Comments on: McGuffin and Set-Piece defined

By: Kimi Peck

Kimi Peck — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 00:05:43 +0000

All though two of my all-time favourite MacGuffins is “the process” in David Mamet’s The Spanish Prisoner and “Guffman” in Waiting for Guffman, I prefer the more playfully elusive and intricate “losing one’s virginity” high concept sub-plot MacGuffin in such classics as Little Darlings, The Last American Virgin, and Black Snake Moan.

By: Eric Fretheim

Eric Fretheim — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 19:39:19 +0000

It helps me to understand the set-piece concept, by remembering that the term originated with theatre stage hands. “Set Pieces” are bits of scenery, like a house or a tree, that are built to stand on their own. The hands carry them on stage and set them down in place first, then assemble the rest of the props around them. Somewhere along the way, the term migrated to the script writers, who in the same fashion would conceive key moments in the story first, then build the rest of the script around them.

By: VictorLaszlo

VictorLaszlo — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 21:16:56 +0000

Minus 10 points for citing a "Charlie's Angels" movie in a serious discussion of film craft. Minus 100 points for mentioning both movies.

And minus 1000 points for actually retaining any information concerning the 'plot' of either.

By: Rob

Rob — Wed, 08 Mar 2006 12:07:56 +0000

I think John's examples do count as valid examples of McGuffins. It could also be argued that every film ever made has at least one McGuffin. For example: -The Ancient Relics (Indiana Jones) -The Philosopher's (Sorcerer's) Stone (Harry Potter) -Austin's Mojo (Austin Powers 2)

These are just a few examples, but that generalisation can be made to any film, depending on how loosely you define the term.

By: gary

gary — Tue, 26 Oct 2004 21:16:25 +0000

John, I’m not so sure your Charlie’s Angels examples qualify as McGuffin’s per se. A McGuffin is a unique sleight of hand story device, and if it is used in the examples you stated, you could say every movie ever made has a McGuffin in it.

By: Pepe Sevedra

Pepe Sevedra — Tue, 26 Oct 2004 12:25:21 +0000

I read about a subtle MCGUFFIN that was interesting. In Good Will Hunting, the mcguffin was Matt Damon’s character’s ability to do the complex math. Every other character in the film was enraptured with it. If he would just apply himself he could change the world. In the end, the film was a love story and about Will’s ability to be vulnerable. Kinda interesting use of a mucguffin in the touchy-feely genre.

By: FatLady

FatLady — Sat, 23 Oct 2004 18:42:12 +0000

FWIW, "set-piece" comes from opera.

A set-piece is a formalized, virtuostic segment of the story, frequently an aria. Formalized in that it has a standrd structure that the audience is usually familiar with, and virtuostic in performance. The virtuosity may also be in dance, music and spectacle.