"The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" AND B. Traven!

[therealfuster]

Someone once said, "There are those who write fiction...and those who live it." B. Traven was both. The author of 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre' obscured his origins, much like Colonel Tom Parker [who was no Colonel or even American!]. B. Traven was reported to have been: Ambrose Bierce, a group of leftist Hollywood scriptwriters, a black American ex-slave, or the illegitimate son of Kaiser Wilhelm. Some of the occupations he is said to have toiled at are: photographer, merchant seaman, fruit farmer, explorer. Some of the nationalities he claimed were: English, Swedish, Lithuanian, American, German and Mexican. The truth, which wasn't fully known till about 1980, even by his widow, or his family in Germany, is as follows.

 

B.Traven was born illegitimately in 1882 and named Otto Weineke, later taking his father's name of Feige, when his parents married, in Schweibus, Germany. First apprenticed as a locksmith as a teenager, he then became an actor under the name Ret Marut in Berlin, till his first story was published in Danzig in 1912. After writing anarchist articles for 'Der Zeigelbrenner' he was arrested and sentenced to death in Munich in 1919. At this point Marut is never heard of again, but B. Traven arrives in Tampico, Mexico and from then on, has all his works that are published in Germany dealt with, by using P.O. Box 972 and 1208 as his only return address. Even though his works 'The Ghost Ship, 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre' and 'The White Rose' plus many others sold well, he refused to allow any biographical info or photos of him to appear on the books or elsewhere, even refusing the publisher's request that they speak of this condition of his contract. In 1942 an identity card for a Traven Torsvan was issued in Acapulco, which was another of his many identities.

 

Now for the ultimate writer's revenge. In 1947 after corresponding with Traven [after negotiations to film TSM had been completed] about being an advisor on the set possibly, John Huston awoke in Mexico City to find a small, frail blue eyed man standing at the foot of his bed, who introduced himself as Hal Croves, with a letter from Traven begging off because of ill health, but suggesting that as Hal Croves was knowledgeable about all Traven's books, he might be of help. Croves goes on location for the sum of $150 weekly, to be technical adviser for film accuracy. Croves steadfastly denies to any of the many who confronted him, that he might be Traven, and also assiduously evaded any still photographers who attempted to take his picture. On a fishing excursion with Huston and then wife Evelyn Keyes, Croves' abilities as a fisherman were so limited and he seemed so ill at ease, Huston doubted he could be the wordly Traven, who had lived so many adventures. One of the few technical comments Croves made to Huston, was that the part of Howard was written for a much older man than Huston's father, and Croves suggested someone more frail like Lewis Stone as a replacement, which Huston promptly ignored.

 

After the film was released to great acclaim [but not at first in ticket sales] for Huston's screenplay and directing, for which he won the AA, Huston was quoted in 'Life Magazine' as saying that he believed Croves was Traven. A letter was printed from Croves saying " If Mr. John Huston believed I am Traven, then why was he paying me a lousy hundred dollars a week? He [Huston] only shows publicly in how low an estimate he is holding Traven, whose story gave him the chance of his lifetime. Never again will Mr. John Huston have an opportunity to direct a picture, based on any other of Traven's books [even though some were in negotiations] as Traven does not need Mr. John Huston."

 

There is lots more to this story, but I will let it suffice that Traven kept up this facade, for the rest of his life, probably for fear of being deported to Germany, and finally died in 1969, when legally Torsvan died. It occurred to me while I watched the film of "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" on TCM recently and saw John Huston's name on the screen as big as all get out, and the small attribution to Traven's book, that like the mountain which had the gold that was being plumbed, so also did Traven's story have all the ingredients waiting to be mined and the credit was more Traven's than all those who took credit for the film's success. And in retrospect the gold was returned to the mountain, with the kiss-off letter to Life, putting credit where credit was due...at the author's feet. Even when the legendary writer's origins were unearthed in the 1980's, there were stll legends, like the Kaiser connection that are unanswered. Someday maybe this story of impersonations and twists and turns will be turned into its own feature length film....and wouldn't it be a good one?

 

 

[sandykaypax]

WOW! Fascinating story, fuster! Thanks for sharing that.

 

Sandy K

[therealfuster]

appreciation for your kind words!

 

TRF

[bansi4]

I checked some of this stuff out on Google and the so-called B. Traven was born in Chicago, Illinois. He was also Swedish and looked it (there's a photo where he looks like Max von Sydow).

And yes, after he died and John Huston saw his picture, it was indeed the same man who approached the director as Hal Croves. If he wasn't so mysterious perhaps he could have negotiated a better deal as techinal advisor on the film. And you can be sure, as B. Traven, that he got a pretty penny for the rights of his novel to be filmed.

One thing I am grateful for is that John Huston stuck to his guns and used his father Walter Huston as the old prospector in the movie. He was outstanding.

By the way I am thankful to B. Traven (whoever he is) for writing the book since "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" in one of my all time favorite motion pictures.

 

Mongo

[ayresorchids]

therealfuster,

 

Are you a professional writer about film? I am constantly amazed at your wealth of knowledge.

 

 

[therealfuster]

Traven supposedly had as many aliases and backgrounds, as Fields had bank accounts, though some say that legend is unfounded.

 

And aren't you glad that John Huston and Bogart convinced Walter to take his teeth out to play the prospector? Apparently Walter was a bit against this idea, as even he had some ego about his looks, and did not want to appear toothless on screen.

 

Have a nice weekend, Mongo and I shall be departing now so take care!

[therealfuster]

most kind.

 

No, I'm just your average movie fan, who finds the offbeat things about films the most interesting, like Traven's origins and I had read some old articles in magazines about him a few years ago, and thought since TCM shows this movie often, that it might be of interest to some who like the film.

 

I'm glad if you enjoyed reading it. Thanks and have a great weekend!

[Sgt_Markoff]

I'm an ardent fan of the mysterious and enigmatic author B. Traven. His prose skills are formidable. A colossally-talented author who should be as famed as any of the more-known names like Steinbeck or Hemingway.

Traven is acidic, searing and scorching on the page.

Although his style is the opposite, he's more Hemingway than Hemingway in that he writes about jungles, deserts, and ocean adventures. With a will and a vigor. And apparently he delivers from personal experience, from actually having been there. It's poetic that he wound up vanishing there.

I'll call Traven out even further for a specific knack that even the uppermost tier of authors usually fail at: sea writing. B. Traven is in elite company as far as that goes. One of the top five that I've ever read, anyway.

I'd go so far as to put him ahead of the top  three best I know of (Joe Conrad, Herman Melville, and HM Tomlinson). In other words, he is supreme in this regard.

Its no wonder that 'Sierra Madre' wound up being one of the most beloved fan favorites of moviegoers for generations down to this day.

[JamesJazGuitar]

2 hours ago, Sgt_Markoff said:

Its no wonder that 'Sierra Madre' wound up being one of the most beloved fan favorites of moviegoers for generations down to this day.

The film wasn't a fan favorite when it was released and this confirmed Jack Warner's fears that having his biggest male star playing a character like Dobbs would mostly fail with audiences.   I'm glad Huston stuck to his guns and didn't go with the 'Dobbs redeems himself' ending that Jack wanted.

 

[Sgt_Markoff]

Be that as it may!

The interesting thing is that B. Traven's writing is spot-on to the quality of storytelling you find in 'Sierra'. Consistently as forceful in every title. If you read any of his books they all suggest movies equally as great. Sigh...if only they had done more adaptations...

[NipkowDisc]

just what the hal croves is a fuster?

[cigarjoe]

45 minutes ago, Sgt_Markoff said:

I'd go so far as to put him ahead of the top  three best I know of (Joe Conrad, Herman Melville, and HM Tomlinson). In other words, he is supreme in this regard.

Wanderer by Sterling Hayden is pretty good, check it out.

[JamesJazGuitar]

1 hour ago, Sgt_Markoff said:

Be that as it may!

The interesting thing is that B. Traven's writing is spot-on to the quality of storytelling you find in 'Sierra'. Consistently as forceful in every title. If you read any of his books they all suggest movies equally as great. Sigh...if only they had done more adaptations...

Oh,  I'm a fan of Traven's writing and Huston's adaptation of his novel.    The acting was first rate by all.

In addition I didn't need to see yet another Bogie film where he plays a version of the Rick persona.   But audiences are often more shallow wanting their favorite actors playing heroic type figures.

 

[scsu1975]

1 hour ago, NipkowDisc said:

just what the hal croves is a fuster?

What is a hal croves?

[LawrenceA]

2 minutes ago, scsu1975 said:

What is a hal croves?

Someone said it's a fuster.

[scsu1975]

1 minute ago, LawrenceA said:

Someone said it's a fuster.

Is that like a slacker?

[LawrenceA]

1 minute ago, scsu1975 said:

Is that like a slacker?

More like a hal croves, or so I've been told.

[slaytonf]

2 hours ago, Sgt_Markoff said:

I'd go so far as to put him ahead of the top  three best I know of (Joe Conrad, Herman Melville, and HM Tomlinson). In other words, he is supreme in this regard.

Traven is a great writer.  I haven't read his work in a long time, so I can only provisionally say he'd have to go a long way to out-do Conrad or Melville on the wide open.

[Sgt_Markoff]

six minutes prior, Hon. General 'slaytonf' muttered:

Quote

to go a long way to out-do Conrad or Melville on the wide open.

In his descriptions of the sea; he surpasses em; that's my main assertion. Flies past Conrad for sure. Melville...its almost oranges vs apples there, because of the different century and the all-encompassing style HM deploys. But if we're talking non-Biblical, straightforward action scenes on water which are written for the modern ear, I'll still pick Traven. Career to career it doesn't match, I agree with ya there. Because these other blokes have a much vaster bibliography. But Traven's "Death Ship" is the best modern sea tale, sez I.

[speedracer5]

1 hour ago, LawrenceA said:

More like a hal croves, or so I've been told.

I heard that Hal Croves died at Fuster's Last Stand.

[TomJH]

I read Treasure a couple of years ago, and noticed that Huston took some of the dialogue for his film directly off Traven's pages.

Walter Huston was raised in Toronto and I have visited the property of one of his homes in an area called Cabbagetown (an impressive two storey attached brick home that his father commissioned to be built - it sold a few years ago for two million). There is a plaque on the front property celebrating it as the former home of Walter Huston.

Huston lived in the left half of this structure. I met the new owner who was proud of the house's heritage, and said he had seen Treasure of the Sierra Madre. I wonder if John or Anjelica Huston ever visited this home.

[GordonCole]

21 hours ago, Sgt_Markoff said:

I'm an ardent fan of the mysterious and enigmatic author B. Traven. His prose skills are formidable. A colossally-talented author who should be as famed as any of the more-known names like Steinbeck or Hemingway.

Traven is acidic, searing and scorching on the page.

Although his style is the opposite, he's more Hemingway than Hemingway in that he writes about jungles, deserts, and ocean adventures. With a will and a vigor. And apparently he delivers from personal experience, from actually having been there. It's poetic that he wound up vanishing there.

I'll call Traven out even further for a specific knack that even the uppermost tier of authors usually fail at: sea writing. B. Traven is in elite company as far as that goes. One of the top five that I've ever read, anyway.

I'd go so far as to put him ahead of the top  three best I know of (Joe Conrad, Herman Melville, and HM Tomlinson). In other words, he is supreme in this regard.

Its no wonder that 'Sierra Madre' wound up being one of the most beloved fan favorites of moviegoers for generations down to this day.

The Traven story would make a good movie in itself.

[GordonCole]

19 hours ago, slaytonf said:

Traven is a great writer.  I haven't read his work in a long time, so I can only provisionally say he'd have to go a long way to out-do Conrad or Melville on the wide open.

Reading Conrad is always fascinating, since one can actually feel the determination of the author in utilizing his mastery of a few languages in getting his point across. His own life, prowling around ports and living an adventure daily aided so much to his depth of knowledge of the human psyche in conflict with nature and other beings.

What happened to the OP called There Al Fuster?

 

[LawrenceA]

Just now, GordonCole said:

What happened to the OP called There Al Fuster?

I thought that was you.

[GordonCole]

I wish.

I'd never seen this name before here since they seem to have left TCM before I joined up in 2015. 

I noticed that this OP hasn't been here since around 2005. Anyone know what happened to them? Maybe they are Hal Croves lol?