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What a Carve Up!

 What a Carve Up!
type
TVTItem
 What a Carve Up!
label
What a Carve Up!
 What a Carve Up!
page
WhatACarveUp
 What a Carve Up!
comment
What a Carve Up! is a 1961 British comedy-horror film, directed by Pat Jackson and starring Sid James, Kenneth Connor, Shirley Eaton, Donald Pleasence, and Michael Gough. It was released in the United States in 1962 as No Place Like Homicide. The film was loosely based on the novel The Ghoul by Frank King.Ernie Broughton's uncle Gabriel has just died but to claim his inheritance he must spend the night in the ancestral home with the rest of his relatives. Before long the guests begin to drop dead.The film figures extensively within Jonathan Coe's 1994 satirical novel of the same title. The novel's protagonist, Michael Owen, becomes obsessed with the film after having first watched it as a young boy. Additionally, the last part of the book follows the plot of the film.
 What a Carve Up!
fetched
2023-05-13T17:42:58Z
 What a Carve Up!
parsed
2023-05-13T17:42:58Z
 What a Carve Up!
isPartOf
DBTropes
 What a Carve Up! / int_154aa477
type
Big, Screwed-Up Family
 What a Carve Up! / int_154aa477
comment
Big, Screwed-Up Family: The general consensus is that the Brougham family is completely mad: including amongst members of the family. Ernie Brougham, who was unaware of this reputation, is deeply shocked. His best friend Syd, however, is completely unsurprised
 What a Carve Up! / int_154aa477
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1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_154aa477
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 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_154aa477
 What a Carve Up! / int_1b65dfad
type
The Cameo
 What a Carve Up! / int_1b65dfad
comment
The Cameo: Teen Idol Adam Faith (implicitly playing himself) appears at the very end of the film as Linda's boyfriend.
 What a Carve Up! / int_1b65dfad
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1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_1b65dfad
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
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What a Carve Up! / int_1b65dfad
 What a Carve Up! / int_1dfbbf31
type
Heterosexual Life-Partners
 What a Carve Up! / int_1dfbbf31
comment
Heterosexual Life-Partners: Syd and Ernie. The two live together, eat together and, despite being Vitriolic Best Buds, look after each other, with Syd even being willing to sleep in the same bed when Ernie is too scared to sleep alone.
 What a Carve Up! / int_1dfbbf31
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1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_1dfbbf31
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
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What a Carve Up! / int_1dfbbf31
 What a Carve Up! / int_27f10418
type
Impersonating an Officer
 What a Carve Up! / int_27f10418
comment
Impersonating an Officer: Ispector Arkwright arrives at Blackshaw Towers, telling the surviving guests that Mr. Sloane had made it to the village and informed him of the murders. However, when Ernie and Syd later discover Sloane's body in the garden, they realise that Sloane never made it to the village and that Inspector Arkwright is really the murderer Gabriel.
 What a Carve Up! / int_27f10418
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_27f10418
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_27f10418
 What a Carve Up! / int_29476563
type
Crusty Caretaker
 What a Carve Up! / int_29476563
comment
Crusty Caretaker: Fisk the butler (brilliantly played by Michael Gough) moves around the Old, Dark House silently—despite having a limp—and generally comes across as Lurch's shorter, slightly more talkative cousin.
 What a Carve Up! / int_29476563
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_29476563
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_29476563
 What a Carve Up! / int_29e6dc40
type
HypocriticalHumour
 What a Carve Up! / int_29e6dc40
comment
Hypocritical Humour: Janet complains about Ernie being at the will reading; saying that he is obviously only there for Uncle Gabriel's money. This ignores the fact that the money is the only reason she is there.
 What a Carve Up! / int_29e6dc40
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_29e6dc40
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_29e6dc40
 What a Carve Up! / int_2f92b9da
type
Watching the Reflection Undress
 What a Carve Up! / int_2f92b9da
comment
Watching the Reflection Undress: When Ernie finds himself in Linda's room, she asks him to turn around so she can finish getting changed. He does so but finds himself facing a mirror that he hurriedly tilts downwards as she starts to take off her bra.
 What a Carve Up! / int_2f92b9da
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_2f92b9da
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_2f92b9da
 What a Carve Up! / int_315a122
type
Hospital Hottie
 What a Carve Up! / int_315a122
comment
Hospital Hottie: Uncle Gabriel's nurse is played by the delectable future Bond Girl Shirley Eaton. Janet worries that she might have used her physical charms and access to Gabriel to turn his head and make him change his will.
 What a Carve Up! / int_315a122
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_315a122
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_315a122
 What a Carve Up! / int_326a740c
type
Scatterbrained Senior
 What a Carve Up! / int_326a740c
comment
Scatterbrained Senior: Aunt Emily. She says she is knitting balaclavas for the boys in the trenches. When Syd says she's a bit late for that she responds "Of course not. It only started in 1914". (The film is set in 1961). She also thinks George Bernard Shaw is alive and offers to introduce Ernie to him, and cannot keep track of who is alive and who is dead.
 What a Carve Up! / int_326a740c
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1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_326a740c
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_326a740c
 What a Carve Up! / int_4720744e
type
Cut Phone Lines
 What a Carve Up! / int_4720744e
comment
Cut Phone Lines: When Sid attempts to phone the police, he discovers the phone line has been severed.
 What a Carve Up! / int_4720744e
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_4720744e
featureConfidence
1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_4720744e
 What a Carve Up! / int_4a30bc29
type
Coincidental Dodge
 What a Carve Up! / int_4a30bc29
comment
Coincidental Dodge: The killer attempts to drop a Falling Chandelier of Doom on Ernie's head, but has to abandon the attempt because Ernie's nervous pacing keeps carrying him out of the drop zone before he can trigger it.
 What a Carve Up! / int_4a30bc29
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_4a30bc29
featureConfidence
1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_4a30bc29
 What a Carve Up! / int_4ea822ce
type
Songs in the Key of Lock
 What a Carve Up! / int_4ea822ce
comment
Songs in the Key of Lock: Ernie accidentally activates the secret door in the music room by pulling out the stops on the organ while Syd is searching the walls.
 What a Carve Up! / int_4ea822ce
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_4ea822ce
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_4ea822ce
 What a Carve Up! / int_502a1ec9
type
Blow Gun
 What a Carve Up! / int_502a1ec9
comment
Blowgun: The murderer kills Janet by shooting her with a curare-tipped dart fired from a blowgun.
 What a Carve Up! / int_502a1ec9
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_502a1ec9
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_502a1ec9
 What a Carve Up! / int_517f8d71
type
Delusions of Eloquence
 What a Carve Up! / int_517f8d71
comment
Delusions of Eloquence: Working in the publishing industry—albeit as a proofreader of lurid horror novels—Ernie has an overinflated opinion of his level of culture and education. Best demonstrated when he explains the vital importance of his job as proofreader while completely mangling the grammar of the sentence. The bemused look on Syd's face is something to behold
 What a Carve Up! / int_517f8d71
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_517f8d71
featureConfidence
1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_517f8d71
 What a Carve Up! / int_612b0606
type
Scary Shadow Fakeout
 What a Carve Up! / int_612b0606
comment
Scary Shadow Fakeout: Ernie sees a shadow around a corner that appears to be the killer standing with a club raise, ready to strike him. He dives round the corner and tackles it, only to discover he has just tackled a suit of armour holding a mace.
 What a Carve Up! / int_612b0606
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_612b0606
featureConfidence
1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_612b0606
 What a Carve Up! / int_7eebe99c
type
The Alcoholic
 What a Carve Up! / int_7eebe99c
comment
The Alcoholic: Major Guy Broughton, who spends most of the movie with a drink in his hand. It's implied that his alcoholism is the reason why he is no longer in the army. When Syd tells him that he is going drink himself to death, Guy's response is a dreamy "What a way to go!"
 What a Carve Up! / int_7eebe99c
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_7eebe99c
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_7eebe99c
 What a Carve Up! / int_8b3ab1ce
type
Nuclear Candle
 What a Carve Up! / int_8b3ab1ce
comment
Nuclear Candle: Ernie strikes a match that provides enough illumination to light up the whole secret tunnel. Immediately subverted when he then falls down a hole in the floor he failed to notice.
 What a Carve Up! / int_8b3ab1ce
featureApplicability
-0.3
 What a Carve Up! / int_8b3ab1ce
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 What a Carve Up!
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What a Carve Up! / int_8b3ab1ce
 What a Carve Up! / int_8b442f50
type
Did Not Get the Girl
 What a Carve Up! / int_8b442f50
comment
Did Not Get the Girl: Ernie spends the film trying to impress Linda, but, at the end of the film, her previously unmentioned boyfriend (played by Teen Idol Adam Faith) arrives and takes her away, leaving Ernie heartbroken.
 What a Carve Up! / int_8b442f50
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_8b442f50
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_8b442f50
 What a Carve Up! / int_9059bd5d
type
Peek-a-Boo Corpse
 What a Carve Up! / int_9059bd5d
comment
Peek-a-Boo Corpse: Ernie opens the cocktail cabinet only to have Guy's body topple out.
 What a Carve Up! / int_9059bd5d
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_9059bd5d
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_9059bd5d
 What a Carve Up! / int_91d3ab1e
type
Ominous Pipe Organ
 What a Carve Up! / int_91d3ab1e
comment
Ominous Pipe Organ: There is an ominous pipe organ in the music room. Malcolm is playing it the first time Ernie sees him. Malcolm is later murdered while playing it seated next to Ernie.
 What a Carve Up! / int_91d3ab1e
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_91d3ab1e
featureConfidence
1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_91d3ab1e
 What a Carve Up! / int_98c4ea5f
type
Falling Chandelier of Doom
 What a Carve Up! / int_98c4ea5f
comment
Falling Chandelier of Doom: The murderer attempts to drop a chandelier on Ernie's head, but abandons the attempt because Ernie won't stop moving around. This becomes a Chekhov's Gun as later Fisk throws a burning brand at the killer, which hits the release mechanism on the chandelier, dropping it on the killer's head.
 What a Carve Up! / int_98c4ea5f
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_98c4ea5f
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_98c4ea5f
 What a Carve Up! / int_a1b27125
type
Nervous Wreck
 What a Carve Up! / int_a1b27125
comment
Nervous Wreck: Ernie. He proofreads lurid horrid novels for a living, which makes him inclined to panic at the slightest thing. According to his best friend Syd, he actually starts hallucinating things when there is nothing to be frightened of. Needless to say, being invited to his uncle's Old, Dark House for a reading of his will does nothing to improve his state of mind.
 What a Carve Up! / int_a1b27125
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_a1b27125
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
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What a Carve Up! / int_a1b27125
 What a Carve Up! / int_a91f07ee
type
"No Peeking!" Request
 What a Carve Up! / int_a91f07ee
comment
"No Peeking!" Request: Linda asks Ernie to turn around so she can change. He turns but finds himself facing a mirror that lets him watch her change anyway.
 What a Carve Up! / int_a91f07ee
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_a91f07ee
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_a91f07ee
 What a Carve Up! / int_ae5ab58b
type
Luck-Based Search Technique
 What a Carve Up! / int_ae5ab58b
comment
Luck-Based Search Technique: Done by Ernie multiple times. He accidentally activates the secret door in the music room by pulling out the stops on the organ while Syd is searching the walls. He later finds the second secret door in the library when he trips and jams his hands onto the breasts of the fireplace decoration.
 What a Carve Up! / int_ae5ab58b
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_ae5ab58b
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
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What a Carve Up! / int_ae5ab58b
 What a Carve Up! / int_b6a13a56
type
Ten Little Murder Victims
 What a Carve Up! / int_b6a13a56
comment
Ten Little Murder Victims: Someone starts picking off the members of the Broughton family who have gathered for the reading of the will one by one.
 What a Carve Up! / int_b6a13a56
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_b6a13a56
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_b6a13a56
 What a Carve Up! / int_b9c673a6
type
Market-Based Title
 What a Carve Up! / int_b9c673a6
comment
Market-Based Title: The film was released in America as No Place Like Homicide.
 What a Carve Up! / int_b9c673a6
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_b9c673a6
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_b9c673a6
 What a Carve Up! / int_c49d8da4
type
Portrait Painting Peephole
 What a Carve Up! / int_c49d8da4
comment
Portrait Painting Peephole: The killer spies on his remaining victims when they gather in the library by looking through the cutout eyes in the portrait of Uncle Gabriel that hangs over the fireplace. There is also a hole cut in the mouth that he uses to fire the Blow Gun that kills Janet.
 What a Carve Up! / int_c49d8da4
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_c49d8da4
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_c49d8da4
 What a Carve Up! / int_d7fc9fd0
type
Vitriolic Best Buds
 What a Carve Up! / int_d7fc9fd0
comment
Vitriolic Best Buds: Syd and Ernie spend a lot of time insulting each other. However, when the chips are down and there is a madman running around the mansion offing the guests one by one, they've got each others backs.
 What a Carve Up! / int_d7fc9fd0
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_d7fc9fd0
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_d7fc9fd0
 What a Carve Up! / int_de7d6710
type
Silly Will
 What a Carve Up! / int_de7d6710
comment
Silly Will: Not only does Gabriel leave absolutely nothing to his family in his will (and make them all travel to his Old, Dark House to hear this), but he bequeaths his nurse Linda all of his medicines, syringes and empty medicine bottles. Linda, at least, sees the funny side of this.
 What a Carve Up! / int_de7d6710
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_de7d6710
featureConfidence
1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_de7d6710
 What a Carve Up! / int_e9269f72
type
It Was Here, I Swear!
 What a Carve Up! / int_e9269f72
comment
It Was Here, I Swear!: When Ernie falls into the vaults and emerges from Uncle Gabriel's coffin, he goes racing back to the house to tell Syd and Guy that the coffin is empty. When the three of them return, Gabriel's body is back in place. Later, Syd takes Inspector Arkwright to the vault to show him Malcolm's body in Gabriel's coffin, only to find the entire coffin has vanished.
 What a Carve Up! / int_e9269f72
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_e9269f72
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 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_e9269f72
 What a Carve Up! / int_ea0d06f0
type
Bookcase Passage
 What a Carve Up! / int_ea0d06f0
comment
Bookcase Passage: There are multiple bookcase passages in the library. One leads to the music room; another to the vaults.
 What a Carve Up! / int_ea0d06f0
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_ea0d06f0
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_ea0d06f0
 What a Carve Up! / int_ec4b148
type
Old, Dark House
 What a Carve Up! / int_ec4b148
comment
Old, Dark House: Most of the film takes place in Blackshaw Towers; a creepy old mansion of the Yorkshire moors. It becomes even creepier when the killer sabotages the power plant, plunging the house into darkness.
 What a Carve Up! / int_ec4b148
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_ec4b148
featureConfidence
1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_ec4b148
 What a Carve Up! / int_f54f1401
type
Passed-Over Inheritance
 What a Carve Up! / int_f54f1401
comment
Passed-Over Inheritance: Gabriel Broughton summons his entire family to his Old, Dark House to hear the reading of his will, which informs them that none of them are receiving anything. And then they start being murdered.
 What a Carve Up! / int_f54f1401
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_f54f1401
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_f54f1401
 What a Carve Up! / int_f594c8a9
type
Fed to the Beast
 What a Carve Up! / int_f594c8a9
comment
Fed to the Beast: The killer to dispose of the four remaining guests by feeding them to a pack of dogs which haven't been fed for ten days. It fails because the butler Fisk has been sneaking down to vaults and feeding them.
 What a Carve Up! / int_f594c8a9
featureApplicability
1.0
 What a Carve Up! / int_f594c8a9
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1.0
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
What a Carve Up! / int_f594c8a9
 What a Carve Up! / int_f9876f7e
type
Faking the Dead
 What a Carve Up! / int_f9876f7e
comment
Faking the Dead: Gabriel and Edward conspire to fake Gabriel's death, with Edward signing the death certificate. Gabriel then murders Edward first as Edward is the only one who knows the truth and could expose Gabriel's scheme.
 What a Carve Up! / int_f9876f7e
featureApplicability
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 What a Carve Up! / int_f9876f7e
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 What a Carve Up!
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What a Carve Up! / int_f9876f7e
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 What a Carve Up! / int_name
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What a Carve Up! / int_name
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What a Carve Up!

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Big, Screwed-Up Family / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Blow Gun / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Bookcase Passage / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Coincidental Dodge / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Crusty Caretaker / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Cut Phone Lines / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Delusions of Eloquence / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Faking the Dead / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Falling Chandelier of Doom / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Fed to the Beast / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Horror Comedy / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Hospital Hottie / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Impersonating an Officer / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
It Was Here, I Swear! / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Luck-Based Search Technique / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Market-Based Title / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Nervous Wreck / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
"No Peeking!" Request / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Nuclear Candle / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Old, Dark House / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Ominous Pipe Organ / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Passed-Over Inheritance / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Peek-a-Boo Corpse / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Portrait Painting Peephole / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Scatterbrained Senior / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Shaggy Search Technique / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Silly Will / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Songs in the Key of Lock / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Ten Little Murder Victims / int_2b2db73b
 What a Carve Up!
hasFeature
Watching the Reflection Undress / int_2b2db73b