Crime of the Century: Leopold & Loeb - A Written Contract
Genre: Crime
Director: Bennett Miller
Writer: Lon Charles
Cast: Alex Wolff, Nick Robinson, Joseph Fiennes, David Schwimmer, Blake Jenner, Jorja Fox and Virginia Gardner
Plot: 1958. The older Nathan Leopold (Joseph Fiennes) waits in a hallway of the Stateville Penitentiary in shackles. A guard calls him back in to sit in front of the parole board. The board announces that they have come to a decision on the matter. He holds his head down, ready to be denied parole yet again, but much to his surprise the parole board informs Leopold that they have decided to grant him parole. Leopold sheds a tear. He thanks the parole board and leaves the room, shackles jangling with each step.
1923. Nathan Leopold (Alex Wolff) and Richard Loeb (Nick Robinson) are driving up toward Ann Arbor, Michigan, to the University of Michigan campus. Leopold is the one driving, utilizing one of his family's town cars. While Leopold drives toward their target, Loeb gives him a handjob. When they arrive at Loeb's former fraternity house, they sit out in the car and wait for the fraternity brothers to leave the house for a party. Loeb then leads Leopold through the house's backdoor. They sneak from room to room, grabbing anything they can find of value. They become frustrated by the lack of cash in any of the bedrooms, only finding a total of $80 in loose cash and change. Leopold, however, perks up when he notices an Underwood 3 portable typewriter. Leopold lifts the typewriter and carries it out of the fraternity house and back out to the car where Loeb is waiting for him with the cash.
On the drive back to Chicago in the middle of the night, Leopold is angry about the failure of their endeavor. He says that they're never going to prove that they are Superman with penny ante tasks like robbing a fraternity house of pocket change. Loeb tells Leopold to relax, but Leopold continues by stating the their relationship feels too one-sided. He's always going along with Loeb's escapades, but rarely gets anything out of it outside of the rare tug. Loeb asks Leopold if it would make him happy if they set their sights on a bigger crime, something that would set all of Chicago talking. Leopold says that would be vastly preferable to driving 12 hours for $80 and a typewriter.
When they pull up outside of Loeb's house, Loeb asks Leopold if he wants to come inside. Given that it is the middle of the night, Loeb and Leopold sneak up to his bedroom. They speak at whisper volumes in the bedroom. Loeb pulls out a piece of paper and begins writing out a contract for him and Leopold. The contract states that they will be bound together in their quest to be supermen and to complete the perfect crime together - as long as they are partners in crime they will also be sexual partners, something Leopold insists on being in the contract. Loen cuts his hand with a letter opener and signs the contract in his blood. Leopold then grabs the knife and does the same thing.
Loeb and Leopold sit in the bedroom whispering about what crime they could possibly commit that would be worthy of their intellect. Loeb suggests that they could kidnap and murder a child. He says people would really freak out about something like that. Leopold suggests they could also ask for a ransom after the crime to throw the police off of the real motive. Leopold and Loeb have sex in Loeb's bed and fall asleep. In the morning, Leopold tries to sneak out, but Albert Loeb (David Schwimmer), his wife Anna Loeb (Jorja Fox) and their son Allan Loeb (Blake Jenner) are already awake and notice Leopold as he attempts to sneak out the front door. They choose not to say anything to Leopold, just look at him as he passes. Leopold notices the family seeing him, but he opts to just keep walking. Allan comments to his parents that he told them Richard is a queer. Anna tells her son to not say such hurtful things about family. She suggests that maybe they were just up late studying and fell asleep - stranger things have happened.
Leopold is unable to get a hold of Loeb for a few days. Frustrated, he shows up to a party where he finds Loeb drunkenly making out with Peggy (Virginia Gardner). Jealous, Leopold throws a bottle of liquor to the floor and storms out of the party. Peggy is startled by the commotion and asks Loeb what's wrong with his friend Leopold. Loeb says that Leopold is just a bit too tightly wound sometimes.
1923. Nathan Leopold (Alex Wolff) and Richard Loeb (Nick Robinson) are driving up toward Ann Arbor, Michigan, to the University of Michigan campus. Leopold is the one driving, utilizing one of his family's town cars. While Leopold drives toward their target, Loeb gives him a handjob. When they arrive at Loeb's former fraternity house, they sit out in the car and wait for the fraternity brothers to leave the house for a party. Loeb then leads Leopold through the house's backdoor. They sneak from room to room, grabbing anything they can find of value. They become frustrated by the lack of cash in any of the bedrooms, only finding a total of $80 in loose cash and change. Leopold, however, perks up when he notices an Underwood 3 portable typewriter. Leopold lifts the typewriter and carries it out of the fraternity house and back out to the car where Loeb is waiting for him with the cash.
On the drive back to Chicago in the middle of the night, Leopold is angry about the failure of their endeavor. He says that they're never going to prove that they are Superman with penny ante tasks like robbing a fraternity house of pocket change. Loeb tells Leopold to relax, but Leopold continues by stating the their relationship feels too one-sided. He's always going along with Loeb's escapades, but rarely gets anything out of it outside of the rare tug. Loeb asks Leopold if it would make him happy if they set their sights on a bigger crime, something that would set all of Chicago talking. Leopold says that would be vastly preferable to driving 12 hours for $80 and a typewriter.
When they pull up outside of Loeb's house, Loeb asks Leopold if he wants to come inside. Given that it is the middle of the night, Loeb and Leopold sneak up to his bedroom. They speak at whisper volumes in the bedroom. Loeb pulls out a piece of paper and begins writing out a contract for him and Leopold. The contract states that they will be bound together in their quest to be supermen and to complete the perfect crime together - as long as they are partners in crime they will also be sexual partners, something Leopold insists on being in the contract. Loen cuts his hand with a letter opener and signs the contract in his blood. Leopold then grabs the knife and does the same thing.
Loeb and Leopold sit in the bedroom whispering about what crime they could possibly commit that would be worthy of their intellect. Loeb suggests that they could kidnap and murder a child. He says people would really freak out about something like that. Leopold suggests they could also ask for a ransom after the crime to throw the police off of the real motive. Leopold and Loeb have sex in Loeb's bed and fall asleep. In the morning, Leopold tries to sneak out, but Albert Loeb (David Schwimmer), his wife Anna Loeb (Jorja Fox) and their son Allan Loeb (Blake Jenner) are already awake and notice Leopold as he attempts to sneak out the front door. They choose not to say anything to Leopold, just look at him as he passes. Leopold notices the family seeing him, but he opts to just keep walking. Allan comments to his parents that he told them Richard is a queer. Anna tells her son to not say such hurtful things about family. She suggests that maybe they were just up late studying and fell asleep - stranger things have happened.
Leopold is unable to get a hold of Loeb for a few days. Frustrated, he shows up to a party where he finds Loeb drunkenly making out with Peggy (Virginia Gardner). Jealous, Leopold throws a bottle of liquor to the floor and storms out of the party. Peggy is startled by the commotion and asks Loeb what's wrong with his friend Leopold. Loeb says that Leopold is just a bit too tightly wound sometimes.
Aucun commentaire:
Publier un commentaire