| “ | A work of blazing originality! It places Quentin Tarantino in the front ranks of American Filmmakers! | ” |
— The New York Times
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Pulp Fiction | |
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| Director | Quentin Tarantino |
| Writer(s) | Quentin Tarantino |
| Producer(s) | Lawrence Bender |
| Story | Quentin Tarantino
Roger Avary |
| Starring | John Travolta - Samuel L. Jackson -Uma Thurman - Bruce Willis - Harvey Keitel - Ving Rhames - Tim Roth - Amanda Plummer - Maria de Medeiros - Eric Stoltz - Rosanna Arquette - Christopher Walkens |
| Distributor | Miramax Films |
| Release Date | October 14, 1994 |
| Runtime | 154 minutes |
Summary[]
In three unforgettable chapters (Vincent Vega and Marsellus Wallace's Wife/The Gold Watch/The Bonnie Situation) in this film, the chapters follows two low-rented hitmen, their boss's wife and a fortunate prizefighter.
Plot/Synopsis[]
Prologue[]
A British couple, "Pumpkin" and "Honey Bunny" are eating breakfast at a diner as they chat about committing a robbery in the diner. They decide on this, after discussing about their previous heist, as restaraunts might raise up money. The two then draws their guns and announces the heist.
Prelude to "Vincent Vega and Marsellus Wallace's Wife"[]
Jules Winfield and Vincent Vega are in a car as Vince talks about his trip around the countries in Europe, including the "Royale with Cheese" of a French version of McDonald's and the bars in Amsterdam. The two are in dress suits and as they exit, they go to the car trunk to retrieve their guns. They then enter an apartment complex and Vince begins about Marcellus Wallace, their boss, throwing a man off a fourth-floor balcony for giving his wife a foot massage. After exiting the elevator, they enter an apartment of a man named Brett, with him and his friends being inside. Brett and his friend "Flock-of-Seagulls", are eating Big-Kahuwna burgers. Jules makes a fake bonding with Brett and later drew the conversation of payment for Marcellus. Vince finds a suitcase belonging to Marcellus, with a prized-possession inside (which is unseen throughout the film), and Jules transfixes on Brett, officially shooting "Flock-of-Seagulls" and shooting Brett in the shoulder. Jules then quotes "Ezekiel 25:17", a Bible speech, before he and Vince executes Brett.
Vincent Vega and Marsellus Wallace's Wife[]
At a bar, Marcellus Wallace speaks with prizefighter Butch Coolidge. Marcellus tells Butch Coolidge to throw the fight as he bribes Butch with an envelope of stacks of money. Vincent and Jules (who are now dressed in t-shirts and shorts) enters the bar. As Jules goes to the bathroom after a conversation with Vince about escorting Marcellus' wife. Vince has a brief encounter with Butch, with Vince making an insult, before Vince is called by Marcellus.
Later, Vince buys high-graded heroin from drug dealer and good friend Lance from different countries, where Vince had briefly chat with Lance's wife when she discussed about piercing.
Later at night, he drives to Marcellus' house to pick up Mia, who is watching Vince via security camera from a room. The two then arrives at Jack Rabbit's Slim', a 1950s-themed restaurant with employees having bear resemblences to deceased celebrities. As they eat, Vince takes a strong like on the milkshake and food. As a man announces the annual dance contest, Mia selects herself and Vince and they win the trophy. The two arrives back at Mia's home with the trophy. Vince goes to the bathroom to urine as Mia sits on the couch. Vince then talks to his mirror image of his farewell goodbye to Mia as Mia finds Vince's heroin in his coat pockets, she mistaking it for cocaine. She sniffs the heroin, causing her to overdose and Vince finds her nearly dying and rushes her to Lance's home. As the latter arrives, Lance looks for a medical book and an adrenaline needle to revive her, in which Vince stabs her with the adrenaline shot and Mia is revived. Vince drives Mia back home and before she enters the house, Mia agrees to Vince of not telling Marcellus about the incident and Vince gives her a quiet blowkiss.
Prelude to "The Gold Watch"[]
As a young Butch watches television, he is interrupted by a visit from Captain Koons, a Vietnam War veteran who is a good friend of Butch's deceased father. Captain Koons explains to Butch that the generations of the Coolidge men has been passing a golden watch down since the beginning of the first World War. Captain Koons also explains that Butch's father has been hiding the watch in his rectum for years before Butch's father passed the watch to Koons as he dies. Koons then hid the watch inside his rectum for two years into delivering it to Butch, and Koons gives the watch to Butch. Suddenly, a bell rings, and the present-day/adult Butch wakes up as he is in his boxing clothing as his boxing match begins.
The Gold Watch[]
Butch flees the boxing arena into a taxi, with an attractive Colombian female taxi driver rushing out of the alleyway. As Butch changes his boxing colors into regular clothes, the taxi driver, whose name is Esmeralda Villalobos, asks Butch about murdering his opponent. Butch realizes that he had double-crossed Marcellus and that the opponent fighter is now dead.
Back at the arena, Vince and a bartender who works at the bar earlier walks to where Marcellus is awaiting on the opponent's dead body, with Mia alongside. Marcellus makes a threat remark on Butch.
Butch arrives at the motel where his French girlfriend Fabienne is lying down, where the two make love. In the morning, Butch gets dress but finds that Fabienne has forgetten to pack the golden watch, causing Butch to go on a savage outburst.
He then drives to his apartment to retrieve his watch but pauses for a snack. He finds a Mac-11 on his counter and then finds that someone else is in the house, only in the bathroom. Butch grabs the gun and readies it as Vince, who is using the bathroom, exits out and is startled of Butch. This confrontion is silent and unmovable for a moment, until Butch's pop-tarts pops up and Butch shoots Vince several times in the chest, killing him and causing his body into crashing into the tub and setting the alarm off.
Butch leaves with the watch and as he stops at a red light, he sees Marcellus, with donuts and coffee, walking in the street and he stops to look at Butch. Marcellus, in surprise, remarks "Motherfucker!" before Butch pulls off and running over Marcellus, resulting in a car accident. Marcellus regains consciousness with a group of female citizens helping him as one of them points out Butch, who has a facial injury of a bloody, broken nose. Marcellus then pulls out his gun and shoots at Butch, injuring a civilian due to his faze from the runover. Butch runs into a local store, where he encounters Manyard and as Marcellus walks in and is beaten, Manyard forces Butch to surrender. He then knocks out Butch and makes a phone call while Marcellus loses consciousness again.
The two regains consciousness, only to find that both of them are bounded and gagged. The two then meets Zed, Manyard's cousin, and the Gimp, a silent mask figure. Zed chooses Marcellus into raping him and as they drag him into another room, the Gimp is assigned to watch Butch. Butch manages to escape and knock the Gimp out, only for him into saving Marcellus' life and killing Manyard with a sword. Marcellus is untied and uses Manyard's shotgun into shooting Zed in the groin. Marcellus explains to Butch that he is spared, but must leave Los Angeles for good and to never return. Butch agrees, with Marcellus left behind to possibly giving Zed a brutal torture. Butch escapes with Zed's motorcycle and picks up Fabienne.
The Bonnie Situation[]
The chapter picks off of the prelude of Vincent Vega and Marcellus Wallace's Wife with the execution of Brett. Vince and Jules has Marvin, their informant, to be quiet due to shockingly mumbling. Another man comes from the bathroom and shoots wildly at the hit men, however, the bullets fired are missed and the two return fire, killing the man. Vince taunts on Marvin for not warning them about the man in the bathroom. Jules then examines the bullet holes in the wall, as he thinks that God had stopped the bullets, leading for a "miracle". Jules, Vince and Marvin then leaves the apartment.
In Jules car, Vince talks about "Cops" to Jules. Jules considers himself "retired" because of his dangerous occupation as hitman. Vince then asks Marvin about the bullets in the wall, with Marvin replying of an opinion. Vince turns to Marvin and tells him that if he believes that god stopped the bullets. However, Vince's gun accidentally goes off, shooting and killing Marvin with a headshot and spraying brain matter and blood inside the car and on the duo. Jules scolds Vince for shooting Marvin in the face and complains about the bloody mess in the car. Jules then calls Jimmie, a friend of his to help them to his house.
At Jimmie's house, Jules and Vince are in the bathroom washing their hands. The two talks about Jimmie's situation of throwing both of them out of the house, as he had previously just had woken up and having an unexpected experience. Jules then scolds Vince more because Vince had caused an amount of blood on the bathroom's washcloth. Vince says that the blood isn't coming off. Jules explains to Vince that he doesn't want to be put into another situation. In the kitchen, the still-bloodbounded Vince and Jules are drinking Jimmie's coffee. Jules makes a statement of how delicious Jimmie's coffee is. Jimmie then tells Jules to knock it off, as he is temporarily frustrated. Jimmie explains that even though he accepts Jules' nice statement about his coffee, he is frustrated about Marvin's body in his garage, referring to him as a "dead nigger" and the garage as "Dead Nigger Storage". Jimmie is also upset that his wife, Bonnie, is going to be home early in the morning, and that if she finds Marvin's body, he is going to get divorced. He then scolds Jules of making phone calls, and reminds him to "get the fuck out my house" before Bonnie comes, as he points out the phone. Jules calls Marcellus about an idea of getting rid of Marvin's dead body as soon as possible and about Bonnie. Marcellus calmly tells Jules that it isn't a serious situation, because he is going to send "The Wolf". Jules, surprised, at Marcellus getting the Wolf, says "Shit, negro, That's all you had to say" before he hangs up.
Somewhere around a house, The Wolf is having a phone conversation with (possibly Marcellus or Jules). The Wolf writes down information of the adress, Vincent and Jule's names, and Bonnie, Marvin description of "no head". The Wolf says that he will arrive in ten minutes. Around ten minutes later (nine minutes, thirty-seven seconds later), The Wolf arrives. The Wolf meets Vince and Jules and informs that Bonnie will arrive in forty minutes. He is then taken to Jules' bloody car, examining the blood and Marvin's body, as he asks Jimmie to make him some coffee. They go back to the kitchen, with The Wolf commanding the two to clean the inside of the car and orders Jimmie for quilts and sheets to camoflouge the interior of the car. Vince then tells The Wolf to add a please in his sentences when he gives commands. The Wolf reminds the two that he is there to help and that he and the hitmen must do this quick. Vince then tells that he doesn't mean this in disrespect, but that he doesn't like being barked orders at. The Wolf adds a "please" to order the two to clean the car. In a bedroom, The Wolf is talking on the phone, describing Jules' car and the arrival of Bonnie, to Monster Joe. Jimmie then comes into the room with the blankets and quilts as he tells The Wolf about the blankets as presents from his uncle and aunts. The Wolf asks him that they were millionaires and also asks him if he is an "oak man". In the car, Vince and Jules are eventually cleaning it. Jules begins to complain about the mess as he states that he will never forgive Vince for the incident. Vince then tells him that he can forgive him for wrongdoings. Vince then tells that he can do wrongdoings on car on red and that he is ready to blow. Jules, now more frustrated, berates Vince of being ready to blow as he then yells at Vince of cleaning the backseat and tells him to switch. The Wolf then examines the car, praising them for the work. They then go into the backyard, with Jimmie with towels in his hand and The Wolf tells the two to undress to their bare bodies. As they put their suits into the bag, Vince and Jules are handed soap by Jimmie. The Wolf sprays the two with water. They are handed the towels and then their new clothes. They are now in cacky t-shirts and shorts, much to their annoyance as The Wolf laughs at them. As Marvin's body and the bags are now in the trunk, The Wolf, Vince and Jules goes to Monster Joe's, an autoshop and disposal area of cars. At Monster Joe's, both Jules and Vince meets Racquel, Monster Joe's daughter who is also The Wolf's girlfriend. She asks about their clothes as she and The Wolf leaves for breakfast. The two say goodbye to The Wolf, as he says that they can call him by his real name. The Wolf leaves, as the two calls for a cab and later goes for breakfast.
Epilogue[]
At Hawthorne Grill, Jules and Vince are enjoying breakfast. Vince asks that if Jules wants bacon, Jules declines, stating that he doesn't eat dirty animals like pigs and dogs. They switch the topic about the "miracle" they had witnessed. Vince defines the miracle but also the act of god. Jules states all the acts from god that are based on merit. The two goes onto their incident in the morning and cease the miracles. Vince decides to excuse himself by going to the bathroom to defecate. Vince asks Jules of why he reclaimed the incident, with Jules replying. Vince remarks "to be continued". At the meantime, Honey Bunny and Pumpkin announces their heist. The two then threatens many costumers and restaraunt staffs to get down as Jules calmly watches them. As the British couple collects wallets from the hostages, Pumpkin encounters the calm Jules to collect his wallet and asks for the briefcase. Jules refuses to open, as Pumpkin suspects him as a vigilante and threatens to shoot him unless he opens the briefcase. Jules do so, but he then holds Pumpkin at gunpoint, with Honey Bunny yelling at Jules hysterically. Jules manages to calm her, with him now referring to Honey Bunny of her real name: Yolanda and Pumpkin as "Ringo". He then tells Ringo to sit down with his gun left on the table. He does so, but Yolanda nervously tells Jules to let Ringo go. Jules states to her that he can accidentally kill Ringo if he gets too nervous, a reference to when Vince accidentally kill Marvin. Jules explains to Ringo that he cannot hand the briefcase to Ringo and has too much for the morning, as Vince comes out and holds Yolanda at gunpoint. Jules calms her again, telling her to point the gun at him and commands Vince not to do anything. Jules tells Ringo to go into the bag and find his wallet. Jules tells Ringo to count the amount of money in the wallet, and requests him to keep it. Vince makes a remark about shooting him if he receives the money, causing Yolanda to go off-guard onto Vince and Jules tells her to relax and tells Vince to "shut the fuck up". Jules tells Ringo that he is using his money to buy Ringo's life and he memorizes the "Ezekiel 25:17" bible quote to Ringo. He cocks his gun off and tells Ringo and Yolanda to go home. The couple leaves and Vince reminds Jules that they should leave. Jules agrees. The two hitmen both put their guns in their shorts and exits the restaurant.
Sequences[]
Pulp Fiction's narrative is told out of chronological order, and follows three main interrelated stories: Vincent Vega is the protagonist of the first story, Butch Coolidge is the protagonist of the second, and Jules Winnfield is the protagonist of the third.
The film begins with a diner hold-up staged by a couple, then moves to the stories of Vincent, Jules, and Butch. It finally returns to where it began, in the diner. There are a total of seven narrative sequences:
- "Prologue – The Diner" (i)
- Prelude to "Vincent Vega and Marsellus Wallace's Wife"
- "Vincent Vega and Marsellus Wallace's Wife"
- Prelude to "The Gold Watch" (a – flashback, b – present)
- "The Gold Watch"
- "The Bonnie Situation"
- "Epilogue – The Diner" (ii)
If the seven sequences were ordered chronologically, they would run: 4a, 2, 6, 1, 7, 4b, 3, 5. Sequences 1 and 7 partially overlap and are presented from different points of view, as do sequences 2 and 6.