Original artwork, not a still
Badges? We ain't got no badges! We don't need no badges! I don't have to show you any stinking badges!
— The Treasure of the Sierra Madre • 1948
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
A bandit's bluster that became the pop-culture template for refusing to show your papers. The film's wording is stinkin' badges, and the line is so often misquoted as we don't need no stinking badges that most people have never heard the original; it survives as the stock reply of anyone who is asked for credentials they cannot produce.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for The Treasure of the Sierra MadreShow the scene
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948, written and directed by John Huston from B. Traven's novel). In 1920s Mexico, prospectors Dobbs, Curtin and Howard are on their way into the Sierra Madre when a gang of bandits stops them. Their leader, Gold Hat, claims to be one of the mounted federales. Dobbs asks where his badge is, and Gold Hat's answer is the speech in the line.
Sources (2)
- Wikipedia: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (film)Dialogue section and plotReference checked
- Wikiquote: The Treasure of the Sierra MadreIntro and quotesReference checked
Context reviewed