Original artwork, not a still
Oh man, I shot Marvin in the face.
— Pulp Fiction · 1994
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
The line is funny because of how flat it is: a man casually states a gruesome accident like a spilled drink, and the film gives him no shame at all. It captures Tarantino's mix of cool-guy talk and grubby, sudden violence, and sets up the long, tense cleanup comedy that follows. Fans quote it as the deadpan way to own up to any mistake, bigger or smaller.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Pulp FictionShow the scene
In Pulp Fiction (1994, written and directed by Quentin Tarantino), hitmen Jules Winnfield and Vincent Vega have just taken a briefcase from Brett's apartment for their boss, Marsellus Wallace, and are driving off with Marvin, a young man who was in the flat and is Marsellus's informant. Vincent, sitting in the back, turns and asks Marvin what he makes of Jules's talk of divine intervention, waving his gun as he does. The gun goes off, and Vincent says the line in a daze. Jules, furious, drives them to his friend Jimmie's house (played by Tarantino) and Marsellus sends in the cleaner Winston Wolfe, played by Harvey Keitel, to deal with the car. Phil LaMarr plays Marvin.
Sources (2)
- Wikipedia: Pulp FictionPlot, the apartment and car sequence; Cast and charactersReference checked
- Wikiquote: Pulp FictionCar scene dialogue between Vincent, Jules and MarvinReference checked
Context reviewed
