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Hitchcock on MacGuffins

McGuffin by Hitchcock from isaac niemand on Vimeo.

Any way you spell them, they’re a screenwriting staple. (via Movie City Indie)

15 Responses to “Hitchcock on MacGuffins”

1. Christian H.
   July 2nd, 2010 at 12:02 pm

   Aaah the McGuffin. Close friend to the widget. The staple of the thriller, the basis of the chase, the reason for action.

2. John H.
   July 2nd, 2010 at 1:32 pm

   It’s the basis of the chases. It’s the reason in the mise-en. The thrilla filla from manilla. It’s vocation is motivation: THE MAC GUFFFIINNNN!!!!

3. Pete
   July 2nd, 2010 at 1:37 pm

   That is brilliant.

   And so true, in terms of storytelling.

   The McGuffin means everything to a character, but nothing to the audience.

   It is the character’s reaction to it, and consequently their actions in attaining or destroying it, which matters.

   In storytelling, it seems it’s the simple things that matter.

4. Sam Borowski
   July 2nd, 2010 at 10:13 pm

   I really enjoyed this video, as Alfred Hitchcock is my favorite director.

   After all, he is … the Master of Suspense.

   It reminded me of the first time I really understood the term, “McGuffin” in my high school film class ( quite a while ago ;) ). As a filmmaker, I can so appreciate Hitch’s use of the McGuffin, and kudos to Pete for his description of it.

   Indeed it shows the motivation of a character and sets up the story, even if it means absolutely nothing to the audience. And yes, as a writer, it shows how various character’s motivations, desires and fears can set off an unforseen chain of story.

   Think about PYSCHO, and if Janet Leigh did not steal the money? The $40,000 has nothing to do with Norman Bates, his pyscho-sis – ;) – or the murders, but without it, there is no reason for Leigh to be at the Bates Motel.

   Great device …. and as usual a great topic.

   SJB

5. martin
   July 2nd, 2010 at 11:14 pm

   Legend has it the term was concocted by Angus McPhail, a critic and screenwriter. Hitch (If one HItchcock-phile can venture into overfamiliarity) merely picked it up and repeated it. What I think the MacGuffin also means is that the story should have many layers. That the action of a character does not necessarily correlates to what the film is about. Thus, the depth of the film comes out of the execution. As Hitchocked was quoted saying: ‘To say the theme or the subject matter of a film is paramount is like saying it matters a great deal whether an impressionist painter draws a red or a green apple. Who cares? It’s the way the still life is drawn that’s important’.

6. Eric
   July 3rd, 2010 at 12:16 am

   Thanks for the post.

   Love the MacGuffin in North by Northwest: microfilm…in some artifact…at an auction…wtf? Ah, it must be important, they’re fighting over it atop Mt. Rushmore. :)

7. Massimo
   July 5th, 2010 at 7:57 am

   Hehe. Nice. That man was a genius. Thanks for sharing!

8. Synthian
   July 6th, 2010 at 1:24 pm

   “Knight and Day” = The purpose of the MacGuffin and its relationship to Cameron Diaz’s ass

9. Hitch's biyatch
   July 6th, 2010 at 9:09 pm

   Inspired an online debate (who can even argue about MacGuffin’s as a plot device!?), in turn inspired me to make banana bread, which in turn inspired a new blog — macguffinbananabread dot blogspot dotcom

10. fuzzyblue
    July 11th, 2010 at 9:09 am

    Hitchcock is brilliant, and this audio provides useful insight.

    But this video is terrible. It’s crammed with so much unnecessary clutter. Why do we need all of this animation? Why can’t we just listen? The hyperkinetic cut & paste animation style with over-done music & sound effects only served to distract me from the message of the video, and call attention to the “brilliance” of the director/animator.

11. Jon
    July 11th, 2010 at 11:53 pm

    Agreed with fuzzyblue–video reminded me of an Ed Hardy t-shirt–way too much sparkle going on. I found it distracting. Of course, Hitchcock is a genius.

    I guess I’m also the person who prefers books to iPads so I’m probably not 21st century yet either!

12. Igor
    July 12th, 2010 at 5:22 pm

    @fuzzyblue

    OK, this is John August’s website “about screenwriting”. Maybe you’d be more satisfied at a site “about audio tracks”?

    BACK FROM SARCASM

    Is the video my cup of tea? Not so much. But, I think it’s a clever accompaniment for the audio. And without the video, much less likely that anyone would utilize/link to plain, naked audio, in spite of its value.

    Of course, it’s easy enough to scroll down while listening in order to hide the video.

    So, I commend the National Animated Bureau in Berlin.

13. ThomasR
    July 13th, 2010 at 12:14 am

    I learned the most about movies when I was young and read the Truffaut/Hitchcock interview. Everything is explained there and so logical. I never forgot these rules. That’s why I enjoy DePalma so much.

14. nicol
    July 13th, 2010 at 1:03 am

    Tucked away in our subconsciousness is an idyllic vision. We see ourselves on a long trip that spans the continent. We are travelling by train. Out the windows, we drink in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways, of children waving on a crossing, of cattle grazing on a distant hillside, of smoke pouring from a power plant, of row upon row of corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hillsides, of city skylines and village halls.

15. Emily
    July 20th, 2010 at 4:35 pm

    My favorite use of a MacGuffin is in Pulp Fiction, where Tarantino hangs a lampshade on it by using a suitcase that appears to be filled with the wonders of Aladdin’s cave, judging by expressions of the characters who open it and the golden glow that fills the room. We don’t have to know what’s in there. It’s just the Most Valuable Thing In The World, that’s all.

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