The Treasure of the Sierra Madre vs 1492: Conquest of Paradise

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

Dobbs' paranoia grows in steps. First it is reasonable, then excessive, then murderous. Each step is caused by the one before it, so his mental breakdown feels like it had to happen. I feel like the gold never really corrupts Dobbs. It removes the conditions that used to keep the worst parts of his character hidden.

1492: Conquest of Paradise

The first meeting with the island people is friendly. On the second trip, the men Columbus left behind turn out to be dead. Later the natives are forced to mine for gold, and the nobleman Moxica cuts off a man's hand when he finds none. Each step makes the next one harder to undo, until the island is at war.

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

Dobbs is introduced as a likable underdog, and his hardship wins your sympathy. The film then uses that sympathy against you. By the time Dobbs is capable of murder, you have already sided with him. That makes the change more disturbing than if he had been a villain from the start.

1492: Conquest of Paradise

Columbus begins as an outsider with a dream who needs ships. He ends as a forgotten old man, with credit for the discovery going to Amerigo Vespucci. In between, he governs the colony and is accused of nepotism. One reading is that the dream that made him likable is the thing that ruins him.

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

The Sierra Madre mountains are where the gold comes from, and they are also where the film tests the men's morals. Every climb toward the mine takes the men further down into their worst selves. The landscape doesn't care about their greed and isn't changed by their destruction. The mountains outlast all of them.

1492: Conquest of Paradise

After 9 weeks of open ocean, the mist clears and the crew sees the lush vegetation and sandy beaches of Guanahani. The New World scenes were shot on Costa Rica's Pacific coast, where about 10 sets were built on real beaches. The land looks like a paradise, which makes what follows feel like a fall.