The Treasure of the Sierra Madre - Characters & Cast

Initially, his motivation is simple survival and a desire to escape poverty. However, this quickly morphs into an insatiable greed. He doesn't just want enough to live on; he wants it all and becomes terrified of losing it. His primary motivation becomes the selfish acquisition and protection of his gold at any cost.

Dobbs undergoes a complete moral and psychological disintegration. He begins as a sympathetic, down-on-his-luck American just looking for a break. The prospect of gold awakens a deep-seated greed that slowly consumes him. His initial declarations of modesty give way to obsessive paranoia and a violent possessiveness over his share. He becomes increasingly isolated, suspicious, and irrational, eventually attempting to murder his partner, Curtin. His arc is a tragic descent from a flawed everyman into a monster, culminating in his pathetic death at the hands of bandits, completely undone by the very wealth he sought to possess.

Howard is motivated by the thrill of the prospect and a desire for enough money to live out the rest of his days comfortably. Unlike Dobbs, he has a clear limit to his desires. He is also motivated by a sense of professional pride in his prospecting skills and, later, by a genuine desire to help the native villagers, showcasing his humanity.

Howard's character is largely static, representing wisdom, experience, and a philosophical perspective that the younger men lack. He has been on this path before and understands the dangerous effect gold has on men's souls. While he is eager to find gold, he is not consumed by it. His arc is less about personal change and more about reaffirming his worldview. In the end, he finds a different kind of wealth: the respect and honor of the villagers he helps, choosing community over lost treasure. He ends the film with laughter, accepting the absurdity of their failed quest with grace and wisdom.

Curtin is motivated by a dream of a better life, perhaps settling down and buying a fruit orchard. He wants wealth not for its own sake, but for the stability and happiness it might bring. His motivations are grounded in tangible, wholesome dreams, which helps him resist the corrupting influence of the gold more effectively than Dobbs.

Curtin serves as the moral center of the trio. He is younger and more idealistic than Dobbs, and while he is tempted by the gold, he never fully loses his sense of right and wrong. He consistently tries to be the voice of reason against Dobbs's escalating paranoia. His arc is one of disillusionment and learning; he witnesses the absolute worst of human nature in Dobbs but survives with his integrity intact. He is deeply affected by the ordeal but emerges wiser, choosing to fulfill his promise to Cody's widow rather than lament the lost gold.