[The Duchess of Mint]

Dear "Sweeney Todd" Fans,

SPOILER ALERT!

Everybody who's seen either the stage, or the screen, versions of "Sweeney Todd", knows that after Mrs. Lovett and Toby sing the song "Not While I'm Around", Mrs. Lovett tells Toby that he can work in the bakehouse.

Now, Angela Lansbury's Mrs. Lovett always treated the entire "Not..." scene as though she was very upset at being "found out"; the audience always got the feeling that Lansbury's Mrs. Lovett was having to be conniving, seductive, sickly sweet, etc., in order to get Toby to quit bugging her about that darned purse!

So, we can all assume that Angela Lansbury's Mrs. Lovett actually allowed Toby to work in the bakehouse in an effort to SCARE him, so that he wouldn't want to go making a fuss again...?

HBC's Mrs. Lovett behaves in a rather remorseful manner during the "Not..." scene, so I'm slightly confused about why she would take Toby down to the bakehouse, when she's just revealed, via body language, tears, etc., that she feels guilty about her involvement with Todd's murder campaign. Is she just trying to keep Toby out of Todd's way, so that Toby will be protected from Todd, and from a truth which could really corrupt him? Is she really so stupid that she doesn't think that Toby will eventually see one of Todd's dead customers, or find a fingernail, or a toe, or whatever?

We sort of KNOW that Lansbury's Mrs. Lovett didn't really CARE if Toby began "seeing dead people".

When Lansbury portrayed Mrs. Lovett, her locking Toby in the bakehouse made perfect sense. When HBC portrayed Mrs. Lovett, her locking Toby in the bakehouse seemed weird.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

[dolbinau]

What?

In both cases, I believe Mrs Lovett locks Toby in the bakehouse to prevent him running to the "Law" as if Sweeney is found out, then obviously she is.

However, the film Lovett does seem a little more remorseful/upset about this. I still believe they are doing the same thing though. It's just they respond differently to what they've done.

[Monsieur D'Arque]

The Lansbury Lovett is truly evil and insane. The Carter Lovett is a more Brechtian character. She sees herself as a heroine who has done what she had to do to survive, and will come out in a happy ending. She's not the conniving, demonic figure of Lansbury, and truly thought Toby was a nice kid.