Sweeney Todd (1928)

Alternative title

• DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET

Credits

Director: WEST, Walter; Production Company: QTS Productions Studio: Islington

Producer: ROWSON, Harry

From the play by: DIBDIN-PITT, George

Release

Silent

Duration: 68 min

Length: 6500 feet

Format: 35mm Film

Viewing copy : contact BFI National Film Archive’s Research Viewing Service http://www.bfi.org.uk/nftva/access/rvs.html This is the first surviving film adaptation of Sweeney Todd.

Cast

Sweeney Todd (MARRIOTT, Moore); Mark Ingestre (ASHTON, Charles); Amelia Lovatt (DARBYSHIRE, Iris); Mick Todd (LORRAINE, Harry); Tobias Wragge (GLENNY, Brian); Ben Wagstaffe (HEWLAND, Philip); Simon Podge (GREEN, Judd); Johanna (PALMER, Zoe); Sambo (BLAKE J.)

Synopsis (from British Film Institute’s National Film Archive Catalogue)

From the play by George Dibdin and C. Hazelton. While reading an account of the notorious Sweeney Todd (Moore Marriott), a man falls asleep and dreams that he himself is the murderer. He adopts the idea of murdering his customers in alliance with the pie shop owner, Mrs Amelia Lovatt (Iris Darbyshire).  The barbaric barber slashes his customers with a razor and the dumps their bodies in the cellar below where Mrs Lovatt turns them into meat pies. However his attempt to murder Mark Ingestre (Charles Ashton), a sailor, is his undoing.

Plot synopsis (from Missing Link)

A barbaric barber, (Marriott), slashes his customers with a razor and then dumps their corpses into the cellar where Mrs. Lovatt, (Darbyshire), who owns the shop next door, turns them into meat pies.
This early version of the infamous story is portrayed in one of the character’s dreams.
Marriott is better remembered for his appearances in the Will Hay comedies. Taken from http://www.classichorror.free-online.co.uk/st.htm

Reference:

Bioscope, 3 October 1928, vol 77, no. 1148, p 30 (UK) Review of Sweeney Todd

SWEENEY TODD (MOORE MARRIOTT AND MARK INGESTRE (CHARLES ASHTON)SWEENEY TODD (1928)

STREET SCENE OUTSIDE MRS LOVETT’S PIE SHOP FROM SWEENEY TODD (1928)

SWEENEY TODD (1928) WITH CHARLES ASHTON AND IRIS DARBYSHIRE

 

 

 

 

 

 

More stills from Sweeney Todd can be seen in the BFI Stills Collection.

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