12

In the movie Predator (1987), CIA agent Dillon supervises Dutch & the team as they attempt to rescue the hostages held by insurgents.

The team discovers the damaged helicopter and three skinned corpses, Dutch identifies one of them as Green Berets. After they reach the insurgent camp and kill the insurgents we can see below conversation Dutch has with Billy.

Billy. Give me a way out of this hole. Aerial says we are cut off.

The only way outta here is that valley that leads to the east. I wouldn't waste that on a broke-dick dog.

What does Billy mean by saying Broke-dick dog?

enter image description here

Improve this question
11
  • 6
    Exactly what it sounds like....a dog with a broken, erm, dick.
    – Paulie_D
    Jul 10 '18 at 12:25
  • 4
    Most likely I wouldn't wish that on a broke-dick dog.
    – AbraCadaver
    Jul 10 '18 at 16:59
  • 2
    @RANSARA009 No...he doesn't it's definitely WISH...it's just that some transcribers hear it wrong.
    – Paulie_D
    Jul 11 '18 at 9:17
  • 4
    I see you have edited the question again but that subtitle is wrong, unless you can prove it's the actual official version..especially as the original script confirms the connotation. Regardless, the answers still stand.
    – Paulie_D
    Jul 11 '18 at 14:10
  • 3
    ..and once again, the subtitles are wrong. I've listened to this several times and he clearly says "Wish". The original script does not use these words but the meaning is same for "Wish".
    – Paulie_D
    Jul 11 '18 at 15:16
26

@JohnnyBones is right in saying "I wouldn't wish that on a broke-dick dog" is the equivalent of saying "I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy", however, his explanation is a little off.

Broke-dick is military slang for someone who is always or frequently unable to do their job because they are injured, frequently with the implication that the person is either exaggerating or completely lying about their injury. Short of an outright traitor, it's one of the worst things you can be in the military. "Broke-dicks" are usually subject to hazing, insults and other "corrective training".

Improve this answer
9
18

What do dogs love to do? Hump things. Therefore, a dog with a broken sexual organ is a pretty sad thing to be. If you're a dog and you can't hump things, what's the point of living?

A more popular way of phrasing this is, "I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy".

Improve this answer
6
  • 3
    Interstingly, this line is not in the original script...that reads "Looks bad, Major. It's gonna be a real bitch." I wonder if it was an ad-lib?
    – Paulie_D
    Jul 10 '18 at 14:01
  • If that's truly the original script, it actually makes much more sense. It's clear in it's meaning, while saying, "I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy" doesn't really even make sense in that conversation without reading between the lines.
    – Johnny Bones
    Jul 10 '18 at 14:12
  • sfy.ru/?script=predator
    – Paulie_D
    Jul 10 '18 at 14:12
  • I'm not disputing you, you've been around a while. I just don't always trust script websites, where there's no proof they ever had a copy of said script.
    – Johnny Bones
    Jul 10 '18 at 14:28
  • 1
    Well, since we both said the same thing, I'd say your assertion is my assertion. Just that I said it first. ;)
    – Johnny Bones
    Jul 10 '18 at 20:13
0

I know it's not the right time for any response on a thread that's almost 3 years old. Nevertheless, I'm recording my answer because of the misconceptions around the actual dialogue used.

According to the original script by Jim Thomas: Script link - PDF

(but the actual movie dialogue adoption was cut short/ essentially condensed with catch phrases to shrink the edited final cut for theatrical screening)

SCHAEFER:

This place is too hot for a pick-up. They won't touch us until we're over the border. We can lift at LZ 49, here. (points to map) Spotter plane says we're cut off. (points to map) Except for this valley. Billy shakes his head, following the CONTOUR LINES of the rugged terrain.

BILLY:

Looks bad, Major. It's gonna be a real bitch. (points to map) If we follow above the river and then down, here, at this canyon, we might find a way out. Schaefer turns to Ramirez, kneeling close by.

SCHAEFER:

(decisively) Not much choice. Pancho, take the lead. Double time it.

So the primary connotation of the conversation between Billy (Sonny Landham) & Schaefer (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is that they don't have any choice other than the treacherous contour of the valley leading to the LZ 49 for designated rendezvous point of extraction.

Thus the implication being, as observed in most subtitle records of the movie & dialogue pronunciation by Landham

"I wouldn't waste that on a broke-dick dog"

(from a podcast upload discussing the scene, confusing the same terminology 'waste' vs 'wish') - YouTube Podcast - link

And the appendix for military glossary lists:

broke-dick ('dog' usually being a general token word for foot infantry)

(U.S.) A Soldier with a medical condition that would hinder the Soldier's ability to perform certain tasks; alternatively, equipment that is not operationally ready.

(literally meaning an ineffective person or object due to the current nature of its state)

i.e., Billy implies that the valley leading to the canyon for their exit (since they are virtually cut-off from the rendezvous LZ 49) is so horrendous but other means of exit are non-existent or impractical (like a broke dick dog - Hence he would rather take chances with this route instead as other ways are broke.) And Schaefer infers what he was afraid all along that they don't have much of a choice anyway.

Also, if the other interpretation were to be true:

"I wouldn't wish that on a broke-dick dog"

it would mean that he wouldn't want that situation for a person he pities already. (Why would someone want to thrown a bad situation at a person that he/ she's sorry for in the first place. Which doesn't make much sense as a broke-dick dog is usually referred to an injured soldier/ marine, who's currently incapable of any action. Which is usually a sign of sympathetic sorry for his/ her misfortune being endured rather than any derogatory insult of a traitor or deserter who skips his draft responsibility. i.e., broke-dick dog = ineffective person/ object ≠ worst of an enemy)

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.