Mystery and Imagination (TV Series) Sweeney Todd (1970) User Reviews

Cheap but enjoyable version of the legend of Sweeney Todd.

[DPMay · 13 April 2002]

Obviously made on a shoestring budget, this production has a very theatrical feel to it, being made entirely in the studio and with much of old London being recreated by simple sets and painted backdrops.

This doesn't ruin the play though as it relies primarily on its strong characterisations. Freddie Jones excels in the main role and is compelling to watch as the famed barber who butchered his clients. Unlike some versions of the legend which had Sweeney Todd as a wronged man out for revenge, here he is a delusional madman whose heart aches for the affections of Mrs Lovett.

The supporting actors each play numerous roles within the piece. By modern television standards its probably all a little slow and plodding now, but still well worth a look.

Sweeney Todd

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 6 January 2020]

This is a psychological gothic tale of the demon barber of Fleet street.

Freddie Jones performance is of a man unhinged, melancholic and sinister.

The story opens with Sweeney Todd murdering a man who is in a hurry to an important meeting. He is meeting his fiance's family and he has with him a valuable set of pearls. The pearls seals his fate.

However the gift of the pearls will not win the heart of of Mrs Lovett, the owner of the pie shop. She knows it is dangerous to accept them. However if the pearls were converted into money, that is a different matter.

It is just not Todd's customers who get more than they bargain for. His young apprentices tend to end up in the lunatic asylum as they have a fantastic story to tell.

This Freudian production jumps in time, we see Todd as a child who is sent to a sinister doctor. Quack doctors are a theme here.

The various awkward time jumps can be confusing, compounded by the same actors playing several roles.

I liked Jones's performance, essentially it one that of a man who is deluded and insane. The production is set bound with some good use of lightning and reflections. However nowadays it comes across as too stagebound and confusing.