The Double McGuffin

1979
PG
1h 41m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Ernest Borgnine, George Kennedy, Vincent Spano, Greg Hodges, Dion Pride, Elke Sommer, and Lisa Whelchel in The Double McGuffin (1979)

School kids accidentally stumble upon an assassination plot involving a briefcase and a body. Disbelieved by the police, they race against time to foil the conspiracy and bring the culprits ... Read allSchool kids accidentally stumble upon an assassination plot involving a briefcase and a body. Disbelieved by the police, they race against time to foil the conspiracy and bring the culprits to justice.School kids accidentally stumble upon an assassination plot involving a briefcase and a body. Disbelieved by the police, they race against time to foil the conspiracy and bring the culprits to justice.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.5/10

481

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 nominations total

Photos10

+ 4

Top cast27

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Dion Pride

Specks

Greg Hodges

Homer

Jeff Nicholson

Billy Ray

Vincent Spano

Foster
(as Vinnie Spano)

Elke Sommer

Madame Kura

Lori Lively

Michelle Carter
(as Lori Lynn Lively)

George Kennedy

Chief Talasek (Tally)

Lisa Whelchel

Jody

Ernest Borgnine

Mr. Firat

Garvin Edwards

Football Player

Anne Reailly

Cocktail Waitress

Rod Browning

Moras

Ed 'Too Tall' Jones

Assassin #1

Orson Welles

Narrator
(voice)

Lyle Alzado

Assassin #2

Mike Davis

Newlyweds
(as Mike and Peggy Davis)

Peggy Davis

Newlyweds
(as Mike and Peggy Davis)

Michael Gerard

Arthur

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
"McGuffin" is a Hollywood term for an item which a majority of the plot centers around the characters trying to find and/or protect, but which has minor significance to the plot itself (the Holy Grail in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)). Hence, the money and the body which are found and lost at the beginning of this film, are the title's "Double McGuffin".

Goofs
When Arthur Honeycutt enters Specks' dorm room, Specks offers him a Coors beer. The film takes place in 1979, when it was released. Prior to 1981, Coors beer was available only in eleven Western states. Virginia, where the film is set, was not one of them. Thus indicating that the movie was filmed elsewhere.

Quotes
Narrator: [opening narration] A "McGuffin" is a term coined by the world's foremost teller of suspense stories to label that secret, elusive, mysterious something that everyone in the story is trying to find or find out about. It is, in effect, the pretext of the plot; the catalyst that brings the characters together and causes them to act or interact - the vial of microfilm, the money, the missing papers, the murderer, the motive, the single reason that causes the entire story to happen. Usually, there's only one.

Connections
Featured in Macon County Movie Club: Family Film Night (2021)

Soundtracks
Live (For Today)
Music by Euel Box
Lyrics by Joe Camp
Performed by Dion Pride

User reviews9

Review

Featured review

8/10

Innocent Adventure

For me, this movie defines nostalgia, having watched almost daily as a kid. Apart from bringing back childhood memories, it also reminds us of a certain kind of naivety that kids today don't have. The story is based on a motley group of kids that stumble accidentally on a murder plot which they try to thwart. Showing determination and seriousness they are not known to have, they foil the attempt with the help of a nerd(Arthur) and a police officer, pulling all their resources together.

The build-up to the climax is good, even if its not all too dramatic as you would expect a movie to have. Quite definitely a good family movie, with a 'boys will be boys' theme.