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In Pulp Fiction, Jules and Vincent discuss the rumour that Marcellus Wallace has thrown Tony Rocky Horror out of a window (causing Tony to develop a speech impediment). It's rumoured that Marcellus did this becuase Tony gave Marcellus' wife a foot massage.

Later, Vincent asks Mia Wallace about this. She claims only to have met Tony once, at her wedding. So why did Marcellus throw Tony out the window?

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7 Answers 7

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The movie does not provide an answer to this question.

When Vincent Vega asks Mia Wallace what really happened, she says something to the effect of "that's between Marcellus and Tony Rocky Horror," and leaves it at that.

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  • I think WhatEnglish's answer below is superior, so I want to delete my answer here, but it is accepted, so I can't... :(
    – Shiz Z.
    Commented Nov 3, 2014 at 19:07
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It's a reference to the movie The Tenant directed by Roman Polanski in 1976.

In the movie, a girl tries to commit suicide by jumping from the balcony of her apartment, falling 4 stories through a greenhouse roof. When visited in the hospital, she is unable to speak, and only screams, therefore she "developed a speech impediment".

Tony "Rocky Horror" could also reference Roman Polanski as he dresses in drag and replays the macabre suicide by making the jump over the balcony later in the same film.

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    Considering what a film fan Tarantino is, this seems plausible.
    – Beska
    Commented Mar 17, 2015 at 1:15
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The only people who know the reason are Marcellus and Antwan "Tony Rocky Horror". So here's my theory, but needs little explaining. After Zed incident, Marcellus tells Butch the only people that will ever know about the "incident" are himself, Butch and Zed (though not for much longer once he tortures him to death.) Sound familiar?

I think Tony Rocky Horror (and that references Rocky Horror Picture Show, cult classic about a transvestite) must have come onto Marcellus and he threw the guy out of a window to be sure he never did it again. Is one of his crew and didn't actually do anything invasive, so let him live, unlike Zed, a stranger that full on raped him and he knew needed a waaaay worse lesson.

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  • +1 for answering the question: The only people who know the reason are Marcellus and Antwan "Tony Rocky Horror". If I could, I'd give you a second +1 for coming up with a (very) plausible reason as well.
    – CGCampbell
    Commented Nov 3, 2014 at 15:02
  • +1 This answer breaks new ground, tying together the "Rocky Horror" reference and the Zed events. Nicely done!
    – Shiz Z.
    Commented Nov 3, 2014 at 19:04
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    Although this is a possible theory, I find it unlikely. Note: Pulp Fiction is a film not told chronologically. The events of with Zed take place after Mia and Vincent discuss Tony Rocky Horror which means the events with Zed took place after Tony Rocky Horror. How is this so? Well, when Butch returns to his apartment to get his watch, he shoots Vincent. On his return journey, this is when he encounters Marcellus and Zed. Knowing Marcellus, if Tony did come on to him after the Zed incident, I would think that he would not let the man live under any circumstances.
    – Josh
    Commented Dec 12, 2014 at 3:43
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    (Continued from above) This is due to the ego of a man like Marcellus and his (would be) compromised sexual insecurities. However, the Tony event happens before Zed. If Tony did come onto Marcellus, I think Marcellus would have just told him to get lost or something. It is still possible that you are correct, but I think it was something completely unrelated.
    – Josh
    Commented Dec 12, 2014 at 3:49
  • @Josh - I firmly believe that Tarantino never intended Pulp Fiction to be considered chronologically. This could have been what he was thinking, and the fact that it makes no sense placed in chronological order is not, I believe, something that would have stopped him using it as his rationale for a minor plot point. He simply wouldn't care.
    – Jules
    Commented Jan 10, 2018 at 0:51
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Pulp Fiction deals with perfect examples, like foot massages. I think Marcellus asking a heroin addict bodyguard to hang out with Mia is a perfect example of what happened with Antwan. Mia overdosed while hanging out with him too, and Marcellus threw him out the window after finding her unconscious with him. Antwan probably shot up heroin before picking her up like Vincent.

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Marcellus threw Antwan Rockamora out of a window because Antwan stole the case from Marcellus. Antwan owns Big Kahuna Burger (being a large and half Samoan), where Brett and Marvin go to collect the case as well as a few tasty burgers.

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    Any source for this?
    – cde
    Commented Apr 19, 2016 at 0:32
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It's kind of a rumour actually. Maybe the rumour was spread to cover the actual purpose of Marcellus throwing Antwan off the window. So I think it is made up.

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    Could you maybe provide a bit more as to why you feel it's nothing more than a coverup?
    – MattD
    Commented Aug 14, 2014 at 16:58
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    Unfortunately, this does not answer the Question as asked. You say the reason given in the rumor was a cover up, but you don't state why he was actually thrown out the window.
    – CGCampbell
    Commented Nov 3, 2014 at 15:01
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"When you little scamps get together you're worse than a sewing circle. " That pretty much says it all. Mia was obviously involved in the dirty side of Marcellus's business and it was clear she felt whatever happened to Rocky Horror want anybody else's business.

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    Unfortunately, while this explains Mia's feelings about the incident, it does not answer the Question as asked.
    – CGCampbell
    Commented Nov 3, 2014 at 14:59
  • Well the question is impossible to answer based on information provided. Unless we speculate of course. Maybe tony was brevet even actually thrown out the window. I feel the context implies Mia knows more than she's letting on.
    – Omar Devon Little
    Commented Nov 3, 2014 at 23:59
  • I am using the scene after butch kills his opponent. Clearly someone is being tortured for information by a few of the Heavies as Mia smokes a cigarette while chatting to Vincent.
    – Omar Devon Little
    Commented Nov 4, 2014 at 0:02

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