A theatrical work can often tell us more about the time it was written in than the theme its author intended. Take the case of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The story revolves around a barber, Sweeney Todd, who selectively killed his clients, sending their bodies down through a trap door to his accomplice, Mrs. Lovett, who used the bodies for making meat pies. The fates of two innocents, a sailor (Mark originally, then Anthony later) and the inaccessible girl with whom he falls in love, Johanna, become entwined with the skulduggery of Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett.
In 1936, director George King brought Sweeney to life with Tod Slaughter as the barber who cut a little too close, and Stella Rho as a totally unlovable Mrs. Lovett. (Available from Alpha Video, or Netflix.)
This rendering of the story is a bloody, yet funny, macabre tale that doesn't take itself too seriously. The presentation of the story also takes some of the nastier edges off. Even though about “murder most vile,” the story is bookended by a tale of a modern-day (1936) barber and his customer.
The modern-day barber relates the tale of Sweeney to his customer with around-the-campfire ghost-story enthusiasm. In the closing segment, the customer watches the barber sharpen his blade, gets spooked, and goes running down Fleet Street in fine Laurel and Hardy/Keystone Cops fashion.
Further, the content of Mrs. Lovett’s meat pies is only implied. Cannibalism wasn’t cool and, as I recall, when I saw this film on my parents' black-and-white TV somewhere back in my pre-teen days, I believe I totally missed the whole people-pie concept.
In this version of the story, the sailor is the hero, ultimately rescuing the fair Johanna from Sweeney’s clutches, and bringing an end to his evil. The theme is quite clear: young love and purity can overcome evil. From his evil laugh to his nasty demeanor, Sweeney is totally, unforgivably evil.
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