In the generation since Superfly and Sweet Sweetback, the Afro gangster rose in the movie hierarchy. By the time of Quentin Tarantino’s breakthrough crime epic, he has become a Mob boss with gravitas, dispensing a lot of hurt — and taking quite a bit too. At first, Marsellus is the bete noir who sends one of his lieutenants (John Travolta) on the delicate errand of giving his young wife (Uma Thurman) a fun night out. He’s front and center in the second episode, when he orders the death of a boxer (Bruce Willis), then is ravaged by a pair of deranged hillbillies. Willis saves the big man’s life, then asks him if he’s OK. Marsellus’ immortal reply: “Naw, man. I’m pretty f—in’ far from OK.” His other great line, to the surviving sodomist: “I’m-a get medieval on your ass”
