The Maltese MacGuffin
I watched Captain America for the first time this weekend, and very nearly gave myself a concussion from all the facepalms I did during the movie. It wasn’t that the movie itself was bad, per se, it was the simple fact that so much of it was glossed over and left completely unexplained. There are countless examples I could bring up, but the most glaring is, of course, the glowing blue cube around which the entire plot revolves. Now, there are times in film when leaving things deliberately unexplained is effective, either for comedic or dramatic effect — a notable example being Woody’s “incident” from the sitcom Cheers — but in this case, it just felt like they forgot. Not only did they completely fail to explain what the box was, what it did, or where it came from, they couldn’t even be bothered to give it a name, or indeed even refer to it in dialogue.
It is, then, the very definition of a “MacGuffin”: from Wikipedia, “a plot device in the form of some goal, desired object, or other motivator that the protagonist (and sometimes the antagonist) is willing to do and sacrifice almost anything to pursue, often with little or no narrative explanation as to why it is considered so desirable”. This glowing blue box is the central piece to the story, but in reality it is so irrelevant that they couldn’t even bother to focus on it. The writers got so caught up in the story surrounding the MacGuffin, that even they forgot to pay any attention to it at all.
What is your favourite “MacGuffin” in the history of film?
The movie "Ronin" has the perfect MacGuffin. It's a case, contents unknown. At the end, when Jean Reno asks Robert DeNiro what was in the case, DeNiro replies, "I don't remember."
That was my first thought as well.
And it's even ambiguous whether anything ever was in the case.
See, and that's a great approach. Once again, Ronin does everything right. If you're going to have a MacGuffin that actually doesn't matter and provides nothing but motivation, at least admit it. I respect a film-maker a whole lot more when they admit that the object is just there as plot-hole-filler. Like the movie version of Bondo; tell me it's Bondo, and I'm okay with it. Try and pretend that it's not, and I get annoyed.
Whatever's in the trunk of that '64 Chevy.
[youtube DLGrXGEMOSo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLGrXGEMOSo youtube]
Rosebud
Ah, but the meaning of 'Rosebud' is explained at the end. Disqualified, you loser.
I've watched people debate it for as long as I've been aware of the movie.
What was supposed to happen in Frisco at three the next afternoon?
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/13/Vanishing_Point_%28soundtrack%29.jpg">
What? You of all people should know the answer to that, Kowalski….
I'm pretty sure he was racing home to see the latest episode of "Bewitched".
The glowing contents of the valise in Pulp Fiction is my favourite. The little "oopsie" moment in the car with the handgun is great too.
One of the requirements of a true MacGuffin is that it is interchangeable. I'm not sure that Marsellus Wallace's soul qualifies.
The handgun mistake is excellent though.
Ah, but whether it is his soul is only speculation.
And that's also my favorite part of the movie.
speculation?
Speculation????
SPECULATION???? WHAT IS THIS BLASPHEMY!!!! IT'S FACT DAMMIT! FACT!!!!
<img src="http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/000/578/1234931504682.jpg">
In the increasingly wacky and irreverent, delightful romp / screwball comedy that is Batshitbox… "My Retirement Fund" has served as the perfect MacGuffin. I'm frequently in a compromising situation out on a limb after it, (Why are you washing and waxing one of Donald Trump's Boeing 727s, Batshitbox? 'Retirement Fund') but it's perpetually just beyond my grasp, and likely to be just an empty vessel. I hear we're working on a sequel, but I just can't imagine how that would work.
But getting back to the history of film… and away from technostalgia… the best one I can recall right now is that Harley Davidson gas tank full of a dead stranger's ashes bound for 'El Dorado' in "Roadside Prophets". Just an excuse for a road trip, and some stories. And a bizarre cast.
<img src="http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i192/Skull_06/Biker%20Movies/RoadsideProphets.jpg">
Damn, you just reminded me of this:
<img src="http://www.moviegoods.com/Assets/product_images/1020/237518.1020.A.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
Btw, the McGuffin is there is no plot…
I loved that film the one time I watched it. Shane McGowan, "Strangers, Frank!"
Then again, I rather enjoyed Repo Chick, so don't go by my tastes!
Dearty, have you seen the whole series of movies up to Captain America or did you just go straight to that one skipping over the Ironmanses and Thor?
I mention Woody Boyd's full name in 3…2…1…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woody_Boyd