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Pulp Fiction: What in the World is in That Briefcase?
The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who in the name of charity and goodwill shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee. – Ezekiel 25:17, Jules Winnfield (Samuel L Jackson).
Actually you won’t find this passage in the bible. It’s a combination of a number of passages pieced together by Tarantino especially for the film Pulp Fiction and quoted by one of its leading characters Jules Winnfield played by the legendry actor Samuel L Jackson.
Source: boards.ign.com
Pulp Fiction written and directed Quentin Tarantino and released in 1994 by Miramax Films, combines seven different stories starting and finishing with the robbing of a diner by “Pumpkin” and “Honey Bunny”. Along the way we meet characters Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Jackson) who are hit men working for mobster Marcellus Wallace (Ving Rhames). Wallace has his fingers in many pies and the story intertwines with boxing where Butch (Bruce Willis) is bribed by Wallace to take a “dive” in the fifth round, Vincent has to take Wallace’s wife out to dinner where she overdoses afterwards prompting a drive to his dealers house, and Vincent and Jules are on a job to retrieve a briefcase from some people who have quote “screwed Marcellus Wallace”. As you can possibly tell, the story takes concentration and more than one viewing before a genuine understanding is gained. Its nonlinear sequence has put more than a few viewers off.
Source: www.popartuk.com
But lets get back to the main point; what the hell is in the briefcase? During the film the viewer never actually gets to see the contents of the briefcase which Jules and Vincent retrieved, rather just a strange golden glow. The glow and the looks on the characters faces when peering into the case gives the impression of something that is seemingly priceless. Many theories have been flung around about exactly what is in that mysterious briefcase. You can make up your own mind.
- The Soul of Gangster Marcellus Wallace
- The Diamonds From The Robbery In Reservoir Dogs
- Heroin
- Gold bars
- An Oscar Statue
- A Royale With Cheese
This is the most common theory and probably the most plausible answer to what is in the case. During the film we are first introduced to Marcellus Wallace with a shot looking at the back of his head where he has a band aid stuck to the back of his neck. If you look carefully you also notice that the briefcases’ combination is 666. This has lead a number of theorists to believe that Wallace has sold his soul to the devil because in a number of religions the soul is taken from the back of the head and so the plot is structured around Wallace trying to get it back. Therefore the golden glow is that of Marcellus Wallace’s soul.
Source: blogs.weei.com
Another very good theory is that inside the briefcase is the diamonds that were stolen from the movie Reservoir Dogs also written and directed by Tarantino. The plot in Reservoir Dogs ends without the viewer knowing the whereabouts of the diamonds. Could that be what is in the case? One problem; it doesn’t explain the golden glow.
A number of people have discussed the possibility that it is something as simple as blocks of heroin which is a very good argument as Wallace is a renowned dealer of the drug and his wife obviously an avid user judging by the scene after returning home with Vincent from Jack Rabbit Slims. Again, doesn’t explain the glow.
Seems far too easy for the contents to be gold bars but that would explain the glow and the extremes Wallace goes too to get it back.
Some punters believe that the movie was so good that the case contained one of the seven Oscars the film received!
“You know what they call a Quarter Pounder in France? A Royale With Cheese” Yep some people have even decided that inside the case that everyone is after is a hamburger. Go figure.
Now none of these theories have ever been proven and Tarantino has kept extremely tight lipped since the films release 14 years ago. He has been quoted as saying that what is in the case is for the viewer to decide. Most people have concluded that the briefcase is simply a McGuffin or a plot device inserted into the script to aid the characters actions and give the plot a point to follow.
Source: www.screenhead.com
Quentin Tarantino
Pulp Fiction was nominated for six academy awards for Best Picture (Lawrence Bender, producer), Best Director (Quentin Tarantino), Best Actor (John Travolta), Best Supporting Actress (Uma Thurman), Best Supporting Actor (Samuel L Jackson), and Best Film Editing (Sally Menke). It won only one of these nominations for best script. It has been hailed as one of the greatest films of it’s time.
38 Comments
I’m one of those odd people who has not seen this. Must rectify. Good to see a film that leaves you with questions – so does your artricle!
“Disco” Good job!
This is one of my favorite movies of John Travolta, and I also like the sound track of this movie! Great review!
Great piece you got here.
Great article.
I’m one of the few people on the planet who never saw this movie. I like the clips I’ve seen of it, however, and your review has convinced me I should rent the DVD!
My bet is that it’s the Royale with cheese.
One is intrigued with this mystery of the briefcase, made me remember a Spagetti western, Django in the film, Franco Nero ,who is dragging a coffin,during all the film, is a real icon. At the end of the film pulls out a machine-gun and let the carnage.
Nice! Keep up the great work!
You make is sound interesting. Best wishes, Ruby
Hella good article. I love Tarentino and how he pulls his viewers through his movies with his various plot sequences (like in Four Rooms). But I never even once though about the idea of what was in the suitcase. Makes you think.
I love this movie. I have the soundtrack which is completely amazing and edgy. Cool piece RJ
Thanks a lot everybody. A great movie for sure. Appreciate your comments.
Interesting, if he is anything like my DH it is his sandwiches and a copy of the sporting news! I will confess to never having seen this film.
Interesting review!
Didn’t win all of those awards. Forrest Gump was best picture. Bullets over Broadway best director. Tom Hanks best actor… Should’ve won though…
haha – I LOVE this!! I’m hoping it’s
A Royale With Cheese
“You know what they call a Quarter Pounder in France? A Royale With Cheese” Yep some people have even decided that inside the case that everyone is after is a hamburger. Go figure.
hahha – great movie, great article and idea!
Blessings.
Sincerely,
-Liane Schmidt.
I liked this film too. Good job!
As good as this movie is, it only won one Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. It was nominated for the others but didn’t win.
i love that movie it is awesome ive seen it a hundred times and it never gets old!!!!!!!!!!
There’s a bit of a mistake in the article. Under the heroin topic. The reason that Marcellus’ wife goes into major OD is because she assumes that the baggie is filled with cocaine.
Twice prior in the film (once in the bathroom at Jack Rabbit’s and once watching Vincent on the camera) she is doing coke. She ends up doing a full line of some hard hitting heroin and it causes her to IMMEDIATELY overdose.
it’s always been pretty obvious to me what’s in the case- a yellow light.
mystery solved.
you’re welcome.
Hey RJ.Never actually noticed we never saw inside,and I love that movie,seen it several times.I always just thought it was the heroin
I like to think that the object in the brief case’s only importance is the metaphorical purpose of it. Throughout the film, Jules talks about standing for what is right, his strong belief in miracles and the purpose of everyone and every thing. My guess is what is physically in the brief case makes no difference, but that it stands for everything good (thus having a yellow glow) and Jules is shepherding it, quite literally, “through the valley of darkness” (I.E. drug abuse, violence, etc).
For example: When “Ringo” (the weak) is shown what is inside the briefcase, he is almost brought to tears and says how beautiful it is. He is eventually convinced to leave by Jules (the shepherd). This could quite possibly be because Ringo, the weak, saw the other side. He was tempted by evil and the shepherd briefly (Pun not intended) showed him what pure good was.
All in all, there could only be a yellow light bulb in the brief case, or an oscar statue, or gold bars. But none of those guesses are really important in the end, because the prop in the briefcase does not stand off what something really is. Bon jour, Hola, and Aloha all mean Hello.
A lightbulb.
But I like the Reservoir Dogs theory. Later in the movie, Marcellus’s wife and Vincent go to a restaurant where they are served by Buddy Holly. But in reality, it is Mr. Pink. Ironically, they don’t tip him.
mrs wallace is not a smackhead. She obviously likes a few lines of cocaine, and mistook vincent’s heroin for cocaine which is why she tried to snort it – not a good idea hence shot of adrenalin to the heart etc
I can’t remember where I read it, but I read somewhere that is was Elvis’ gold suit in the case. I like the idea of it being Marcellus’ soul better.
I always figured it was something like the Holy Grail or the Arc of the Coveneant.
It would explain the golden glow, the religious transformation and the near instantaneous recognition by some.
Mia isn’t a heroine user; She’s a coke head. Vince’s dealer was out of balloons, and has to put the heroine in a baggie instead. If they guy had put the heroine in a balloon, Mia would have know what it was, wouldn’t have snorted it, or maybe just not as much, and there really wouldn’t have been much of a movie…
Either way, she was pretty stupid for not at least tasting a little before sucking down a hog line.
Supposedly Vince was the brother of one of the people in reservoir dogs so that would be a cool tie in.
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I finally found out what the film was about!
I can see why this article has been so special
- it writes about a generation.
Thanks RJ – heaps of fun . j
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Stoked everyone has enjoyed this piece. Thanks for the clarification of the drug taking scenario and for your ideas on the briefcase. RJ
Not to split hairs here, but Mia Wallace is more of a coke-head than a herion user.
That’s just me being picky though.
Haha, of course I read through 4 or 5 posts, decide i dont have the time to read through them all, post my piece and then look up two spots from the bottom and see it’s already been covered. Just my luck.
Hi readers,
If you enjoyed this piece then I’m sure you will enjoy my latest on the top 10 horror movie psychos. You can find it at:
http://www.cinemaroll.com/Horror/Top-10-Horror-Movie-Psychos.519563
Cheers,
RJ
Hi bfdl,
Amended,
RJ
I always thought it was the Holy Grail. The bandage on the back of Wallace’s neck was covering a ‘666′ mark since he was the devil, or an agent of the devil. This encrusted Goblet also explains the glow.
Hey there guys, my theory is this:
*When Vincent opens the case he says ” yeah, we cool “.
*When Pumpkin opens it in the diner he says ” its beautiful “.
*Jules says in the diner ” i have worked too hard for this ”
My theory is that its actually the script for the movie in the brief case with Jules refering too filming the movie when he says that. And its well known that this is Tarantinos favourite movie he has made , and he has been quoted in interviews as saying the exact words ” its beautiful ” refering to his movie. Nobody else has had these theories and in my opinion i could be on the right track.