What A Carve Up

What A Carve Up is a 1961 British comedy-horror film, directed by Pat Jackson, based on the 1928 novel 'The Ghoul' by Frank King, and is part of the rich tapestry of British comedy films produced during the 1960s. The movie was promoted under the tagline "Fun Begins When the Lights Go Out!", setting the tone for a comedic horror-thriller marked by dark humor and suspenseful scenarios.

The film boasts a star-studded ensemble cast, led by adroit comedy actors Sidney James, Kenneth Connor, and Shirley Eaton. They deliver sterling performances, effortlessly transitioning between moments of slapstick comedy and tension-filled suspense, maintaining the film's peculiar blend of horror and comedy.

The plot follows the eccentric Black family who live in a gloomy mansion in Yorkshire County. The members of the Black family are an enigmatic yet intriguing group, each with their quirky character traits. The patriarch of this unusual family, Gabriel Black, passes away and his potential heirs include his son, a couple of creepy twin siblings, and his brother, Dr. Edward Black.

As the night of the will reading approaches, the members of the Black family find themselves invited to the cavernous family mansion. The protagonist, Ernie Broughton, played by Kenneth Connor, is a close relative to the late Gabriel Black, and an unsuccessful writer of cheap horror novels. He is an everyman character and serves as the central figure whom the viewer vicariously experiences the story with.

Ernie, along with his best friend Syd Butler, portrayed by Sidney James, are invited to spend the night at the mansion on the eve of the will reading. The duo takes up the offer, and their inexplicable night inside the haunted house constitutes the crux of the tale.

Shirley Eaton plays Linda Dixon, a beautiful and mysterious woman who works as a secretary to Gabriel's solicitor, and who also seems to have a keen interest in the proceedings. Linda's character adds further intrigue and humor to the story while providing a romantic subplot.

The mansion, which becomes a character in itself, brims with dark corners, secret passageways, and a private museum stockpiled with weapons of each heir's choice, which mysteriously begin to disappear one by one. An eerie painting of the deceased Gabriel Black hangs on the mansion's walls, adding another ominous element to the foreboding atmosphere.

The film manages to keep one guessing as odd incidents begin to occur when darkness engulfs the mansion and the lights go out. The characters experience strange and terrifying anomalies, including disappearing bodies, rumor of a ghoul, and unsolved murders. It is one part a haunted house story but teeters on the edge of a murder mystery blended with a generous dose of comedy.

The script of 'What A Carve Up' is abundant with clever one-liners and comic insights, while the direction is adept at creating suspense and tension. The unique intermingling of comedy and horror sets the movie apart. The magnificent set design and atmospheric visuals serve as the perfect backdrop to this eerie story, drawing the viewer further into the comedic spookiness of it all.

The film's ability to balance its humor with spine-chilling sequences helped establish it as a classic in the British comedy-horror genre. With James, Connor, and Eaton, all showing great chemistry and timing, 'What A Carve Up' remains remarkably fresh even after decades of its release.

At the heart of What A Carve Up is a wildly entertaining and unique comedy-drama-thriller, replete with twists and turns, that keeps you simultaneously on the edge of your seat and filled with laughter. As a viewer, you can look forward to not only the suspense of who will survive but the laughter that goes along with it. It’s a film for fans of vintage comedy-horror that still tickles the funny bone and sends a few shivers down the spine.