Swoon (1992)

Director:

Tom Kalin

Writers:

Hilton Als (collaborating writer)
Tom Kalin (writer)

Release Date:

25 September 1992 (UK)

Genre:

Biography | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Was it a crime of passion? Or a passion for crime?

Plot:

The true story of gay lovers, Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold Jr. who kidnapped and murdered a child in the early 1920s for kicks...

Plot Keywords:

1920s | Dry Hump | Homosexual | Murderer Duo | Dead Children

Awards:

6 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Daniel Schlachet	...	Richard Loeb
Craig Chester	...	Nathan Leopold Jr.
Ron Vawter	...	State's Attorney Crowe
Michael Kirby	...	Detective Savage
Michael Stumm	...	Doctor Bowman
Valda Z. Drabla	...	Germaine Reinhardt
Natalie Stanford	...	Susan Lurie
Isabela Araujo	...	Venus in Furs Diva
Jill 'Spanky' Buchanan	...	Venus in Furs Diva
Nashom Benjamin	...	Venus in Furs Diva / Mona Foot (as Mona Foot)
Trash	...	Venus in Furs Diva
Trasharama	...	Venus in Furs Diva
Nashom Wooden	...	Venus in Furs Diva
Peter Bowen	...	Factory Workman
Ryan Landry	...	Ivory

Runtime:

82 min | Spain:94 min | Sweden:92 min | UK:80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:Open (rating surrendered: 1992) | USA:R (original rating: 1992)

Filming Locations:

Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

American Playhouse

Trivia:

Daniel Schlachet's mother in the film is played by Barbara Bleier, who is his mother in real life.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: Characters use telephones with Touch Tone dialing-systems and other modern devices, even though the film is set in the early 1920's. The placement of such anachronistic objects was deliberate on the part of the filmmakers.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema (2006)

Watch it once

Swoon tells the story of Leopold and Lobe with homosexuality constantly in mind, because it was important (or at least everyone at the time it actually happened believed it was important). This film points out how the trial focused on their homosexuality, using authentic court transcripts, despite the murder having nothing to do with sexual orientation. This mirrors Michael Foucault's History of Sexuality regarding the policing of sexuality. Thought-provoking.

Although a bit confusing at times, a movie worth watching once. Perhaps do a bit of research on the background of the case to supplement the film.