Cliff hangers

Cliff hangers are only sometimes used often they are used in the climax of a dramatic scene of either a struggle or shock. Cliff hangers are mostly used to get the audience on the edge of their seats as they hang in the balance waiting to see what is going to happen next.

For example in North by Northwest



An on going struggle between the protagonist and the 'baddies' leads to the protagonist trying to protect and get him and his fair maiden to safety; but of course it's the movies this isn't going to be easy. As they try to climb down Mount Rushmore they are bombarded with bullets and the threat of falling to their death. The end of the scene they are both clinging on for dear life and then cut. The scene cuts them on a train and having just gotten married.

The basic point of the cliff hanger is to make the audience uncertain to the fate of the protagonist. Are they going to survive/get out alive? Will they catch the villain? Has the protagonist actually succeeded or was it all in the villainn's plan?