# Is there a name for this plot device and where was it used first?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-this-plot-device-and-where-was-it-used-first/560558>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [November 13, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-this-plot-device-and-where-was-it-used-first/560558 "2010-11-13T15:32:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Anachronism](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@Anachronism](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anachronism)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-this-plot-device-and-where-was-it-used-first/560558/1 "2010-11-13T15:32:54Z")

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Good guys frantically trying to locate kidnap victim/bad guys house, cut to bad guy preparing to kill kidnap victim, back and forth until the bad guy is about to kill victim and the good guys are knocking on the door and… They are at the wrong house.

Was it done before Silence of the Lambs? Is there a name for it?

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**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2010, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-this-plot-device-and-where-was-it-used-first/560558/2 "2010-11-13T15:41:13Z")

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[Cut Apart](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CutApart)