unwitting courier

His films consistently feature ordinary people thrust into dangerous situations as unwitting pawns in larger conspiracies, most notably in 'North by Northwest' and 'Vertigo'.

'The Third Man' exemplifies the unwitting courier archetype through its protagonist caught between espionage factions in post-war Vienna.

His thrillers like 'Serpico' and 'Network' explore how ordinary individuals become entangled in systems larger than themselves, unwittingly complicit in larger narratives.