Delayed Reaction: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

Premise: Three men succeed in prospecting for gold then must hide and survive long enough to collect their riches.

I'm not sure why, but there's something satisfying about watching a movie in which people slowly lose a fortune. I knew from the opening frame that the three men weren't all ending the film with the gold. I didn't know if they would lose it a little at a time or all at once, but it was inevitable that they wouldn't keep it. "How" is what keeps the movie interesting.

This isn't my favorite Humphrey Bogart performance. It might be the one that surprised me the most though. I don't remember him ever being this pathetic. He isn't even that cool in this. He's a loser; paranoid and guileless. It was kind of nice to dislike him the whole time. The real star of the movie is Tim Holt as the old prospector. I love that laugh. It cuts the tension so well. I love that instead of ending the movie distraught, he turns it into "oh well, that's life".

I have to say, I don't get why the badges line became so famous. It's not that important to the story. It's a fun delivery, I suppose. There is a simple pleasure to saying "stinkin' badges", but how did that become one of the most famous (and misquoted) movie lines ever? The movie was a decent hit; not a blockbuster. I can't imagine the film was that ever-present. Anyway, it's nice to have some context for it now.

Verdict: Weakly Recommend