MEDIUM SHOT – BUTCH COOLIDGE
We FADE UP on BUTCH COOLIDGE, a white, 26-year-old
prizefighter. Butch sits at a table wearing a red and blue
high school athletic jacket. Talking to him OFF SCREEN is
everybody's boss MARSELLUS WALLACE. The black man sounds
like a cross between a gangster and a king.
MARSELLUS (O.S.)
I think you're gonna find – when all
this sh** is over and done – I think
you're gonna find yourself one smilin'
motherf**er. Thing is Butch, right
now you got ability. But painful as
it may be, ability don't last. Now
that's a hard motherf**in' fact of
life, but it's a fact of life your
a** is gonna hafta git realistic
about. This business is filled to
the brim with unrealistic
motherf**ers who thought their a**
aged like wine. Besides, even if
you went all the way, what would you
be? Feather-weight champion of the
world. Who gives a sh**? I doubt you
can even get a credit card based on
that.
A hand lays an envelope full of money on the table in front
of Butch. Butch picks it up.
MARSELLUS (O.S.)
Now the night of the fight, you may
fell a slight sting, that's pride
f**in' wit ya. f** pride! Pride
only hurts, it never helps. Fight
through that sh**. Cause a year
from now, when you're kickin' it in
the Caribbean you're gonna say,
"Marsellus Wallace was right."
BUTCH
I got no problem with that.
MARSELLUS (O.S.)
In the fifth, your a** goes down.
Butch nods his head: "yes."
MARSELLUS (O.S.)
Say it!
BUTCH
In the fifth, my a** goes down.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR (MOVING) – DAY
Vincent Vega looks really cool behind the wheel of a 1964
cherry red Chevy Malibu convertible. From the car radio,
ROCKABILLY MUSIC PLAYS. The b.g. is a COLORFUL PROCESS SHOT.
EXT. SALLY LEROY'S – DAY
Sally LeRoy's is a large topless bar by LAX that Marsellus
owns.
Vincent's cla**ic Malibu WHIPS into the near empty parking
lot and parks next to a white Honda Civic.
Vince knocks on the door. The front entrance is unlocked,
revealing the Dapper Dan fellow on the inside: ENGLISH DAVE.
Dave isn't really English, he's a young black man from Baldwin
Park, who has run a few clubs for Marsellus, including Sally
LeRoy's.
ENGLISH DAVE
Vincent Vega, our man in Amsterdam,
git your a** on in here.
Vincent, carrying the black briefcase from the scene between
Vincent and Jules, steps inside. English Dave SLAMS the door
in our faces.
INT. SALLY LEROY'S – DAY
The spacious club is empty this time of day. English Dave
crosses to the bar, and Vince follows.
VINCENT
Where's the big man?
ENGLISH DAVE
He's over there, finishing up some
business.
VINCENT'S POV: Butch shakes hands with a huge figure with
his back to us. The huge figure is the infamous and as of
yet still UNSEEN Marsellus.
ENGLISH DAVE (O.S.)
Hang back for a second or two, and
when you see the white boy leave, go
on over. In the meanwhile, can I
make you an espresso?
VINCENT
How 'bout a cup of just plain lo'
American?
ENGLISH DAVE
Comin' up. I hear you're taking Mia
out tomorrow?
VINCENT
At Marsellus' request.
ENGLISH DAVE
Have you met Mia?
VINCENT
Not yet.
English Dave smiles to himself.
VINCENT
What's so funny?
ENGLISH DAVE
Not a goddamn thing.
VINCENT
Look, I'm not a idiot. She's the big
man's f**in' wife. I'm gonna sit
across a table, chew my food with my
mouth closed, laugh at her jokes and
that's all I'm gonna do.
English Dave puts Vince's coffee in front of him.
ENGLISH DAVE
My name's Paul, and this is between
y'all.
Butch bellies up to the bar next to Vincent, drinking his
cup of "Plain ol' American."
BUTCH
(to English Dave)
Can I get a pack'a Red Apples?
ENGLISH DAVE
Filters?
BUTCH
Non.
While Butch waits for his smokes, Vincent just sips his
coffee, staring at him. Butch looks over at him.
BUTCH
Lookin' at somethin', friend?
VINCENT
I ain't your friend, palooka.
Butch does a slow turn toward Vincent.
BUTCH
What was that?
VINCENT
I think ya heard me just fine, punchy.
Butch turns his body to Vincent, when...
MARSELLUS (O.S.)
Vincent Vega has entered the building,
git your a** over here!
Vincent walks forward OUT OF FRAME, never giving Butch another
glance. We DOLLY INTO CU on Butch, left alone in the FRAME,
looking like he's ready to go into the manners-teaching
business.
BUTCH'S POV: Vincent hugging and kissing the obscured figure
that is Marsellus.
Butch makes the wise decision that is this a**hole's a friend
of Marsellus, he better let it go – for now.
ENGLISH DAVE (O.S.)
Pack of Red Apples, dollar-forty.
Butch is snapped out of his a**-kicking thoughts. He pays
English Dave and walks out of the SHOT.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. LANCE'S HOUSE (KITCHEN) – NIGHT
CLOSEUP – JODY
A woman who appears to have a fondness for earrings. Both of
her ears are pierced five times. She also sports rings in
her lips, eyebrows and nose.
JODY
...I'll lend it to you. It's a great
book on body piercing.
Jody, Vincent and a young woman named TRUDI sit at the kitchen
table of a suburban house in Echo Park. Even though Vince is
at the same table, he's not included in the conversation.
TRUDI
You know how they use that gun when
they pierce your ears? They don't
use that when they pierce your
nipples, do they?
JODY
Forget that gun. That gun goes against
the entire idea behind piercing. All
of my piercing, sixteen places on my
body, every one of 'em done with a
needle. Five in each ear. One through
the nipple on my left breast. One
through my right nostril. One through
my left eyebrow. One through my lip.
One in my clit. And I wear a stud in
my tongue.
Vince has been letting this conversation go through one ear
and out the other, until that last remark.
VINCENT
(interrupting)
Excuse me, sorry to interrupt. I'm
curious, why would you get a stud in
your tongue?
Jody looks at him and says as if it were the most obvious
thing in the world.
JODY
It's a s** thing. It helps fel**tio.
That thought never occurred to Vincent, but he can't deny it
makes sense. Jody continues talking to Trudi, leaving Vincent
to ponder the truth of her statement.
LANCE (O.S.)
Vince, you can come in now!
INT. LANCE'S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Lance, late 20s, is a young man with a wild and woolly
appearance that goes hand-in-hand with his wild and woolly
personality. LANCE has been selling d** his entire adult
life. He's never had a day job, never filed a tax return and
has never been arrested. He wears a red flannel shirt over a
"Speed Racer" tee-shirt.
Three bags of h**n lie on Lance's bed.
Lance and Vincent stand at the foot of the bed.
LANCE
Now this is Panda, from Mexico. Very
good stuff. This is Bava, different,
but equally good. And this is Choco
from the Hartz Mountains of Germany.
Now the first two are the same, forty-
five an ounce – those are friend
prices but this one...
(pointing to the Choco)
...this one's a little more expensive.
It's fifty-five. But when you shoot
it, you'll know where that extra
money went. Nothing wrong with the
first two. It's real, real, real,
good sh**. But this one's a f**in'
madman.
VINCENT
Remember, I just got back from
Amsterdam.
LANCE
Am I a n******g? Are you in Inglewood?
No. You're in my house. White people
who know the difference between good
sh** and bad sh**, this is the house
they come to. My sh**, I'll take the
Pepsi Challenge with Amsterdam sh**
any ol' day of the f**in' week.
VINCENT
That's a bold statement.
LANCE
This ain't Amsterdam, Vince. This is
a seller's market. Coke is f**in'
dead as disco. Heroin's comin' back
in a big f**in' way. It's this whole
seventies retro. Bell bottoms, h**n,
they're as hot as hell.
Vincent takes out a roll of money that would choke a horse
to d**h.
VINCENT
Give me three hundred worth of the
madman. If it's as good as you say,
I'll be back for a thousand.
LANCE
I just hope I still have it. Whaddya
think of Trudi? She ain't got a
boyfriend, wanna hand out an' get
high?
VINCENT
Which one's Trudi? The one with all
the sh** in her face?
LANCE
No, that's Jody. That's my wife.
Vincent and Lance giggle at the "faux pas."
VINCENT
I'm on my way somewhere. I got a
dinner engagement. Rain check?
LANCE
No problem?
Vincent takes out his case of the works (utensils for shooting
up).
VINCENT
You don't mind if I shoot up here?
LANCE
Me casa, su casa.
VINCENT
Mucho gracias.
Vincent takes his works out of his case and, as the two
continue to talk, Vince shoots up.
LANCE
Still got your Malibu?
VINCENT
You know what some f**er did to it
the other day?
LANCE
What?
VINCENT
f**in' keyed it.
LANCE
Oh man, that's f**ed up.
VINCENT
Tell me about it. I had the goddamn
thing in storage three years. It's
out five f**in' days – five days,
and some dickless piece of sh** f**s
with it.
LANCE
They should be f**in' k**ed. No
trial, no jury, straight to execution.
As he cooks his h**n...
VINCENT
I just wish I caught 'em doin' it,
ya know? Oh man, I'd give anything
to catch 'em doin' it. It'a been
worth his doin' it, if I coulda just
caught 'em, you know what I mean?
LANCE
It's chicken sh**. You don't f**
another man's vehicle.
CLOSEUP – THE NEEDLE
Going into Vincent's vein.
CLOSEUP – BLOOD
Spurting back into the syringe, mixing with the h**n.
CLOSEUP – VINCENT'S THUMB
Pushing down on the plunger.
CUT TO:
EXT. MARSELLUS WALLACE'S HOUSE – NIGHT
Vincent walks toward the house and pulls a note off the door
CLOSEUP – NOTE
The Note reads:
"Hi Vincent, I'm getting dressed. The door's open. Come inside
and make yourself a drink. Mia"
MIA (V.O.)
Hi, Vincent. I'm getting dressed.
The door's open. Come inside and
make yourself a drink.
FADE TO WHITE
Music in.
FADE TO:
INT. MARCELLUS' HOUSE / LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
Vincent enters on the background.
VINCENT
Hello?
INT. MARCELLUS' HOUSE / DRESSING ROOM – NIGHT
MIA, Marcellus' beautiful young wife. Video screens are in
the background. Dusty Springfield is singing "SON OF A
PREACHER MAN".
Mia's mouth comes toward a microphone.
MIA
(into microphone)
Vincent.
INT. MARCELLUS' HOUSE / LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
Vincent turns.
MIA
(over intercom)
Vincent. I'm on the intercom.
INT. MARCELLUS' HOUSE / DRESSING ROOM – NIGHT
MIA
(into microphone)
It's on the wall by the two African
fellas.
INT. MARCELLUS' HOUSE / LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
MIA
(over intercom)
To your right.
Vincent walks.
MIA
...warm. Warmer. Disco.
Vincent finds the intercom on the wall.
VINCENT
Hello.
MIA
(over intercom)
Push the bu*ton if you want to talk.
VINCENT
(into intercom)
Hello.
INT. MARCELLUS' HOUSE / DRESSING ROOM – NIGHT
MIA
(into microphone)
Go make yourself a drink., and I'll
be down in two shakes of a lamb's
tail.
INT. MARCELLUS' HOUSE / LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
MIA
(over intercom)
The bar's by the fireplace.
VINCENT
(into intercom)
Okay.
(licks lips)
INT. MARCELLUS' HOUSE / DRESSING ROOM – NIGHT
A video screen with an image of Vincent, walking. The Dusty
Springfield song continues.
Mia turns a knob which controls the movement of the video
camera in Marcellus' living room.
INT. MARCELLUS' HOUSE / LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
Vincent picks up a bottle of scotch. He sniffs the bottle,
and then pours it into a gla**.
INT. MARCELLUS' HOUSE / DRESSING ROOM – NIGHT
A razor blade cuts c**aine on a mirror.
INT. MARCELLUS' HOUSE / LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
Vincent drinks a gla** of scotch.
INT. MARCELLUS' HOUSE / DRESSING ROOM – NIGHT
Mia sniffs the c**aine.
INT. MARCELLUS' HOUSE / LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
Vincent sips the drink and looks at a portrait of Mia on the
wall.
Mia walks into the room, and takes the needle off a record.
The Dusty Springfield song stops.
MIA
Let's go.
EXT. JACKRABBIT SLIM'S – NIGHT
In the past six years, 50's diners have sprung up all over
L.A., giving Thai restaurants a run for their money. They're
all basically the same. Decor out of an "Archie" comic book,
Golden Oldies constantly emanating from a bubbly Wurlitzer,
saucy waitresses in bobby socks, menus with items like the
Fats Domino Cheeseburger, or the Wolfman Jack Omelet, and
over prices that pay for all this bullsh**.
But then there's JACKRABBIT SLIM'S, the big mama of 50's
diners.
Either the best or the worst, depending on your point of
view.
Vincent's Malibu pulls up to the restaurant. A big sign with
a neon figure of a cartoon surly cool cat jackrabbit in a
red windbreaker towers over the establishment. Underneath
the cartoon is the name: JACKRABBIT SLIM'S. Underneath that
is the slogan: "Next best thing to a time machine."
VINCENT
What the f** is this place?
MIA
This is Jackrabbit Slim's. An Elvis
man should love it.
VINCENT
Come on, Mia, let's go get a steak.
MIA
You can get a steak here, daddy-o.
Don't be a...
Mia draws a square with her hands. Dotted lines appear on
the screen, forming a sqaure. The lines disperse.
VINCENT
After you, kitty-cat.
INT. JACKRABBIT SLIM'S – NIGHT
Compared to the interior, the exterior was that of a quaint
English pub. Posters from 50's A.I.P. movies are all over
the wall
("ROCK ALL NIGHT," "HIGH SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL," "ATTACK OF
THE CRAB MONSTER," and "MACHINE GUN KELLY"). The booths that
the patrons sit in are made out of the cut up bodies of 50s
cars.
In the middle of the restaurant in a dance floor. A big sign
on the wall states, "No shoes allowed." Some wannabe beboppers
(actually Melrose-types), do the twist in their socks or
barefeet.
The picture windows don't look out the street, but instead,
B & W movies of 50's street scenes play behind them. The
WAITRESSES and WAITERS are made up as replicas of 50's icons:
MARILYN MONROE, ZORRO, JAMES DEAN, DONNA REED, MARTIN and
LEWIS, and THE PHILIP MORRIS MIDGET, wait on tables wearing
appropriate costumes.
Vincent and Mia study the menu in a booth made out of a red
'59 Edsel. BUDDY HOLLY (their waiter), comes over, sporting
a big bu*ton on his chest that says: "Hi I'm Buddy, pleasing
you please me."
BUDDY
Hi, I'm Buddy, what can I get'cha?
VINCENT
I'll have the Douglas Sirk steak.
BUDDY
How d'ya want it, burnt to a crisp,
or bloody as hell?
VINCENT
Bloody as hell. And to drink, a
vanilla coke.
BUDDY
How 'bout you, Peggy Sue?
MIA
I'll have the Durwood Kirby burger –
bloody – and a five-dollar shake.
BUDDY
How d'ya want that shake, Martin and
Lewis, or Amos and Andy?
MIA
Martin and Lewis.
VINCENT
Did you just order a five-dollar
shake?
MIA
Sure did.
VINCENT
A shake? Milk and ice cream?
MIA
Uh-huh.
VINCENT
It costs five dollars?
BUDDY
Yep.
VINCENT
You don't put bourbon in it or
anything?
BUDDY
Nope.
VINCENT
Just checking.
Buddy exits.
Vincent takes a look around the place. The YUPPIES are
dancing, the DINERS are biting into big, juicy hamburgers,
and the icons are playing their parts. Marilyn is squealing,
The Midget is paging Philip Morris, Donna Reed is making her
customers drink their milk, and Dean and Jerry are acting a
fool.
MIA
Whaddya think?
VINCENT
It's like a wax museum with a pulse
rate.
Vincent takes out his pouch of tobacco and begins rolling
himself a smoke.
After a second of watching him –
MIA
What are you doing?
VINCENT
Rollin' a smoke.
MIA
Here?
VINCENT
It's just tobacco.
MIA
Oh. Well in that case, will you roll
me one, cowboy?
As he finishes licking it –
VINCENT
You can have this one, cowgirl.
He hands her the rolled smoke. She takes it, putting it to
her lips. Out of nowhere appears a Zippo lighter in Vincent's
hand. He lights it.
MIA
Thanks.
VINCENT
Think nothing of it.
He begins rolling one for himself.
As this time, the SOUND of a subway car fills the diner,
making everything SHAKE and RATTLE. Marilyn Monroe runs to a
square vent in the floor. An imaginary subway train BLOWS
the skirt of her white dress around her ears as she lets out
a squeal. The entire restaurant applauds.
Back to Mia and Vincent.
MIA
Marsellus said you just got back
from Amsterdam.
VINCENT
Sure did. I heard you did a pilot.
MIA
That was my fifteen minutes.
VINCENT
What was it?
MIA
It was show about a team of female
secret agents called "Fox Force Five."
VINCENT
What?
MIA
"Fox Force Five." Fox, as in we're a
bunch of foxy chicks. Force, as in
we're a force to be reckoned with.
Five, as in there's one... two ...
three... four... five of us. There
was a blonde one, Sommerset O'Neal
from that show "Baton Rouge," she
was the leader. A Japanese one, a
black one, a French one and a brunette
one, me. We all had special sk**s.
Sommerset had a photographic memory,
the Japanese fox was a kung fu master,
the black girl was a demolition
expert, the French fox' specialty
was s**...
VINCENT
What was your specialty?
MIA
Knives. The character I played, Raven
McCoy, her background was she was
raised by circus performers. So she
grew up doing a knife act. According
to the show, she was the deadliest
woman in the world with a knife. But
because she grew up in a circus, she
was also something of an acrobat.
She could do illusions, she was a
trapeze artist – when you're keeping
the world safe from evil, you never
know when being a trapeze artist's
gonna come in handy. And she knew a
zillion old jokes her grandfather,
an old vaudevillian, taught her. If
we woulda got picked up, they woulda
worked in a gimmick where every
episode I woulda told and ol joke.
VINCENT
Do you remember any of the jokes?
MIA
Well I only got the chance to say
one, cause we only did one show.
VINCENT
Tell me.
MIA
No. It's really corny.
VINCENT
C'mon, don't be that way.
MIA
No. You won't like it and I'll be
embarra**ed.
VINCENT
You told it in front of fifty million
people and you can't tell it to me?
I promise I won't laugh.
MIA
(laughing)
That's what I'm afraid of.
VINCENT
That's not what I meant and you know
it.
MIA
You're quite the silver tongue devil,
aren't you?
VINCENT
I meant I wouldn't laugh at you.
MIA
That's not what you said Vince. Well
now I'm definitely not gonna tell
ya, cause it's been built up too
much.
VINCENT
What a gyp.
Buddy comes back with the drinks. Mia wraps her lips around
the straw of her shake.
MIA
Yummy!
VINCENT
Can I have a sip of that? I'd like
to know what a five-dollar shake
tastes like.
MIA
Be my guest.
She slides the shake over to him.
MIA
You can use my straw, I don't have
kooties.
Vincent smiles.
VINCENT
Yeah, but maybe I do.
MIA
Kooties I can handle.
He takes a sip.
VINCENT
Goddamn! That's a pretty f**in'
good milk shake.
MIA
Told ya.
VINCENT
I don't know if it's worth five
dollars, but it's pretty f**in'
good.
He slides the shake back.
Then the first of an uncomfortable silence happens.
MIA
Don't you hate that?
VINCENT
What?
MIA
Uncomfortable silences. Why do we
feel it's necessary to yak about
bullsh** in order to be comfortable?
VINCENT
I don't know.
MIA
That's when you know you found
somebody special. When you can just
sh** the f** up for a minute, and
comfortably share silence.
VINCENT
I don't think we're there yet. But
don't feel bad, we just met each
other.
MIA
Well I'll tell you what, I'll go to
the bathroom and powder my nose,
while you sit here and think of
something to say.
VINCENT
I'll do that.
INT. JACKRABBIT SLIM'S (LADIES ROOM) – NIGHT
Mia powders her nose by doing a big line of coke off the
bathroom sink. Her head jerks up from the rush.
MIA
(imitating Steppenwolf)
I said goddamn!
INT. JACKRABBIT SLIM'S (DINING AREA) – NIGHT
Vincent digs into his Douglas Sirk steak. As he chews, his
eyes scan the Hellsapopinish restaurant.
Mia comes back to the table.
MIA
Don't you love it when you go to the
bathroom and you come back to find
your food waiting for you?
VINCENT
We're lucky we got it at all. Buddy
Holly doesn't seem to be much of a
waiter. We shoulda sat in Marilyn
Monroe's section.
MIA
Which one, there's two Marilyn
Monroes.
VINCENT
No there's not.
Pointing at Marilyn in the white dress serving a table.
VINCENT
That's Marilyn Monroe...
Then, pointing at a BLONDE WAITRESS in a tight sweater and
capri pants, taking an order from a bunch of FILM GEEKS –
VINCENT
... and that's Mamie Van Doren. I
don't see Jayne Mansfield, so it
must be her night off.
MIA
Pretty smart.
VINCENT
I have moments.
MIA
Did ya think of something to say?
VINCENT
Actually, there's something I've
wanted to ask you about, but you
seem like a nice person, and I didn't
want to offend you.
MIA
Oooohhhh, this doesn't sound like
mindless, boring, getting-to-know-
you chit-chat. This sounds like you
actually have something to say.
VINCENT
Only if you promise not to get
offended.
MIA
You can't promise something like
that. I have no idea what you're
gonna ask. You could ask me what
you're gonna ask me, and my natural
response could be to be offended.
Then, through no fault of my own, I
woulda broken my promise.
VINCENT
Then let's just forget it.
MIA
That is an impossibility. Trying to
forget anything as intriguing as
this would be an exercise in futility.
VINCENT
Is that a fact?
Mia nods her head: "Yes."
MIA
Besides, it's more exciting when you
don't have permission.
VINCENT
What do you think about what happened
to Antwan?
MIA
Who's Antwan?
VINCENT
Tony Rocky Horror.
MIA
He fell out of a window.
VINCENT
That's one way to say it. Another
way is, he was thrown out. Another
was is, he was thrown out by
Marsellus. And even another way is,
he was thrown out of a window by
Marsellus because of you.
MIA
Is that a fact?
VINCENT
No it's not, it's just what I heard.
MIA
Who told you this?
VINCENT
They.
Mia and Vincent smile.
MIA
They talk a lot, don't they?
VINCENT
They certainly do.
MIA
Well don't by shy Vincent, what
exactly did they say?
Vincent is slow to answer.
MIA
Let me help you Bashful, did it
involve the F-word?
VINCENT
No. They just said Rocky Horror gave
you a foot ma**age.
MIA
And...?
VINCENT
No and, that's it.
MIA
You heard Marsellus threw Rocky Horror
out of a four-story window because
he ma**aged my feet?
VINCENT
Yeah.
MIA
And you believed that?
VINCENT
At the time I was told, it seemed
reasonable.
MIA
Marsellus throwing Tony out of a
four story window for giving me a
foot ma**age seemed reasonable?
VINCENT
No, it seemed excessive. But that
doesn't mean it didn't happen. I
heard Marsellus is very protective
of you.
MIA
A husband being protective of his
wife is one thing. A husband almost
k**ing another man for touching his
wife's feet is something else.
VINCENT
But did it happen?
MIA
The only thing Antwan ever touched
of mine was my hand, when he shook
it. I met Anwan once – at my wedding
– then never again. The truth is,
nobody knows why Marsellus tossed
Tony Rocky Horror out of that window
except Marsellus and Tony Rocky
Horror. But when you scamps get
together, you're worse than a sewing
circle.
CUT TO:
ED SULLIVAN AND MARILYN MONROE STAND ON STAGE
ED SULLIVAN
(into microphone)
Ladies and gentlemen, now the moment
you've all been waiting for, the
worldfamous Jackrabbit Slim's twist
contest.
Patrons cheer.
Ed Sullivan is with Marilyn Monroe, who holds a trophy.
ED SULLIVAN
...One lucky couple will win this
handsome trophy that Marilyn here is
holding.
Marilyn holds the trophy.
ED SULLIVAN
...Now, who will be our first
contestants?
Mia holds her hand.
MIA
Right here.
Vincent reacts.
MIA
I wanna dance.
VINCENT
No, no, no no, no, no, no, no.
MIA
(overlapping)
No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I do
believe Marsellus, my husband, your
boss, told you to take me out and do
whatever I wanted, Now, I want to
dance. I want to win. I want that
trophy.
VINCENT
(sighs)
All right.
MIA
So, dance good.
VINCENT
All right, you asked for it.
Vincent and Mia walk onto the dance floor, toward Ed Sullivan.
ED SULLIVAN
(into microphone)
Let's hear it for our first
contestants.
Patrons cheer.
Vincent and Mia walk up to the microphone.
ED SULLIVAN
Now let's meet our first contestants
here this evening. Young lady, what
is your name?
MIA
(into microphone)
Missus Mia Wallace.
ED SULLIVAN
(into microphone)
And, uh, how 'bout your fella here?
MIA
(into microphone)
Vincent Vega.
ED SULLIVAN
(into microphone)
All right, let's see what you can
do. Take it away!
Mia and Vincent dance to Chuck Berry's "YOU NEVER CAN TELL".
They make hand movements as they dance.
INT. MARSELLUS WALLACE'S HOME – NIGHT
The front door FLINGS open, and Mia and Vincent dance tango-
style into the house, singing a cappella the song from the
previous scene. They finish their little dance, laughing.
Then...
The two just stand face to face looking at each other.
VINCENT
Was than an uncomfortable silence?
MIA
I don't know what that was.
(pause)
Music and drinks!
Mia moves away to attend to both. Vincent hangs up his
overcoat on a big bronze coat rack in the alcove.
VINCENT
I'm gonna take a piss.
MIA
That was a little bit more information
than I needed to know, but go right
ahead.
Vincent shuffles off to the john.
Mia moves to her CD player, thumbs through a stack of CDs
and selects one: k.d. lang. The speakers BLAST OUT a high
energy country number, which Mia plays air-guitar to. She
dances her way around the room and finds herself by Vincent's
overcoat hanging on the rack. She touches its sleeve. It
feels good.
Her hand hoes in its pocket and pulls out his tobacco pouch.
Like a little girl playing cowboy, she spreads the tobacco
on some rolling paper. Imitating what he did earlier, licks
the paper and rolls it into a pretty good cigarette. Maybe a
little too fat, but not bad for a first try. Mia thinks so
anyway. Her hand reaches back in the pocket and pulls out
his Zippo lighter. She SLAPS the lighter against her leg,
trying to light it fancy-style like Vince did. What do you
know, she did it! Mia's one happy clam. She triumphantly
brings the fat flame up to her fat smoke, lighting it up,
then LOUDLY SNAPS the Zippo closed.
The Mia-made cigarette is brought up to her lips, and she
takes a long, cool drag. Her hand slides the Zippo back in
the overcoat pocket. But wait, her fingers touch something
else. Those fingers bring out a plastic bag with white powder
inside, the madman that Vincent bought earlier from Lance.
Wearing a big smile, Mia brings the bag of h**n up to her
face.
MIA
(like you would say
Bingo!)
Disco! Vince, you little cola nut,
you've been holding out on me.
CUT TO:
INT. BATHROOM (MARSELLUS WALLACE'S HOUSE) – NIGHT
Vincent stands at the sink, washing his hands, talking to
himself in the mirror.
VINCENT
One drink and leave. Don't be rude,
but drink your drink quickly, say
goodbye, walk out the door, get in
your car, and go down the road.
LIVING ROOM
Mia has the unbeknownst-to-her h**n cut up into big lines
on her gla** top coffee table. Taking her trusty hundred
dollar bill like a human Dust-Buster, she quickly snorts the
fat line.
CLOSEUP – MIA
Her head JERKS back. Her hands go to her nose (which feels
like it's on f**ing fire), something is terribly wrong.
Then... the rush hits...
BATHROOM
Vincent dries his hands on a towel while he continues his
dialogue with the mirror.
VINCENT
...It's a moral test of yourself,
whether or not you can maintain
loyalty. Because when people are
loyal to each other, that's very
meaningful.
LIVING ROOM
Mia is on all fours trying to crawl to the bathroom, but
it's like she's trying to crawl with the bones removed from
her knees. Blood begins to drip from Mia's nose. Then her
stomach gets into the act and she VOMITS.
BATHROOM
Vince continues.
VINCENT
So you're gonna go out there, drink
your drink, say "Goodnight, I've had
a very lovely evening," go home, and
jack off. And that's all you're
gonna do.
Now that he's given himself a little pep talk, Vincent's
ready for whatever's waiting for him on the other side of
that door. So he goes through it.
LIVING ROOM
We follow behind Vincent as he walks from the bathroom to
the living room, where he finds Mia lying on the floor like
a rag doll. She's twisted on her back. Blood and puke are
down her front. And her face is contorted. Not out of the
tightness of pain, but just the opposite, the muscles in her
face are so relaxed, she lies still with her mouth wide open.
Slack-jawed.
VINCENT
Jesus Christ!
Vincent moves like greased lightning to Mia's fallen body.
Bending down where she lays, he puts his fingers on her neck
to check her pulse. She slightly stirs.
Mia is aware of Vincent over her, speaking to her.
VINCENT
(sounding weird)
Mia! MIA! What the hell happened?
But she's unable to communicate Mia makes a few lost mumbles,
but they're not distinctive enough to be called words.
Vincent props her eyelids open and sees the story.
VINCENT
(to himself)
I'll be a son-of-a-b**h.
(to Mia)
Mia! MIA! What did you take? Answer
me honey, what did you take?
Mia is incapable of answering. He SLAPS her face hard.
Vincent SPRINGS up and RUNS to his overcoat, hanging on the
rack.
He goes through the pockets FRANTICALLY. It's gone. Vincent
makes a beeline to Mia. We follow.
VINCENT
(yelling to Mia)
Okay honey, we're getting you on
your feet.
He reaches her and hoists the dead weight up in his arms.
VINCENT
We're on our feet now, and now we're
gonna talk out to the car. Here we
go, watch us walk.
We follow behind as he hurriedly walks the practically-
unconscious Mia through the house and out the front door.
EXT. VINCENT'S HOT ROD (MOVING) – NIGHT
INSERT SPEEDOMETER: red needle on a hundred.
Vincent driving like a madman in a town without traffic laws,
speeds the car into turns and up and over hills.
INT.VINCENT'S HOT ROD (MOVING) – NIGHT
Vincent, one hand firmly on the wheel, the other shifting
like Robocop, both eyes staring straight ahead except when
he glances over at Mia.
Mia, slack-jawed expression, mouth gaping, posture of a bag
of water.
Vincent takes a cellular phone out of his pocket. He punches
a number.
INT. LANCE'S HOUSE – NIGHT
At this late hour, LANCE has transformed from a bon vivant
drug dealer to a bathrobe creature.
He sits in a big comfy chair, ratty blue gym pants, a worn-
out but comfortable tee-shirt that has, written on it, "TAFT,
CALIFORNIA", and a moth-ridden terry cloth robe. In his hand
is a bowl of Cap'n Crunch with Crunch Berries. In front of
him on the coffee table is a jug of milk, the box the Cap'n
Crunch with Crunch Berries came out of, and a hash pipe in
an ashtray.
On the big-screen TV in front of the table is the Three
Stooges, and they're getting married.
PREACHER (EMIL SIMKUS)
(on TV)
Hold hands, you love birds.
The phone RINGS.
Lance puts down his cereal and makes his way to the phone.
It RINGS again.
Jody, his wife, CALLS from the bedroom, obviously woken up.
JODY (O.S.)
Lance! The phone's ringing!
LANCE
(calling back)
I can hear it!
JODY (O.S.)
I thought you told those f**in'
a**holes never to call this late!
LANCE
(by the phone)
I told 'em and that's what I'm gonna
tell this f**in' a**hole right now!
(he answers the phone)
Hello, do you know how late it is?
You're not supposed to be callin' me
this f**in' late.
BACK TO:
VINCENT IN THE MALIBU
Vincent is still driving like a stripe-a**ed ape, clutching
the phone to his ear. WE CUT BACK AND FORTH during the
conversation.
VINCENT
Lance, this is Vincent, I'm in big
f**in' trouble man, I'm on my way
to your place.
LANCE
Whoa, hold you horses man, what's
the problem?
VINCENT
You still got an adrenaline shot?
LANCE
(dawning on him)
Maybe.
VINCENT
I need it man, I got a chick she's
f**in' Doing on me.
LANCE
Don't bring her here! I'm not even
f**in' joking with you, don't you
be bringing some f**ed up pooh-bu*t
to my house!
VINCENT
No choice.
LANCE
She's ODin'?
VINCENT
Yeah. She's dyin'.
LANCE
Then bite the f**in' bullet, take
'er to a hospital and call a lawyer!
VINCENT
Negative.
LANCE
She ain't my f**in' problem, you
f**ed her up, you deal with it –
are you talkin' to me on a cellular
phone?
VINCENT
Sorry.
LANCE
I don't know you, who is this, don't
come here, I'm hangin' up.
VINCENT
Too late, I'm already here.
At that moment inside Lance's house, WE HEAR VINCENT's Malibu
coming up the street. Lance hangs up the phone, goes to his
curtains and YANKS the cord. The curtains open with a WHOOSH
in time to see Vincent's Malibu DRIVING UP on his front lawn
and CRASHING into his house. The window Lance is looking out
of SHATTERS from the impact.
JODY (O.S.)
What the hell was that?
Lance CHARGES from the window, out the door to his front
lawn.
EXT. LANCE'S HOUSE – NIGHT
Vincent is already out of the car, working on getting Mia
out.
LANCE
Have you lost your mind?! You crashed
your car in my f**in' house! You
talk about drug sh** on a cellular
f**in' phone –
VINCENT
If you're through havin' your little
hissy fit, this chick is dyin', get
your needle and git it now!
LANCE
Are you deaf? You're not bringin'
that f**ed up b**h in my house!
VINCENT
This f**ed up b**h is Marsellus
Wallace's wife. Now if she f**in'
croaks on me, I'm a grease spot. But
before he turns me into a bar soap,
I'm gonna be forced to tell 'im about
how you coulda saved her life, but
instead you let her die on your front
lawn.
INT. LANCE'S HOUSE – NIGHT
WE START in Lance's and Jody's bedroom.
Jody, in bed, throws off the covers and stands up. She's
wearing a long tee-shirt with a picture of Fred Flintstone
on it.
We follow HANDHELD behind her as she opens the door, walking
through the hall into the living room.
JODY
It's only one-thirty in the goddamn
mornin'! What the f**'s goin' on
out here?
As she walks in the living room, she sees Vincent and Lance
standing over Mia, who's lying on the floor in the middle of
the room.
From here on in, everything in this scene is frantic, like a
DOCUMENTARY in an emergency ward, with the big difference
here being nobody knows what the f** they're doing.
JODY
Who's she?
Lance looks up at Jody.
LANCE
Get that black box in the bedroom I
have with the adrenaline shot.
JODY
What's wrong with her?
VINCENT
She's ODing on us.
JODY
Well get her the hell outta here!
LANCE AND VINCENT
(in stereo)
Get the f**in' shot!
JODY
Don't yell and me!
She angrily turns and disappears into the bedroom looking
for the shot.
WE MOVE into the room with the two men.
VINCENT
(to Lance)
You two are a match made in heaven.
LANCE
Look, just keep talkin' to her, okay?
While she's gettin' the shot, I gotta
get a medical book.
VINCENT
What do you need a medical book for?
LANCE
To tell me how to do it. I've never
given an adrenaline shot before.
VINCENT
You've had that thing for six years
and you never used it?
LANCE
I never had to use it. I don't go
joypoppin' with bubble-gummers, all
of my friends can handle their highs!
VINCENT
Well then get it.
LANCE
I am, if you'll let me.
VINCENT
I'm not f**in' stoppin' you.
LANCE
Stop talkin' to me, and start talkin'
to her.
WE FOLLOW Lance as he runs out of the living room into a...
INT. SPARE ROOM
With a bunch of junk in it. He frantically starts scanning
the junk for the book he's looking for, repeating the words,
"Come on," endlessly.
From OFF SCREEN we hear:
VINCENT (O.S.)
Hurry up man! We're losin' her!
LANCE
(calling back)
I'm looking as fast as I can!
Lance continues his frenzied search.
WE HEAR Jody in the living room now as she talks to Vincent.
JODY (O.S.)
What's he lookin' for?
VINCENT (O.S.)
I dunno, some medical book.
Jody calls to LANCE.
JODY (O.S.)
What are you lookin' for?
LANCE
My black medical book!
As he continues searching, flipping and knocking over sh**,
Jody appears in the doorway.
JODY
Whata're you looking for?
LANCE
My black f**in' medical book. It's
like a text book they give to nurses.
JODY
I never saw a medical book.
LANCE
Trust me, I have one.
JODY
Well if it's that important, why
didn't you keep it with the shot?
Lance spins toward her.
LANCE
I don't know! Stop bothering me!
JODY
While you're lookin' for it, that
girl's gonna die on our carpet. You're
never gonna find it in all this sh**.
For six months now, I've been telling
you to clean this room –
VINCENT (O.S.)
– get your a** in here, f** the
book!
Lance angrily knocks over a pile of sh** and leaves the SHOT
heading for the living room.
LIVING ROOM
Vincent is bent over Mia, talking softly to her, when Lance
reenters the room.
VINCENT
Quit f**in' around man and give her
the shot!
Lance bends down by the black case brought in by Jody. He
opens it and begins preparing the needle for injection.
LANCE
While I'm doing this, take her shirt
off and find her heart.
Vince rips her blouse open.
Jody stumbles back in the room, hanging back from the action.
VINCENT
Does it have to be exact?
LANCE
Yeah, it has to be exact! I'm giving
her an injection in the heart, so I
gotta exactly hit her in the heart.
VINCENT
Well, I don't know exactly where her
heart is, I think it's here.
Vince points to Mia's right breast. Lance glances over and
nods.
LANCE
That's it.
As Lance readies the injection, Vincent looks up at Jody.
VINCENT
I need a big fat magic marker, got
one?
JODY
What?
VINCENT
I need a big fat magic marker, any
felt pen'll do, but a magic marker
would be great.
JODY
Hold on.
Jody runs to the desk, opens the top drawer and, in her
enthusiasm, she pulls the drawer out of the desk, the contents
of which (bills, papers, pens) spill to the floor.
The injection is ready. Lance hands Vincent the needle.
LANCE
It's ready, I'll tell you what to
do.
VINCENT
You're gonna give her the shot.
LANCE
No, you're gonna give her the shot.
VINCENT
I've never does this before.
LANCE
I've never done this before either,
and I ain't starting now. You brought
'er here, that means you give her
the shot. The day I bring an ODing
b**h to your place, then I gotta
give her the shot.
Jody hurriedly joins them in the huddle, a big fat red magic
marker in her hand.
JODY
Got it.
Vincent grabs the magic marker out of Jody's hand and makes
a big red dot on Mia's body where her heart is.
VINCENT
Okay, what do I do?
LANCE
Well, you're giving her an injection
of adrenaline straight to her heart.
But she's got a breast plate in front
of her heart, so you gotta pierce
through that. So what you gotta do
is bring the needle down in a stabbing
motion.
Lance demonstrates a stabbing motion, which looks like "The
Shape" k**ing its victims in "HALLOWEEN".
VINCENT
I gotta stab her?
LANCE
If you want the needle to pierce
through to her heart, you gotta stab
her hard.
Then once you do, push down on the plunger.
VINCENT
What happens after that?
LANCE
I'm curious about that myself.
VINCENT
This ain't a f**in' joke man!
LANCE
She's supposed to come out of it
like –
(snaps his fingers)
– that.
Vincent lifts the needle up above his head in a stabbing
motion.
He looks down on Mia.
Mia is fading fast. Soon nothing will help her.
Vincent's eyes narrow, ready to do this.
VINCENT
Count to three.
Lance, on this knees right beside Vincent, does not know
what to expect.
LANCE
One...
RED DOT on Mia's body.
Needle raised ready to strike.
LANCE (O.S.)
...two...
Jody's face is alive with anticipation.
NEEDLE in that air, poised like a rattler ready to strike.
LANCE (O.S.)
...three!
The needle leaves frame, THRUSTING down hard.
Vincent brings the needle down hard, STABBING Mia in the
chest.
Mia's head is JOLTED from the impact.
The syringe plunger is pushed down, PUMPING the adrenaline
out through the needle.
Mia's eyes POP WIDE OPEN and she lets out a HELLISH cry of
the banshee. She BOLTS UP in a sitting position, needle stuck
in her chest – SCREAMING.
Vincent, Lance and Jody, who were in sitting positions in
front of Mia, JUMP BACK, scared to d**h.
Mia's scream runs out. She slowly starts taking breaths of
air.
The other three, now scooted halfway across the room, shaken
to their bones, look to see if she's alright.
LANCE
If you're okay, say something.
Mia, still breathing, not looking up at them, says in a
relatively normal voice.
MIA
Something.
Vincent and Lance collapse on their backs, exhausted and
shaking from how close to d**h Mia came.
JODY
Anybody want a beer?
CUT TO:
INT. VINCENT'S MALIBU (MOVING) – NIGHT
Vincent is behind the wheel driving Mia home. No one says
anything, both are still too shaken.
EXT. FRONT OF MARSELLUS WALLACE'S HOUSE – NIGHT
The Malibu pulls up to the front. Mia gets out without saying
a word (still in a daze) and begins walking down the walkway
toward her front door.
VINCENT (O.S.)
Mia!
She turns around.
Vincent's out of the car, standing on the walkway, a big
distance between the two.
VINCENT
What are your thoughts on how to
handle this?
MIA
What's yours?
VINCENT
Well I'm of the opinion that Marsellus
can live his whole live and never
ever hear of this incident.
Mia smiles.
MIA
Don't worry about it. If Marsellus
ever heard of this, I'd be in as
much trouble as you.
VINCENT
I seriously doubt that.
MIA
If you can keep a secret, so can I.
VINCENT
Let's shake on it.
The two walk toward each other, holding out their hands to
shake and shake they do.
VINCENT
Mum's the word.
Mia lets go of Vincent's hand and silently makes the see-no-
evil, hear-no-evil, and speak-no-evil sign with her hands.
Vincent smiles.
VINCENT
If you'll excuse me, I gotta go home
and have a heart attack.
Mia giggles.
Vincent turns to leave.
MIA
You still wanna hear my "FOX FORCE
FIVE" joke?
Vincent turns around.
VINCENT
Sure, but I think I'm still a little
too petrified to laugh.
MIA
Uh-huh. You won't laugh because it's
not funny. But if you still wanna
hear it, I'll tell it.
VINCENT
I can't wait.
MIA
Three tomatoes are walking down the
street, a poppa tomato, a momma
tomato, and a little baby tomato.
The baby tomato is lagging behind
the poppa and momma tomato. The poppa
tomato gets mad, goes over to the
momma tomato and stamps on him –
(stamps on the ground)
– and says: catch up.
They both smile, but neither laugh.
MIA
See ya 'round, Vince.
Mia turns and walks inside her house.
CLOSEUP – VINCENT
After Mia walks inside. Vincent continues to look at where
she was. He brings his hands to his lips and blows her a
kiss. Then exits FRAME leaving it empty. WE HEAR his Malibu
START UP and DRIVE AWAY.
FADE TO BLACK
FADE UP On the cartoon "SPEED RACER." Speed is giving a
detailed description of all the features on his race car
"The Mac-5," which he does at the beginning of every episode.
OFF SCREEN we hear a WOMAN'S VOICE... .
WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
Butch.