What more could be written about the themes of greed-induced self-destruction in the John Huston/Humphrey Bogart classic The Treasure of the Sierra Madre? Perhaps it would be best to look at a few lines of dialogue from the film and ponder on the words.
"Do you believe the old man who was doing all the talking....said the other night about gold changing a man's soul so he ain't the same kind of a guy he was before finding it?"
"I guess that all depends on the man."
"That's exactly what I say. Gold don't carry any curse with it. It all depends on whether or not the guy who finds it is the right guy. The way I see it, gold can be as much of a blessing as a curse"
Greed is often viewed as an abstract, a "Deadly Sin" that controls those whom the feelings of avarice envelope. Greed is not an abstract concept. Nor is it something that takes hold and controls anyone. Greed is a description of the attitudes and actions of human beings. Greed comes in many levels of severity and can reach a point where the "sin" becomes a massive personality disorder.
Greed could be an asset "depending on the man." A greedy person who saves and works and works to have security in life cannot be faulty. Such a person has a strong work ethic and fear for personal security - traits that were likely developed over time based on life experiences.
The character of Dobbs appears like a man who descends into greed-induced, self-destructive paranoia after finding gold and being overly consumed with greed. Is this so?
"Gold don't carry any curse with it. It all depends on whether or not the guy who finds it is the right guy."
Dobbs likely embodied always embodied the terrible traits that consumed him throughout the film. He possessed those traits inwardly and, when he discovered the gold, his avarice, selfishness, and paranoia began to express themselves outwardly.
This is why the other characters do not get ruined by the gold. The reflected the "right person[s]" who could be entrusted with the great responsibility of discovering the untold riches of lost and hidden gold.
