B.Traven and "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre"

B. Traven is by far the most mysterious novelist of the 20th century.His
novels enjoyed a tremendous amount of success-yet no one really knew who B. Traven
was ! One of his most successful novels "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" was made
into a highly successful film.The screenplay was written by John Huston,who also directed
the film and had as one it's stars his father,Walter Huston-who had been a very successful
actor in the 1920's,30's and 40's.Walter Huston won the academy award that year for
best supporting Actor and his son John also scored an Oscar for Best Screenplay.
"The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" is a cautionary tale about how gold and in turn
Greed-can have fatal consequeces especially for some individuals-who seem more prone
to the delusional thinking that come's when "Greed" take's complete control over such
a persons mind.In the film version of "Treasure" this role is played by Humphrey Bogart.
Tim Holt,who had spent most of his acting career in early Cowboy films,along with
a few better parts,plays Bogart's best friend in the film.Walter Huston plays a grizzled
old miner who becomes the catalyst for the three to venture high into the Sierra Madre
Mountains of Mexico in search of gold.
During the film shoot in Mexico a stranger arrived on the set-claiming to be the
official representative of B. Traven.He hung around the set for about a week-making
suggestions as to how the movie could be more convincing by including more factual
elements about how a private gold mining venture would actually be built and run
in the time and place that the movie takes place{1920's-1930's}.No sooner did the
stranger arrive than he disappeared forever.It was only decades later that director
John Huston realized that the man who had appeared on the set was B. Traven.Even
so-just exactly who B. Traven was remained a mystery for decades.
Traven,who wrote many novels and collections of short stories-all of which sold well in
the market place also wrote what one writer called,in a special piece written for the New
York Times Book Review,"The greatist novel ever written".A fantastic book of magnificent
qualities called "The Death Ship".As great as "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" is-"The
Death Ship" is even greater.Much of the story is based on B. Travens own expierience as
merchant mariner.Which brings me back to the question-who was B. Traven.
B. Traven,it turns out was non-other than Rhett Maurett,the son of a wealthy family
who became a radical in post world war one Germany.He published a radical newspaper
called "The Brick Burner" which brought him unwanted attention from the authorities.
He ended up being arrested and and sentanced to Death.Somehow he managed to escape and
he jumped a Tramp Steamer headed towards Tampico,Mexico.It was just outside of Tampico
in the shadow of an old pyramid,that Traven wrote "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre".
No one knows the true origin of the story-whiether it's drawn from a real legand or if Traven
just made the whole thing up.Whatever the case-it's a classic story-and Traven's Novel is
Also a classic-and oh yeah-so is the movie.

Written by Pete Holly-copyright-2009-all rights reserved