Probably the least recalled but IMO the best scene in Pulp Fiction is Christopher Walken's brief appearance. Despite my criticism of Tarantino's later work, no one can deny that the screenplay for Pulp Fiction is superb.

An interesting bit of trivia that I don't know if anyone else has ever noticed- Walken says that Butch's grandfather, while on Wake Island during WWII, gave the watch to a gunner named 'Winocki' on a transport plane. Well That was the name of the John Garfield's character in Howard Hawks' 1943 Air Force and the character is a WWII waist gunner on a B-17.


John Garfield as Winocki in Air Force



I'm curious- somebody else, somewhere must have picked up on this tidbit. Can any of you find it online? I was unable to find anyone mentioning this.

Also, it's interesting to note that the shooting script for the film has the young Butch watching the cartoon Speed Racer, but in the film, he's watching one of the oddballs of the cartoon world- Clutch Cargo.

Anyway, Mr. Christopher Walken:

quote:

I'm curious- somebody else, somewhere must have picked up on this tidbit. Can any of you find it online? I was unable to find anyone mentioning this.

Found it:

Winocki reference

Text from the book: Film and Television In-Jokes: Nearly 2,000 International References, Parodies.

During Wolrd War II, little Butch’s grandfather got his watch out of the war by giving it to a gunner named Winocki. In the film Air Force (1941) John Garfield gave a dog to a Marine to get it out of harms way. Garfield‘s name in the film was was Winocki.

Good, thank you. Only problem there is that book says Air Force is from 1941. The film was produced in 1942 and released in early 1943.

The Wiki page for the movie also references it:

Air Force (1943) wiki link:

In popular culture
An Air Force plot detail is loosely referenced in the film Pulp Fiction (1994) during Christopher Walken’s monologue playing Captain Koons. Koons recounts the story of boxer Butch Coolidge’s grandfather’s watch: Butch’s grandfather, facing certain death at the hands of the Japanese at the WWII battle of Wake Island, gives his watch to a gunner on an Air Force bomber by the name of Winocki.[18]

Also a minor reference in this FanDom link:

Fandom link

Westphall connections in Pulp Fiction
An Air Force bomber named Winocki gave Butch Coolidge's grandfather his watch. Winocki is a character in the 1943 film Air Force who was also an Air Force bomber.

At least the last 2 got the dates right!

Yes, except it wasn't a bomber; it was a "transport".

Mayhaps you have skipped in from an alternate universe and this is just the Mandela effect messing with you?

Damn fine Easter egg hunting regardless, and one of my favorite movies.

It is in my top ten favorite movies. This scene, IMO, is one of the best in the film. Genius move to bring in CW for a cameo. I knew little about it until my brother came out from NYC and said I'm taking you to see this. I wasn't really interested but went anyway. One of the best movie theater experiences I've ever had.

Although Pulp Fictions cameo appearance was better I like Walken's cameo appearance in True Romance as well.
What a great actor he is.

Probably my favorite scene in the whole movie.

Tony.