Is Hitchcock's use of the MacGuffin criticized?
Some find the MacGuffin to be a mere plot device, a rather flimsy thing to hang a thrilling narrative upon. They point to films like *North by Northwest* and question its importance. But the MacGuffin is not about the object itself; it's about the chase, the urgency it creates. It serves to propel the characters and the story forward, to generate conflict and suspense. The audience is more concerned with the pursuit than with the prize. My interest lies in the mechanics of fear and obsession, not in the inherent value of the object that sparks it. It’s a catalyst for the psychological drama.
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