Based on B. Traven's 1927 novel of the same name, the film follows two downtrodden men who join forces with a grizzled old prospector, in searching for gold in Mexico.

Development of the film began in 1941, shortly after the release of The Maltese Falcon, but was delayed by American entry into World War II and Huston's Army service.

[4] In 1925, in the Mexican town of Tampico, labor contractor Pat McCormick recruits Fred C. Dobbs and Bob Curtin, two broke American drifters, as roughnecks to help construct oil derricks for $8 per day (equivalent to $139 in 2023).

When Dobbs hits a small jackpot in the lottery, he, Curtin and Howard have enough money to buy supplies to go prospecting in the interior.

Moved by the letter, Howard and Curtin agree to give part of their share to Cody's family, but Dobbs declines to do the same.

Gold Hat's gang tries to sell the stolen burros in town, but a child recognizes the brands on them (and Dobbs's clothes, which the bandits are wearing) and reports them to the authorities.

Howard and Curtin return to Durango in a dust storm hoping to reclaim their gold, only to find empty bags.

Uncredited actors in minor roles include Robert Blake as a boy who tries to sell lottery tickets to Dobbs, Jack Holt (Tim's father) and Clifton Young as flophouse bums, Julian Rivero as a barber, Jay Silverheels as an Indio guide at the pier, and Pat Flaherty as a barfly.

John Huston makes a cameo appearance as the white-clad American Dobbs asks for money, his first acting role in a film.

Director John Huston first read the novel by B. Traven in 1935 and thought the material would make a great movie with his father in the main role.

Based on a 19th-century ballad by a German poet, Traven's book reminded Huston of his adventures in the Mexican cavalry.

The studio had George Raft, Edward G. Robinson, and John Garfield in mind for the three main roles, but then World War II intervened.

[5] Vincent Sherman was set to direct a version of the story, with Robert Rossen as screenwriter, during the World War II years until his script fell afoul of the 1930 Motion Picture Production Code for being derogatory toward Mexicans.

By the time Huston came back from making several documentaries for the war effort, Humphrey Bogart had become Warner Brothers' biggest star.

Most of the location shooting in Mexico took place in Tampico, Tamaulipas and a Jungapeo - a remote mountainous area in Michoacán where many of the wilderness scenes were shot.

Back in the United States, sets were constructed at the Warner Bros. studio backlot in Burbank (specifically Stages 1 and 6), including a detailed recreation of Tampico.

The libelous accusations were dropped, and a few weeks later, the editor of the newspaper was caught in flagrante and shot dead by a jealous husband.

As with most of the Mexican actors selected from the local population, Alfonso Bedoya's heavily accented pronunciation of English proved a bit of a problem ("horseback" sounded like "whore's back").

While most of the film was shot in Mexico, Jack L. Warner had the unit return to Hollywood when the budget started to exceed $3 million.

John Huston and Blanke led him to believe that the film would be an easy picture to make and that they would be in and out of Mexico in a matter of weeks.

The initial box-office take was unimpressive, but the film was a huge critical success and more than earned back its original investment of $3 million in its many rereleases.

As production dragged, Bogart, an avid yachtsman, was getting increasingly anxious about missing the Honolulu Race in which he usually took part.

Warner Bros.' publicity department released a statement that Bogart was "disappointed the scene couldn't be shown in all its graphic glory.

"[citation needed] John Huston's adaptation of Traven's novel was altered to meet Hays Code regulations, which severely limited profanity in film.

[12] However, the film's ability to comment on human nature generally has been doubted as Dobbs is evidently flawed from the outset.

[3] The website's critical consensus reads "Remade but never duplicated, this darkly humorous morality tale represents John Huston at his finest.

"[3] The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre is now considered to be among the best films of all time, with some critics calling it Huston's magnum opus.

[22] Director Stanley Kubrick listed The Treasure of the Sierra Madre as his fourth favorite film of all time in a 1963 edition of Cinema magazine.

[25] Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan has cited the film as one of his personal favorites and has said that Dobbs was a key influence in creating the character of Walter White.

"[27] Fred C. Dobbs appears in the Looney Tunes short 8 Ball Bunny, delivering his signature phrase: "Say, pardon me, but could you help out a fellow American who's down on his luck?".