles of gold begin to grow, that is when the trouble starts.” – Howard (Walter Huston)

Two American drifters team up with an eccentric prospector on a search for gold in the Mexican mountains.

MILESTONES OF THE JOURNEY

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre weaves the ultimate tale of greed, depicting how it destroys not only a man’s soul but the Hero’s Team. In other movies we see the Hero Team fight the physical Shadow on the quest to obtain the Elixir (see Jaws, Unforgiven). Allies may fall, others, turn back from fear. One Hero rises to vanquish the Shadow and share the Elixir for the benefit of the Ordinary World. Dobbs, Curtin and the old prospector Howard, face their share of physical enemies and shadows but none more deadly than the inner Shadow of greed. The Hero Team begins to crumble when they discover gold, crossing the Threshold and becoming “men of property”. Although the Mentor Howard,tries to keep the Team together, he realizes that he’s no match for this Shadow. On “traditional” Hero’s Journeys the Mentor must leave the quest, forcing the Hero to assimilate the Mentor’s ‘gifts’ and alone prove himself worthy of true heroic status. Here, in similar tradition, Howard regretfully leaves the team, presenting a final Test that sets the Road Back in motion. Without their Mentor the Shadow of greed vanquishes Dobbs, allowing Curtin to rise as the Hero forsaking the gold in favor of a greater Elixir to bring back to a richer Ordinary World.

THE JOURNEY

Mexico. February 1925. Fred C. Dobbs is a mangy, American drifter. His prospects haven’t panned out, and now Dobbs resorts to panhandling and gambling what little he can afford on lottery tickets. Ashamed of his ORDINARY WORLD, Dobbs can’t even look his benefactors in the eye, and he’s pushed to change, a CALL TO ADVENTURE, when he ‘puts the bite three times on the same man (the HERALD ‘White Suit).

Dobbs accepts a construction job offered by a contractor, McCormick, a CALL TO ADVENTURE, and soon meets a fellow drifter, Curtin. At the completion of the job, the SHAPESHIFTER McCormick dupes them out of their pay, teaching them that nobody can be trusted.

Dobbs and Curtin pool what little money they have for a couple of beds in a flophouse where they overhear an eccentric old man, Howard, talking about his adventures as a prospector. He lures Dobbs and Curtin with his tales and knowledge that a nearby mountain is ‘waiting for the right guy to discover her treasure.’. But this CALL for wealth and adventure is a double-edged sword. The wise old MENTOR warns them of what lust for gold can do to a man’s soul.

On a morning refreshed by dreams of gold-covered mountains, Curtin and Dobbs reject Howard’s Warning that gold can curse a man’s soul. They spot McCormick and corner him in a cantina, finally overpowering their ENEMY and taking the money owed them. They decide to use the money to prospect for gold. But before they can commit to the Journey, they need Howard’s experiences and knowledge and ask him to join the Team. The MENTOR eagerly accepts, but Curtin and Dobbs are still short on money. Dobb’s fortuitous winning lottery ticket provides the needed investment, which he gladly offers for his and Curtin’s share in the stake. Dobbs shakes Curtin’s hand, entering the THRESHOLD of partnership as they commit to finding the gold. But MENTOR Howard watches them, fully aware of what gold can do to his ‘brotherhood’.

This Initial TEST PHASE is part of an extended THRESHOLD SEQUENCE as the HERO TEAM finally enters the SPECIAL WORLD as ‘men of property’. First, Mexican Bandits led by “Gold Hat” attack their train. The TEAM bands together fighting off the ENEMY, kiling several bandits. In Durango, they purchase supplies and burros, and the storeowner (THRESHOLD GUARDIAN) warns them of the dangers that lie ahead (a type of REFUSAL).

Later, Dobbs and Curtin are TESTED by the arduous work of the Journey; they can barely keep up with Howard. On their trail the TEAM also confronts nature’s THRESHOLD GUARDIANS: fierce northern winds and dense jungles. These TESTS exhaust poor Dobbs, who wants to turn around. Howard mocks him and Dobbs threatens to kill his apparently crazed MENTOR. But the cackling HERALD finally announces they’ve found gold. Sure enough, he shows them the gold sand with his mining pan, and assures them that the mountain above them is rich. He finally asks them how they feel ‘to be men of property.” This moment completes the THRESHOLD SEQUENCE.

The TEAM enters their Journey’s second TEST PHASE, a series of physical and psychological trials testing the strength of their ‘brotherhood’. Of course, they must begin by retrieving the gold from the mountain, and they build a sluice to do just that. That night, they watch Howard weigh their day’s work – $5000 worth. Against the MENTOR’S warnings. Dobbs insists that they divide the gold as they go, making each responsible for his own share.

Curtin faces the next TEST when he sees the mine collapse on DObbs. He knows Dobbs is trapped inside and hesitates a moment – TESTING his own greed. Curtin’s humanity wins out, and he rescues Dobbs. His action lifts him above the TESTS and ORDEALS, allowing the audience to begin to identify with him as the Journey’s HERO.

During a campfire scene (an APPROACH) their differences become more distinct as they discuss what they’ll do with their ELIXIR of wealth. Howard plans to retire from prospecting and run a small business. Curtin wants to grow fruit trees. In contrast, Dobbs desires immediate pleasure – a Turkish bath, a great mean and a woman.

Dobbs is failing the TEST PHASE, transforming him into Curtin’s SHADOWY reflection. Overcome by paranoia and greed, he begins to talk to himself and REFUSES to ride alone into town for supplies, fearing the double-cross or bandits. Dobbs catches Curtin trying to roll the rock that hides his stash. He won’t believe Curtin’s story that he was trying to unearth a deadly Gila Monster and threatens to kill him. Howard and Curtin contain Dobbs and reveal the Gila Monster sitting atop Dobb’s gold.

In town to get supplies, Curtin meets another American, Cody who asks about gold prospecting. Curtin tells this perceived ENEMY he wouldn’t know – he’s hunting animals. Cody doesn’t believe this THRESHOLD GUARDIAN and follows his trail.

Cody arrives at their campfire. Dobbs reluctantly invites him to enjoy the fire, but he wants himi gone in the morning. Cody suspects their gold mine and refuses to leave. He gives them three options: to kill him, run him off, or take him as a partner. The three choose to kill him to protect their shares of the gold, an APPROACH. They go to the edge to kill Cody, but the ENEMY dons the HERALD’S mask and warns them of the approaching Bandits. Faced with this impending ORDEAL, the TEAM needs as many guns as possible and enlists Cody as a scout (making him an ALLY).

Gold Hat and his bandits approach the camp and negotiate for guns. Dobbs rejects the leader, shooting a hole in his hat. Guns blaze and Cody is killed during this ORDEAL. Before the Bandits can renew an attack, Federales chase them off. Dobbs is elated (their RESURRECTION).

They prepare to bury Cody and discover a letter from his wife swaying him to return home to his family, where ‘we’ve already found life’s real treasure’. Acknowledging Cody’s REFUSAL of this ELIXIR, and having faced death in the ORDEAL, the TEAM’S REWARD is greater awareness that perhaps they’ve taken enough gold and can prepare for their ROAD BACK to civilization. Although this moment is a physical ROAD BACK, the TEAM must face a more difficult ROAD BACK further down the Journey of Greed.

That night, Curtin suggests giving a share to Cody’s family, but Dobbs rejects this REWARD. The decision again delineates the polarity between gracious Curtin (HERO) and greedy Dobbs (SHADOW).

A band of Mexicans pulls Howard from the TEAM to save a little boy’s life. He is treated as a HERO and medicine man (MENTOR) and receives the additional REWARD of the Mexican’s hospitality; however he must trust Dobbs and Curtin with his share until the three can meet again in Durango.

Without MENTOR howard, Dobbs and Curtin must make it back without his voice of experience to keep them together. The two face each other at the darkest moment of their Journey, the ORDEAL. Seeing his former friend as a SHADOW scheming to kill him in his sleep, Dobbs shoots Curtin. But now Dobbs wrestles with a new MENTOR, his conscience, a REWARD that is rejected by the SHADOW of Greed. Dobbs leaves Curtin’s body unitl morning. But Curtin’s wound is not fatal and he crawls away (a RESURRECTION).

The TEAM’s initial THRESHOLD into this SPECIAL WORLD meant a binding of the three. Their ROAD BACK is the Team’s unraveling where one of them, greedy Dobbs takes the gold and runs. Dobbs awakens to bury Curtin, and discovers the body gone. He tries to contain his paranoia and rationalizes that a tiger dragged the corpse away. Dobbs packs up all the loot and takes his ROAD BACK home.

Meanwhile, Curtin finds salvation at the Mexican village, his REWARD. He’s taken to Howard who heals his wounds. Curtin tells the old man about Dobb’s treachery. The two are determined to retrieve their gold and must take the ROAD BACK. The CHASE begins.

Exhausted and parched, Dobbs finally stumbles onto some water where he confronts the ENEMY, Gold Hat and his bandits. Greed has finally taken Dobbs down the road to a lonely, pitiful death. The bandits kill Dobbs with a machete and dump his bags of gold, believing that it’s sand. Wearing Dobbs’ clothes, they try to sell the burros and are promptly arrested by Federales.

Howard and Curtin arrive as they hear the execution of the Bandits. They also find out that Dobbs is dead. They check the supplies, but there is no sign of the gold. A boy tells them where the bags are located.

Fighting fierce winds (Nature’s THRESHOLD GUARDIAN) they find the torn bags but the Great Northern WInd has swept every ounce of gold back to where they found it.

Howard guffaws at the joke nature has played on them, and soon Curtin shares his laughter. Nature has destroyed the fruit of their hard work, their perceived ELIXIR, but the two are RESURRECTED with greater awareness of the poison of greed that killed Dobbs. Both will carry this true ELIXIR back to their ORDINARY WORLD. Howard can live with his Mexican family as their Medicine Man. He gives Curtin his share of supllies so Curtin can return to Cody’s widow in time for the July fruit harvest. They exchange ‘good luck’. Both return to a peaceful life, ‘rich’ with ‘life’s real treasures’.