Plot It Out: Movie MacGuffins Trivia Quiz

Answer: Citizen Kane

"Citizen Kane", a classic film directed by Orson Welles, revolves around the life and mysterious death of Charles Foster Kane, a wealthy and powerful media mogul. The main plot unfolds as a reporter investigates Kane's life to decipher the meaning behind his dying word, "Rosebud", mentioned at the beginning of the film. This enigmatic word becomes a central theme as the reporter interviews those who knew Kane, uncovering his rise to success and the complexities of his relationships.

The sled, often referred to as "Rosebud", serves as a MacGuffin in the story, driving the narrative forward while its actual significance remains somewhat elusive. Some movie enthusiasts say this MacGuffin represents the essence of Kane's lost innocence and unfulfilled desires, but the object is ultimately only known by the audience.

Answer: Rope

"Rope" is a gripping thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It follows the story of two young men, Brandon and Phillip, who commit a murder and hide the dead body in a chest at the beginning of the film. The main plot unfolds as they host a dinner party, inviting friends and even the victim's family, all while the body remains hidden in plain sight. The tension escalates as their former teacher, Rupert, becomes suspicious and begins to unravel the truth.

Throughout the film, the rope used to strangle the victim serves as a MacGuffin, driving the suspenseful narrative forward, even though the party guests are unaware of its true significance. Its later use to tie together some books shows how a murder weapon can sit in plain sight and be considered otherwise insignificant.

Answer: Pulp Fiction

Directed by Quentin Tarantino, "Pulp Fiction" centers around interconnected stories of various characters in the criminal underworld. The main plot weaves together seemingly unrelated events, showcasing the lives of hitmen, a boxer, and others entangled in a web of crime. One intriguing element is a mysterious briefcase that characters carry around, its contents never revealed to the audience.

This briefcase, functioning as a MacGuffin, drives the characters' actions and fuels curiosity in the films' viewers.

Answer: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", a fantasy film directed by Peter Jackson, begins the epic tale of the struggle against the dark lord Sauron. The main plot follows the journey of Frodo Baggins and his companions as they seek to destroy the One Ring, a powerful artifact that grants immense power to its possessor.

According to some film critics, the One Ring serves as a central MacGuffin, propelling the characters on their perilous quest and driving the overarching conflict between good and evil. Without this uber-powerful object just happening to be in existence, there is no quest to give characters motivations and drive them toward their ultimate goal.

Answer: The Big Lebowski

"The Big Lebowski" is a quirky comedy directed by Joel and Ethan Coen and follows the eccentric character Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski. The main plot is set in motion when two criminals mistake The Dude for a wealthy man with the same name and urinate on his rug, believing he owes them money.

The rug becomes a humorous MacGuffin in the story, as The Dude embarks on a journey to seek compensation for its replacement. While the rug itself is of little intrinsic value, and is even replaced by another rug from the other Lebowski's house, its significance lies in how it propels The Dude into a series of bizarre misadventures.

Answer: The Maltese Falcon

"The Maltese Falcon", a classic film noir directed by John Huston, revolves around private detective Sam Spade. The main plot is set in motion when Spade's partner is murdered and Spade becomes entangled in a convoluted search for a valuable, jewel-encrusted falcon statue.

This search propels Spade into a web of intrigue and deceit, as he navigates a dangerous world of criminals and deceitful characters. In the end, the statue turns out to be fake and Spade forfeits it to the police.

Answer: Titanic

A romantic drama directed by James Cameron, "Titanic" centers around the ill-fated voyage of the ship of the same name. The main plot involves adventurers searching the wreckage for a valuable diamond necklace called the Heart of the Ocean, which was believed to have been lost with the ship.

The Heart of the Ocean functions as a MacGuffin, leading us to Rose and driving the story's narrative. In the end, Rose drops the necklace into the ocean.

Answer: Harry Potter

The Harry Potter film franchise, based on J.K. Rowling's beloved books, follows the journey of the young wizard Harry Potter as he battles the dark wizard Lord Voldemort. Central to the plot are Voldemort's Horcruxes, objects infused with fragments of his soul to ensure his immortality.

The first Horcrux introduced, Tom Riddle's diary, serves as a MacGuffin, driving the characters' actions and the overarching conflict between Harry and Voldemort. While the diary is significant for its connection to Voldemort's past and its role in revealing important information, its true importance lies in its ability to move the plot forward, leading to the discovery of more Horcruxes and unveiling Voldemort's sinister plan. Harry Potter himself turns out to be one of the Horcruxes, which is revealed later in the series.

Answer: The Wizard of Oz

"The Wizard of Oz" follows the adventures of Dorothy Gale, a young girl who is whisked away to the magical land of Oz by a tornado. In her quest to return home, Dorothy acquires a pair of sparkling ruby slippers, which possess magical powers. The ruby slippers become a MacGuffin for the film's main antagonist, the Wicked Witch of the West, who desires their power to enhance her own dark abilities.

While the slippers are pivotal to the story's progression, their significance lies not only in their enchantment but also in how they drive the Witch's relentless pursuit of Dorothy, creating tension and adding to the film's fantastical allure.

Answer: Office Space

"Office Space", a satirical comedy directed by Mike Judge, centers around Peter Gibbons, a disillusioned office worker, and his colleagues as they navigate the mundane and frustrating world of corporate employment. The main plot takes an unexpected turn when Milton, an eccentric co-worker, discovers his beloved red stapler missing, having been confiscated by someone at the office.

The red stapler becomes a MacGuffin, driving Milton's actions to burn down the Initech building, absolving the main characters of their assured arrest for stealing from the company.