“Stuck in The Middle” with Mr. Blonde

Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.” Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” (John 18:8–1). Simon Peter was one of the first disciples and was a loyal follower of Jesus Christ. He lashes out towards the priest out of anger in this scene in the Bible. However, he denied Jesus three times before the crucifixion. Reservoir Dogs’ infamous robber, Mr. Blonde, was somewhat similar to Simon Peter and surprisingly more loyal. Mr. Blonde is characterized during the film through specific screenplay notes, his actions, and even a song.

Mr. Blonde is always relaxed with a cool charisma. He often stands posed leaning on something, and he looks over the top of his sunglasses as if to showcase his good lucks. His mannerisms give off a sexy, but also conceded asshole feel. He is the only character to wear cowboy boots because the other men wear dress shoes. The rules do not apply to him in his mind. Immediately after the heist, the men had planned to meet back at the warehouse. The only men that followed through were Mr. White, Mr. Pink, and the dying Mr. Orange. Much later, Mr. Blonde walks into the warehouse slurping a drink and eating a hotdog. He does not immediately make his presence known. When Mr. White and Mr. Pink begin fighting, the off-screen Mr. Blonde interjects, “You kids don’t play so rough. Somebody’s going to start crying.” Mr. White and Mr. Pink demand answers from him and share all that they know, however Mr. Blonde takes his time and does not answer for a couple minutes. The screenplay reads, “He doesn’t look at either Mr. Pink or Mr. White, he just eats his hotdog and sips his coke.” When he finally does speak, his responses are vague. Absolutely no intimidation is shown when Mr. White points a gun in his face.

Mr. Blonde’s most intriguing scene that reveals his true self occurs in the warehouse, where he finds the most entitlement and ownership. This scene reassures the viewer that Mr. Blonde is in fact a psychopath. He is left alone with the police officer, Nash, who he has been holding captive in the back of his trunk. He acts villainous the way he says, “Alone at last,” and the screenplay reads, “He then slowly turns his head toward the cop.” Mr. Blonde finds so much joy in inflicting pain upon the cop who is tied to a chair and profusely bleeding from prior beatings from the other men. When the cop insists that he does not know anything about a set up and says, “You can torture me if you want,” Mr. Blonde replies, “Thanks, don’t mind if I do.” Mr. Blonde had just been released from jail before participating in the heist because he was caught for another heist so his lashing out is somewhat personal. The screenplay refers to Mr. Blonde as a cobra when he lashes out on the cop’s face. The camera moves to the left to show a doorway in the warehouse while it is inferred that Mr. Blonde is doing something torturous to the cop. He slices off Nash’s ear and holds it up for the viewer and the cop to see. The screenplay says that he pulls up a chair to sit in front of the cop, but he does not do that in the actual film, he dances instead which demonstrates how he feels no shame or remorse for what he is doing. His dancing and singing also supports his conceded and an asshole stereotype.

During the duration of the warehouse scene, the song “Stuck in the Middle with You” by Stealer Wheel plays because Mr. Blonde turns on the radio after telling the cop that he is going to be tortured no matter what. This scene takes place in the middle of the movie, which is by no mistake. “Note: This entire sequence is timed to the music,” begins the list of screenplay actions that Mr. Blonde begins to take before cutting off his ear. This song was no coincidence and the lyrics are exactly what the cop is thinking.

“Well, I don’t know why I came here tonight
 I got the feeling that something ain’t right
 I’m so scared in case I fall off my chair,
 And I’m wondering how I’ll get down those stairs

Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right,
 Here I am, stuck in the middle with you

Yes, I’m stuck in the middle with you,
 And I’m wondering what it is I should do
 It’s so hard to keep this smile from my face,
 Losing control, and I’m all over the place”

The cop is stuck with this psychotic man with no help or hope. Nobody knows that he is missing and still alive, so he just has to take what the insane Mr. Blonde gives him. While the music is playing, Mr. Blonde is singing along, grinning, and even dancing a little; very psychotic behavior.

“Well, you started off with nothing,
And you’re proud that you’re a self-made man
And your friends they all come crawling,
Slap you on the back and say,
Please, please”

This stanza shows the cop’s thoughts on Mr. Blonde’s achievements. Mr. Blonde is proud of himself because he has been so successful in other heists, besides being caught during one. Because he stayed loyal and did not betray any of his comrades, he was immediately wanted back for another robbery. Mr. Blonde allowed the glory to go straight to his head and has an extreme high from recently being set free from jail with now a cop tied up in front of him. While fetching gasoline, Mr. Blonde walks outside or back into the real world, and the music does not follow him. Inside the warehouse, Mr. Blonde has power, but when he walks out, life is still going on regardless of what he is doing. Right before Mr. Blonde is about to set fire to the gasoline and burn the cop alive, Mr. Orange musters up enough strength to sit up and shoot him repeatedly. Mr. Blonde dies in the back corner of the warehouse, and the camera does not do any close ups. The shot allows us to see that he is dead and then it moves on to Mr. Orange and Nash’s conversation as if to show that Mr. Blonde’s importance and respect was all self-proclaimed.

Mr. Blonde’s character is the boldest in the film. He is easily characterized because of his lack of dialogue and his extreme actions. While lashing out at someone can be seen as human nature since even Simon Peter was guilty of that, his persistence to torture the cop shows that he is a psychopath. He feels no guilt, shame, or remorse and has a very hard time fitting back into society after being released from jail.