November 19, 1904 august 29, 1971 and richard albert loeb. Jerome chanes, a forward contributing editor, writes about jewish public. Crime and punishment amos lassen i have always been fascinated by the leopold and loeb affair and it is without a doubt one of the most shocking crimes in the history of. Compulsion is narrated by sid silver, a budding journalist at the university of chicago and a fictional surrogate for meyer levin, who was a classmate of leopold and loeb and reported on their trial himself. Leopold and loeb project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Feb 24, 2014 goodbye charlie 1964 tony curtis, debbie reynolds, pat boone full length comedy fantasy movie duration. Two wealthy lawschool students go on trial for murder in this version of the leopoldloeb case. On january 28, 1936, richard loeb was killed in prison. Nevertheless, leopold sued the author over this book.
This incisive psychological portrait of two young murderers seized the imagination of an era and is generally recognized as paving the way for the. Compulsion was the title of a fictionalized account of the leopold and loeb trial, written in 1956 by meyer levin. The back cover of the paperback noted that compulsion is a spellbinding fictionalized account of one of the most famous and shocking crimes of our agethe leopoldloeb murder case. The newspapers ran with the story, calling it the crime of the century and readers were fascinated from the time the crime was perpetrated until the time the murderers were sentenced. I had a vague awareness of the leopoldloeb murder, largely from fictional. Retelling the famous leopold and loeb murder case, who murdered a boy just to prove they could, the. Leopold died quietly a year later, a sedate, wellgroomed old man who had once been the sadistic coauthor of the crime of the century. An intimate look at one of americas most infamous crimes agate midway, july 17. Kinchen the senseless thrill killing of 14year old bobby franks by nathan leopold 19041971 and richard loeb 19051936 in chicago in 1924 was the heavily publicized crime of the century in chicagos roaring. The two men and their crime inspired both the alfred hitchcock movie. Nathan leopold appealed for parole in 1955, represented by attorney elmer gertz, and left prison in 1958. In another sense too, the loebleopold case belongs more to the 50s than the 20s when it was a singular, and shocking phenomenon. Chicagos leopold and loeb case one of americas most. Novelist meyer levin covered the leopoldloeb trial as a student reporter and, some 30 years later, returned to the subject and the reporter.
Certain crimes seem to epitomize the thinking of their era and this is a documentary novel of the loeb leopold case which brought into play the psychoanalytical point of view of our time, much as dreisers american tragedy represented the sociological view of his. Early on, a pair of judds hornrimmed eyeglasses is found at the scene. The story concerns two wealthy chicago teenagers, judd steiner and artie straus, who. This new edition of meyer levins classic literary thriller compulsion reintroduces the fictionalized case of leopold and loeb once considered the crime of the century to a new. Goodbye charlie 1964 tony curtis, debbie reynolds, pat boone full length comedy fantasy movie duration. Leopold and loeb case one of americas most infamous crimes detailed in new book. Jul 26, 2018 a new book, the leopold and loeb files, by nina barrett, returns to these original archival documents which had languished in the basement of northwestern universitys law school until 1988 to resurrect the killers voices.
By opening up the inscrutable mind of the psychotic criminal, even in a fictionalized way, compulsion gave a human face to the most inhuman of crimes. These were the books that created the modern mind, with its constant. The book and film may well have swayed parole board members in his favor. June 11, 1905 january 28, 1936, commonly known as leopold and loeb, were two wealthy students at the university of chicago who kidnapped and murdered 14yearold robert bobby franks in chicago, in 1924, in what was widely described as the crime of the century. Marcia clark judd steiner and artie straus have it all. In his novel based upon the leopoldloeb case, meyer levin seeks to. The story concerns two wealthy chicago teenagers, judd steiner and artie straus, who kidnap and murder a young boy, become suspects because of glasses found with the boys body, confess, and are defended by the brilliant lawyer. Compulsion is a moving novel, but youll get a starkly realistic look from hal higdons leopold and loeb. This new edition of meyer levins classic literary thriller compulsion reintroduces the fictionalized case of leopold and loeb once considered the crime of the century to a new generation. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. It was one of chicagos most heinous crimes, the kidnaping and murder of 14yearold bobby franks in 1924 by two wealthy university of chicago students, nathan leopold jr. Bookstore owner authors the leopold and loeb files the.
Compulsion is, to be sure, a period piece, but the horror of the leopoldloeb crime is lasting as it ought to be. Perhaps levins bestknown work is compulsion 1956, chronicling the leopold and loeb case. Jul 25, 2018 chicagos leopold and loeb case one of americas most infamous crimes detailed in new book. From the moment i read meyer levins compulsion, i have been compelled to read whatever i can about the entire business. However, it seems that work is out of print, and so i went with leopold and loeb. In another sense too, the loeb leopold case belongs more to the 50s than the 20s when it was a singular, and shocking. This compelling book was the first documentary novel or nonfiction novel a style later used in truman. Leopold and loeb case one of americas most infamous. Compulsion by meyer levin discussion questions for book groups and clubs 1 though the action is taken from reality, meyer levin writes in his preface to compulsion, it must be recognized that thoughts and emotions described in the characters come from within the author, as he imagines them to belong to the.
Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. In 1924, richard loeb, who is deceased, and nathan f. Levin was particularly fascinated by the leopold and loeb case. This compelling book was the first documentary novel or nonfiction novel a style later used in truman capotes in cold blood and norman mailers the executioners song and both a great critical and popular success. Published in 1956, compulsion is a fictionalized account of the leopold and loeb murders in the 1920s and subsequent trial where the two perpetrators were represented by clarence darrow. Leopold and loeb the crime of the century new website. The horrific murder in 1924 of 14yearold bobby franks in chicago by nathan leopold and richard loeb inspired this acclaimed roman a clef, originally published in 1956. Kinchen the senseless thrill killing of 14year old bobby franks by nathan leopold 19041971 and richard loeb.
Compulsion is a compelling, stylish thriller, loosely based on the famous 1924 murder trial of thrillkillers loeb and leopold, two homosexual students who murdered a young boy to demonstrate. This book, originally published in 1975 as the crime of the century, is excellent. Two wealthy lawschool students go on trial for murder in this version of the leopold loeb case. Barretts book includes scans of primary source materials along with clippings from contemporary newspapers that. Compulsion carried the unique title of documentary novel and is considered by publishers to have been the first nonfiction novel released in the united states. Here we have a longoverdue reprint of compulsion, a fictionalised account of the notorious crime committed by nathan leopold and richard loeb, and their sensational trail. In compulsion, originally published in 1956, meyer levin strives to answer a question that. Meyer levins 1956 novel compulsion and its 1959 film version or in john logan. The basis of the awardwinning film starring orson welles, compulsion gives a shocking fictionalized account of the leopoldloeb murder case, in which two young graduates of the university of chicago. The film is based on the 1956 novel of the same name by meyer levin, which in turn was a fictionalized account of the leopold and loeb murder trial.
With orson welles, dean stockwell, diane varsi, bradford dillman. A new book, the leopold and loeb files, by nina barrett, returns to these original archival documents which had languished in the basement of northwestern universitys law school until 1988. Compulsion is a great novel, but for a starkly realistic view of this brutal crime readers should consult hal higdons superb nonfictional account. The back cover of the paperback noted that compulsion is a spellbinding fictionalized account of one of the most famous and shocking crimes of our agethe leopold loeb murder case. Leopold and loebs criminal minds history smithsonian. Meyer levin, the author of compulsion, a highly successful novel about the 1920s leopoldloeb murder case that was made into a play and film, as well as a score of books of fiction. Compulsion levin, meyer, clark, marcia, levin, gabriel. The author was the defendant meyer levin, who had been a fellow student of loeb and leopold and who had served as a reporter for a chicago newspaper at the time of the crime. Compulsion is a 1959 american crime drama film directed by richard fleischer. June 11, 1905 january 28, 1936, commonly known as leopold and loeb, were two wealthy. Revisiting the jewish crime of the century the forward. The movie based on the leopold and loeb murder trial.
Crime and punishment amos lassen i have always been fascinated by the leopold and loeb affair and it is without a doubt one of the most shocking crimes in the history of america. June 11, 1905 january 28, 1936, usually referred to collectively as leopold and loeb, were two wealthy students at the university of chicago who in may 1924 kidnapped and murdered 14yearold bobby franks in chicago, illinois, united states. On the page preceding the title page of the paperback edition of compulsion, which was first published in 1958, the following appeared. In 1956, novelist meyer levin recreated this story for the bestselling book compulsion, which was soon made into a movie by producer darryl f. Retelling of leopoldloeb murder case back in print monday, may 4, 2015 11. That evening, on november 10, 1923, he had agreed to drive with his friend and lover, richard loeb, from chicago to the university of michigana journey of six. Good, albeit dated insight on mental illness in our culture, not to mention a look at the american jewish experience.
Chicagos leopold and loeb case one of americas most infamous crimes detailed in new book. The novel compulsion was first published in hardcover in october 1956. Sep 27, 2019 it was one of chicagos most heinous crimes, the kidnaping and murder of 14yearold bobby franks in 1924 by two wealthy university of chicago students, nathan leopold jr. Compulsion by meyer levin discussion questions for book groups and clubs 1 though the action is taken from reality, meyer levin writes in his preface to compulsion, it must be recognized that. Certain crimes seem to epitomize the thinking of their era and this is a documentary novel of the loebleopold case which brought into play the psychoanalytical point of view of our time, much as. I find all three books to be worthwhile reads and worthy of your library especially if you enjoy true crime. Kinchen the senseless thrill killing of 14year old bobby franks by nathan leopold 19041971 and richard loeb 19051936 in chicago in 1924 was the heavily publicized crime of the century in chicagos roaring twenties. When i went on my search for a book about the case, i originally was looking for compulsion by meyer levin, as that was the title i remembered from my class.
In another sense too, the loeb leopold case belongs more to the 50s than the 20s when it was a singular, and shocking phenomenon. Meyer levin, compulsion, rope and leopold and loeb. Jul 11, 1981 meyer levin, the author of compulsion, a highly successful novel about the 1920s leopold loeb murder case that was made into a play and film, as well as a score of books of fiction and. The book entitled leopold and loeb the crime of the century was written in 1975 and is considerably older than the first two which were written within the past two years. Many suspect the authors toosympathetic treatment of leopold judd aided the latters questionable 1958 parole still, the paroled murderer sued the author over this book but didnt win. Steiner and straus, based on the real life leopold and loeb, were the privileged sons of multimillionaires. Kinchen the senseless thrill killing of 14year old bobby franks by nathan. Compulsion is a great novel, but for a starkly realistic view of this brutal crime readers should consult hal higdons superb nonfictional account, leopold and loeb. Written by meyer levin, and published in 1956, it became a bestseller in america, and still stands as a masterwork of its kind. Based on the leopold and loeb case of 1924 once considered the crime of the 20th century meyer levins compulsion presents both an. In the movie, orson welles played defense attorney jonathan wilk, a character inspired by clarence darrow. Parents need to know that compulsion is a 1959 blackandwhite film based on the 1920 leopoldloeb murder case in which two exceptionally intelligent, wealthy, and sociopathic chicago law.
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