It is 1800s London, and barber Benjamin Barker is sent to prison in Australia for a crime he didn't commit. He is sent there by Turpin, a powerful judge who desires Benjamin's wife, Lucy. Years later, Benjamin returns to London as Sweeney Todd to exact revenge on Turpin, who has now employed Todd's daughter Johanna as a ward. Todd opens a barbershop on top of a meat pie store owned by Mrs. Lovett. Meanwhile a competing barber, who turns out to be his old assistant blackmails him, threatening to expose his real identity. Todd then murders him, and takes in his boy apprentice Toby. A young sailor, who is Todd's friend Anthony, falls in love with Johanna, despite Turpin's fierce guarding of her. One day, Turpin goes to Todd for a shave, but Todd's plans of killing him are foiled when Anthony arrives, narrating his elopement plans. Turpin leaves, and hides Johanna in an asylum. Turpin's escape envelops Todd in madness, and soon he is on a killing spree of his customers— slashing their throats, and then sending the bodies to Mrs. Lovett's shop below to be turned into meat pies. Both shops thrive. Toby looks up to Lovett as his mother, and goes on with his duties without knowing about the murders and meat pies. Lovett on the other hand is revealed to have feelings for Todd. When Anthony rescues Johanna, he hides her in the barber shop and leaves. A beggarwoman walks in, just as Todd hears Turpin approaching. Todd kills her, drops her body into the kitchen below, and then kills Turpin. When a commotion erupts downstairs, Todd sees that the beggarwoman is his wife Lucy, whose existence Lovett covered up for her own interests. Todd throws Lovett into the oven which Toby sees. Toby then kills Todd for killing his "mother."
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Best part of story, including ending:
It shows how revenge often ends in tragedy.
Best scene in story:
When Toby finds a toe in one of the meat pies.
Opinion about the main character:
Like anyone consumed by revenge, Todd becomes reckless, thus marking his end as well.
