When it comes to the brilliance of cinema, only a few films and its props have managed to spark as much intrigue as Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 masterpiece, Pulp Fiction, and the briefcase featured in it. For generations, audiences have been captivated by the golden glow that reflects upon opening the coveted briefcase and has fueled countless theories.
Yet somehow, the briefcase’s true contents remained shrouded in mystery. So much so that even Quentin Tarantino seemed to be done with the wonders of what lies within. Despite innumerable theories, the filmmaker left it to audiences to suit themselves with their own theory about the contents of the briefcase.
Fan Theories Surrounding the Mysterious Pulp Fiction Briefcase
Ever since the release of Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction in 1994, the film not only entertained audiences with its cult classic storyline but also left fans hovering around the mysterious briefcase. For decades, the movie thrilled audiences with the scene where John Travolta’s Vincent Vega witnessed a golden glow upon unlatching the lock on the coveted case.
Considering that audiences only witnessed the gold glow of its contents, since the camera never revealed what’s actually inside, fans of Quentin Tarantino’s classic came up with a myriad of theories. While a few suggested that the shiny light implied gold that glistened and blinded the eyes, others drew a correlation to Tarantino’s other project Reservoir Dogs, which featured a diamond heist.
Cash turned out to be another popular option, with the gold glow suggesting a sense of irony. Claiming that the characters considered the mundane dollar bills as some sort of holy or magical thing, fans stuck with materialistic ideas. However, a few imaginative minds were convinced over the years that the briefcase actually contained the soul of Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames).
Suggesting that the briefcase combination was “666”, and Wallace has a Band-Aid on the back of his neck, fans claimed that the criminal kingpin must have traded his soul to the devil, and the bandage highlighted the place from where it was removed. However, none of the theories were confirmed or denied by Quentin Tarantino, leaving the enigma to persist.
Quentin Tarantino Left the Enigma to Persist Amid Myriad Guesses
While fan theories suggested that the briefcase either contained a treasure of immeasurable value or some esoteric and supernatural content, Quentin Tarantino refused to give out the answer to the mystery. The filmmaker simply noted that the briefcase is meant to encourage personal interpretations. During an interview with Charlie Rose in 2009, the director urged his audiences to figure out the secret behind the gold hue.
That’s one of my things: whether or not the audience knows about it, I know about the character’s past, and I just want the actors to know. The audience doesn’t need to know.
Using the rope burn around Aldo Raine’s neck in Inglorious Basterds as an example, Quentin Tarantino noted that most of his films contained ideas and objects of intense speculation. Further justifying that giving out the secret behind these mysteries would only spoil the fun and put an end to audiences’ imagination, Tarantino left the contents of the Pulp Fiction briefcase ambiguous, inviting speculation and intrigue.
Just figure it out, all right? I mean, it’s up to you to supply where that rope burn came from… I like the idea, I like the idea that, OK, if you contemplate why there is a rope burn there, and somebody else contemplates why there is a rope burn there, and somebody else contemplates it, and three different people come up with three different reasons why he got a rope burn, those are three different movies you all saw. And I like that idea.
I like the idea that you open up the briefcase in “Pulp Fiction” and I don’t tell you what is in there, but it is up to you to figure out what is in there, and now that’s your movie. And you’ll make that decision somewhere down the line. Now if I tell you at this table what it is, then you will throw that away, and I don’t want you to throw away. That’s your movie.
Well, Quentin Tarantino seemed to be done with the greatest mystery of cinema and left it to audiences to figure it out. Unwilling to spoil the allure of the briefcase and put an end to the viewer’s imagination, Tarantino turned the briefcase into a vessel for personal interpretation and mystery. Therefore, in the end, the true nature of the case once again remained a tantalizing mystery that continues to evoke curiosity and debate.
Pulp Fiction is available on Prime Video.
