The infamous MacGuffin in this Hitchcock film is the identity of the thief.The stylish film's screenplay, by John Michael Hayes (in his second project with Hitchcock), was based on the novel of he same name by David Dodge.She ran off into the dense woods, with Dr.Crews and her mother soon after searching for her.The killer then began to converge on the teenagers.After applying eye-lash liner and tarty makeup (and wearing white high-heeled shoes and a short skirt) ("You need a little ouch-up work, my ass!" she told her mirror reflection), Maddy roamed outside and called for David...not a buck from he tunnel job showed up." Modern (actually crude), sophisticated, echnological police methods are employed: spectograph scans of dust deposits from the dead man's clothes and from dirt at the tunnel are brought into the office by Ernie Trent (Ray Montgomery) and place Zuckie "right smack at the scene of the crime."Your mission Jim, should you choose to accept it, is to obtain photographic proof of the theft, shadow Golitsyn to his buyer, and apprehend them both.