Don't Make a Scene: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

The Story: In-joke, this. Very "inside."

By the time John Huston made a film of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, he had become a well-established director (after a successful stint as a screenwriter). Of those projects, he made two with Humphrey Bogart, The Maltese Falcon (Huston's directorial debut) and Across the Pacific (which he started before going into the Signal Corps and making some of the best documentaries chronicling World War II and its aftermath).

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre would be his third picture with Bogart in the starring role.

So, it's more than a little sly for Bogart, while playing Fred C. Dobbs on the "bum" in Tampico, Mexico, to hit up "a fellow American" for some spare change, and have that American in a "white suit" be played by his director (and great friend, one should add) John Huston. 

That he should be hit up twice and on the third, excoriate his star by saying "from now on, you have to make your way through life without my assistance" is beyond sly, it is positively roguish, a trait very much in keeping with the character of John Huston.

It was Huston's project, but the script, quite a bit rougher than what appears on-screen (I've had to do a bit of editing, not just in the dialogue which heels to what's in the film, but also in the descriptions) was written by future-director Robert Rossen (Body and Soul, All the King's Men, The Hustler), although sole writing credit is given to Huston. The "Man in the White Suit" bit is in Rossen's draft.

What is not in Rossen's draft is Humphrey Bogart's silent performance in the barbershop, which is inventive and funny and largely done of his own invention. It also showcases weaknesses in the Dobbs character that, like in any relationship, may prove to be amusing at first, but will subsequently present themselves as flaws in character. Bogart was good. Real good.

So good, in fact, that real life belied the "make your way through life without my assistance" line; Huston and Bogart would make three more films together: Key Largo, Beat the Devil, and The African Queen, which would finally win Bogart the "Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role" Oscar. Even then, Huston still had one more project in mind for Bogart—the role of Peachey Carnahan in his adaptation of Kipling's "The Man Who Would Be King". That final collaboration was cut short by Bogart's ill-health and subsequent death from lung cancer in 1957 at the age of 57.

The Set-Up: It's the beginning of the picture and begins with a "meet cute" between two of the three main protagonists of the picture; Fred C. Dobbs (Bogart) runs into his subsequent partner, another "down-on-his-luck American" Bob Curtin (Tim Holt) by tripping over him in a park in Tampico, Mexico, where the two ex-patriates are having a hard time finding work. 

It, and fortune, will soon find them.

Action!

EXT. RESTAURANT

CAMERA PANS with Dobbs across the street to the plaza where he sits down on one of the benches beside another man.

He takes out his cigarettes, puts a new one in his mouth and lights it from the old. A boot-black picks up the end he throws away.

DOBBS (to his companion on the bench): Cigarette?

He extends the pack. The man takes one. Dobbs gives him a light with his own.

CURTIN: Thanks.
Curtin takes a long drag, inhales deeply, then blows smoke out of his mouth and nose. He looks to be in his late twenties--about ten years younger than Dobbs. He has a strong, hard-bitten face with a slightly crooked nose. Like Dobbs, he could use a haircut.
DOBBS: Hot.
CURTIN: Yeah!

DOBBS: Some town, Tampico.

CURTIN: You said it, brother.

CURTIN: If I could just land me a job that'd bring in enough so's I could buy me a ticket to buy passage, I'd shake its dust off my feet soon enough, you bet.
DOBBS: I beat my way up El Higo last week. There ain't a camp where any work's to be had. I tried 'em all.
CURTIN: You're telling me...more companies are closing down all the time. Guys I've known who've worked steady for the past five years are coming back from the fields to town. Why? I don't savvy. The world needs oil...
A man in a white suit passes the bench. Dobbs' eyes follow him speculatively.

DOBBS: If I was a native, I'd buy a can of shoe polish and go into business. They'd never let a gringo.

DOBBS: You can sit on a bench three-quarters starved. You can beg from another gringo. You can even commit burglary.

DOBBS: But trying shining shoes in the street or selling lemonade out of a bucket and your hash is settled.

DOBBS: You'd never get another job from an American.

CURTIN: Yeah, and the natives will hound and pester you to death.

DOBBS (getting to his feet): It's a hell of a country Some town to be broke in.

CURTIN: Tell me the country that What town isn't.
Dobbs turns away from the bench.

CLOSE SHOT SHOESHINE STAND
The man in the white suit is reading a paper while he gets a shine. Dobbs ENTERS SCENE

DOBBS: Say, uh, mister...

DOBBS: Brother, can you spare a dime? Can you stake a fellow American to a meal?

White Suit takes a peso out of his pocket, gives it to Dobbs.

For the second time this day, Dobbs is surprised into speechlessness. He looks up from the coin in his palm to the white suited man on the wire boot-black stand.

The latter's face is hidden by the newspaper.

Dobbs thrusts the coin into his pants pocket, turns on his heel and marches off.

EXT. OPEN-AIR BARBER SHOP   CLOSE SHOT   DOBBS

in barber chair. Laying aside his razor, the barber pushes the handle and Dobbs' position changes from horizontal to sitting.

A mirror is put into Dobbs' hand.

He holds it at various angles, studying the effects of scissors on the back of his head.
BARBER: Algo on el polo, senor? Para que quoda bonito.
(He shows Dobbs a bottle)
DOBBS: Cuanto vale?
BARBER: Quince centavos.
Dobbs frowns slightly, debating with himself whether to indulge in this extravagance.
BARBER: Muy bonita aroma.
DOBBS: Okay.
The barber douses his head liberally, then he combs Dobbs' hair. Dobbs uses the hand mirror again, the results being much to his liking. Having performed the final rite of snipping the scissors below each of his customer's nostrils, the barber unfastens the sheet from around Dobbs' neck.

Dobbs rises from the chair and gives the barber his one and only peso. He continues to eye himself while the barber makes change, and it must be that he receives an excellent impression, for he's more than liberal when it comes to tipping.

BARBER: Gracias, senor. Come again.

Dobbs issues forth into the street.

The change in his manner is rather more noticeable than the change in his appearance.

His shoulders are back as he walks, his glance bolder.

He allows it to fall on a passing damsel whose swarthiness cannot be hidden by the powder on her face. Returning Dobbs' look, her eyes show interest, but this fades as she gives him the once-over and sees the condition of his clothes.

Dobbs turns to watch her retreating figure. The girl goes into a two-story house, on the front of which is a sign in Spanish: CUARTOS AMUEBLADOS

He tosses the last remaining piece of change out of the peso in his hand. Alas, it is far too little.

Returning it to his pocket, he observes a man in a white suit about to step off the curb.

Dobbs goes directly to him.

DOBBS: Can you spare a dime, mister? Hey, mister.

DOBBS: Will you stake a fellow American to a meal?
White Suit reaches in his pocket, takes out a peso. Dobbs reaches for it. But White Suit keeps the piece between his fingers.
WHITE SUIT: Listen, you. Such impudence never came my way as long as I can remember.
Dobbs stands utterly perplexed while the stranger continues.

WHITE SUIT: Early this afternoon, I gave you money. When I was having my shoes polished I gave you more.

WHITE SUIT: Now, you put the bite on me again. Do me a favor, will you? Go occasionally to somebody else. This is beginning to get tiresome.
DOBBS: Excuse me, mister. I never realized that it was you all the time.

DOBBS: I never looked at your face, only at your hands and the money you gave me.

DOBBS: Beg pardon, mister. I promise I won't put the bite on you again.

WHITE SUIT: This is the very last you get from me, understand?

(He gives Dobbs the peso)
DOBBS: Sure, mister--never again will I--
WHITE SUIT: Just to make sure...

WHITE SUIT: ...you won't forget your promise, here's another peso so you'll eat tomorrow.

DOBBS (taking it): Thanks, mister, thanks.
WHITE SUIT: But, understand - from now on you are to try your best have to make your way in life without my assistance.

And the gentleman goes his way.

Dobbs clinks the two peso's together thoughtfully, then turns on his heel and starts rapidly up the street he just came down.

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

Words by Robert Rossen (after B. Traven) and John Huston

Pictures by Ted D. McCord and John Huston

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is available on DVD and Blu-Ray from Warner Home Video.

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (and this sequence) would also figure in Warner Brothers' 1950 animated short 8-Ball Bunny, directed by the incomparable Chuck Jones.