A movie that practically defines the mere concept of iconography is 1994’s Pulp Fiction. Arguably the best of director Quentin Tarantino’s films, the Academy Award-winning drama – for Best Screenplay, shared between Tarantino and Roger Avary – is chock-full of endlessly quotable dialogue, memorable characters, and some of the most strikingly picturesque imagery in cinematic history. Yet, one of the most – if not the most – talked about elements of the film is a certain coveted briefcase and its contents, which, to this day, remain unknown.
The briefcase – which Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) are assigned to retrieve and deliver to their boss, Marcellus Wallace (Ving Rhames) – plays a key role in two scenes in which it is seen emitting a captivating golden glow when opened, but what lies inside is kept off camera. If you find yourself desperately wishing to know what could have created that golden glow next time you watch Pulp Fiction – which you can now stream for free on Plex – you are certainly not alone, but that is just how Tarantino prefers it, after all. In partnership with Plex, the following is an exploration of how the esteemed filmmaker has addressed the mystery of the briefcase in the past and why the director hasn’t provided a definitive answer.
