Noam Toran: The MacGuffin Library
A term attributed to Hitchcock, the MacGuffin is a cinematic plot device, usually an object, that serves to set and keep the story in motion despite lacking intrinsic importance. Famous examples include the statue from The Maltese Falcon, the glowing suitcase fromKiss Me Deadly, the bottle of Uranium in Notorious, and the letters of transit in Casablanca.
