Film Quote of the Day: The Unexpected Wisdom Hidden in This 'Pulp Fiction' Line

Sometimes I think about what audiences felt watching Pulp Fiction for the first time. Were they blown away? Did people lose their minds in the theatres when the music played, and the dialogue popped, and the gunfire exploded?

To me, this is Quentin Tarantino's masterpiece, a crazy look at the underbelly of Los Angeles and the gangsters who run the streets.

There are so many memorable lines within the movie, from Ezekiel 25:17 to the watch speech, but one quiet dialogue exchange early in the film holds the thesis statement for the entire movie.

And I want to dive into that today.

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The Scene in Question

Man, this movie rocks. The scene I want to talk about is in the thread that involves a fixed boxing match and crosses over briefly into a few others.

This scene is bathed in warm, moody red light.

We're inside a quiet bar in LA, the kind that only lets certain people in during the day. That's where crime boss Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames) sits across from boxer Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis).

These two have a lot to talk about, namely, fixing a fight.

What I love about this scene is that you understand each character's point of view. And it gives context to the whole movie.

Butch is an aging fighter whose window for glory is rapidly closing. If he takes this money, it could set him up for retirement. But is he ready to just be done with fighting?

Marsellus knows exactly what is going through Butch’s head. This is not the first fight he's fixed; it's what gives him control in this world.

That's right when we get all in that sort of sets the point of view into motion.

"The night of the fight, you may feel a slight sting. That's pride fucking with you. F*uck pride. Pride only hurts, it never helps."

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What The Quote Means

On the surface,r this is real advice. Don't let pride get in the way of a payday. Underneath it, is Marcellus telling him that he's in control and that letting a useless emotion get in the way would bring him harm.

So, it's also a threat.

The thing I love about this movie is how it makes it clear that pride is one of the central themes. We'll see it in Butch's refusal to follow orders and in Marcellus eventually swallowing his pride when Butch saves his life.

Those who choose pride often meet a gruesome end.

Take Vincent Vega. He can't stop being a hitman because of his pride, even as Jules steps away. He can't stop doing drugs either, so when he winds up on the toilet, pride does him in when Butch kills him.

We see that the people who step away stay alive, and the ones who let pride come in do not.

Pumpkin and Honey Bunny swallow their pride and make a way with cash from the Norm's robbery.

The character Taranrino plays gets saved from his wife's intrusion because he is willing to cede that pride to the Wolf, so it even happens in minor scenes.

It's such a crucial part of this movie's thematic core.

Summing It All Up

Marsellus Wallace’s monologue is the thematic spine of Pulp Fiction. I love the way it bluntly tells us what this movie is all about, and how we see the consequences of this speech roll out in every possible storyline.

The next time you find yourself clinging to a bad script draft or refusing to compromise on an edit, conjure up this advice and check the ego at the door.

It will only get you killed. Or your idea passed on.