Quentin Tarantino’s seminal film Pulp Fiction is 30 years old this year. The original screenplay – written by Tarantino – actually had a scene where the two hitmen Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Samuel L Jackson) discussed the merits of wine and beer before going out to take-down some mean hombres. We tracked it down, and this is it.
Jules: (taking a swig from his can)
Man, I don’t get you. Here we are, about to bust in on some bad-ass motherfuckers, and you’re reading about wine. How the hell you think that helps? Me? I’m gettin’ ready the right way – with a cold, refreshing beer. Gets my head in the game. Makes me feel… solid.
Vincent: (glancing up from the magazine)
Budweiser? Man, that’s what you’re using to get ready? You need something that sharpens the mind, not dulls it. Beer’s just liquid bread. A good glass of wine? That’s focus, Jules. Puts you in the right headspace, sophisticated yet lethal. You drink wine before a hit, you’re not just some thug – you’re a connoisseur of violence.
Jules: (laughing)
A connoisseur of violence? Man, what the hell are you talkin’ about? Ain’t nobody sippin’ on no damn Chardonnay before kicking down doors and blasting fools. You don’t see the Navy SEALs swirling Merlot in their glasses before a mission. Beer, man. Beer gets you loose, gets you ready to do some real shit.
Vincent:
Nah, see, that’s where you’re wrong. Beer might loosen you up, but wine? Wine’s got depth. It’s like strategy in a bottle. When I take that first sip of a good Bordeaux, it’s like unlocking my senses. It’s rich, it’s layered – like me. Each glass is a reminder that life has complexity, and so does what we’re about to do. A hit isn’t just about pulling the trigger, man. It’s about the execution. Elegance in chaos. That’s wine.
Jules: (shaking his head)
Man, you’re out of your damn mind. Ain’t no elegance in what we do. You go in, you take care of business, and you get the hell out. Simple. I ain’t trying to savour the “notes of black cherry” while some dude’s spraying bullets at me. Gimme a beer, a loaded gun, and I’m ready. Beer’s honest. Beer’s working class. Ain’t no bullshit about it.
Vincent:
Exactly! That’s your problem right there. You’re thinking too small. Beer’s basic, man. It’s a blunt instrument. Wine? Wine’s for the man who knows he’s in control. Who can savour the moment, even if it’s a moment of violence. You ever have a Pinot Noir before a hit? It’s light, but it’s got finesse. Keeps you steady, keeps you calm. You need that balance. Beer? It makes you sloppy, Jules. Puts you in this “get it over with” mindset.
Jules:
Sloppy? You talkin’ to me about sloppy? I’m always cool, motherfucker, no matter what I drink. I’m surgical with this shit. And beer, my man, it ain’t just for the “get it over with” mindset. It’s about being grounded, knowing your roots. Beer’s for the people, man. Wine? Wine’s for those tight-ass suits who sit around talkin’ like they run the world when all they do is sip and sniff. I ain’t about that. I’m about action.
Vincent: (grinning)
Nah, see, wine drinkers do run the world. You don’t think the guys in charge, the ones pulling the real strings, are knocking back cold ones, do you? They’re popping bottles of Dom Pérignon, making decisions with a calm head. Wine is power, Jules. It’s a slow burn, like chess. Beer’s checkers.
Jules:
Fuck chess, man. We ain’t out here playing games. We’re about to go in and blow some motherfuckers away. That ain’t no chess match. And I don’t need no Cabernet telling me how to handle business. Budweiser is straight to the point. Like me. No layers, no complexity. Just bang, it’s done.
Vincent: (mocking)
Bang, it’s done? That’s exactly the problem. You think too linear. I’m telling you, when you sip wine before a hit, you start thinking about the moves. The angles. You’re anticipating what’s gonna happen three steps ahead. You don’t just see the guy in front of you, you see the whole room. A glass of Chianti before we walk in there? You’re gliding, man. It’s like… I dunno, it makes you an artist with a gun.
Jules: (laughing hard)
An artist? You gotta be kidding me, Vince. You can keep your “artist” shit. I ain’t trying to paint a damn picture. You think Picasso was downin’ Merlot before he threw paint on canvas? Nah, man. And neither am I. When I take that first swig of beer, I know I’m in the zone. My focus is sharp. My aim is true. I don’t need no fancy shit clouding up the moment.
Vincent:
Clouding the moment? Jules, wine clarifies the moment. It hones your instincts. You ever drink a Sangiovese? That shit cuts right through the noise. You’re tasting history, man. Centuries of passion and precision. It’s like… battle armour for your mind.
Jules: (mocking, imitating Vincent)
“Battle armour for your mind.” Man, get outta here with that. You sound like a damn commercial. Look, I don’t need to taste no centuries of passion. I need a clean head, a steady hand, and a cold beer to wash down the taste of whatever bullshit we’re walking into. Beer’s honest. It’s like, ‘Hey, we’re about to do some dirt, but let’s keep it real while we’re at it.’
Vincent: (playfully frustrated)
You’re missing out, man. I swear, one glass of the right wine, and you’d be seeing things differently. You’d walk in there like a goddamn samurai – precise, calm, untouchable. Beer? Beer just makes you think you’re untouchable, but that shit wears off fast. Wine? Wine carries you through, from start to finish.
Jules:
Ain’t nothing gonna carry me through except my skill and this here Budweiser. That’s all I need. You can sip your wine and quote Shakespeare all you want, but when the bullets start flyin’, it’s all about what’s real. And beer is real.
Vincent: (grinning, holding up the wine magazine)
Alright, alright. I get it. You’re beer, I’m wine. But one day, Jules, you’re gonna come over to my side. I’m telling you, after one sip of a good Burgundy, you’ll be like, ‘Damn, this is what I’ve been missing.’
Jules: (smiling, shaking his head)
Don’t hold your breath, Vince. I ain’t trading my Budweiser for no “battle armour” anytime soon. But hey, you do you, man. You go in there with your wine brain. I’ll stick with what’s tried and true. Let’s just make sure these motherfuckers don’t get the drop on us, alright?
Vincent:
Deal.
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