MacGuffin

A MacGuffin is a plot device that's motivates the characters in the film which makes the story line more interesting. This is usually used in stories, films and plays. As the scene goes on this is unimportant in the film and is not relevant to the story line. Its just an extra thing that is put into the film which catches the audiences attention and they think that it is important when its not. This is common in films this is especially used in many thrillers. It could sometimes come back in the film but more likely that it is forgotten at the end of the scene.

Alfred Hitchcock uses a lot of MacGuffin for example in Psycho the film starts off with $40,000 which catches the audiences attention but by the time it gets to the end of the film that money is not important in the film.

Another film by Alfred Hitchcock is Notorious made in 1946. This is a film where they use MacGuffin to get the audiences attention.