I've always assumed that "Tod" did have some resonance in the name, along perhaps with "swine-y"? But I'm not sure what any of that has to do with the musical itself (i.e. why did Mr. Benkof even bring it up??), or someone changing the text for the screenplay.
The simple fact is that the text in question should have been cited as having come from the film. Period. This has nothing to do with different versions of Cabaret or Anything Goes or Showboat or any other show that isn't Sweeney Todd. (Do I hear a bit of right-wing what-about-ism in that?? For god's sake...) It was a little bit of sloppiness that doesn't warrant nearly this much discussion. But a simple "sorry, didn't make things clear" from Mr. Benkof originally, would have gone a long way.
But no, Mrs. Lovett's line, newly re-written many years after Mr., Wheeler's book, doesn't need to have anything to do with Mr. Todd's original surname.
But you know, a lot of people seem determined to overanalyze lyrics or lines, especially if they think they're more clever than the original writer. I should tell you what a colleague of mine once tried to sell me on what "I Know Things Now" is supposedly really about. Or, should I say, which specific sexual act he personally WANTED it to be about. Let's just say I didn't get "behind" his opinion. Ugh. (Where is that in the text, for god's sake...) |
