Mastermind Leopold and Angel Face Loeb

Swoon is a movie about glamorized murderes: Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, or as they are known respectively Babe and Dick. The relationship is based on power control.
Backstroy:
Nathan and Dick are friends who engage in a "homosexual" relationship with Richard calling the shots. He gets a thrill out of committing crimes and he uses sex as a method of controlling Nathan to do his bidding. The nature of the crimes escalates every time they complete it. Richard is the one who gets the rush of joy from committing atrocities. Nathan is Richard's willing accomplice as he is always searching for attention and love from Richard. In many ways this is reminiscent of a S and M relationship. In one of the scenes where Nathan is talking to the psychiatrist he says he dreamed of having Dicky in chains. The dream was about how he was a pharaoh in Egypt and that Dicky was his slave and then he continues to reference having Dicky in chains. Nathan loves and hates the relationship and the power that Dicky has over him, He sometimes wishes he could have the power and in the scene where they are burying the child's shoes, Nathan attempts to kiss Dicky but he is still in still in the throes of adrenaline produced by the murder, rebuffs him and Nathan does not move any further. He is stunned and saddened by the rebuff and just watches Dicky. Dicky realizes this and gives him a small peck on the mouth. Nathan's whole face changes. He becomes full of infatuation again and he proceeds to help bury the body.

Nathan "Mastermind" Leopold

The movie does not portray either of them as sympathetic characters; however, I will argue that sometimes you feel sad for Leopold. He is of course equally guilty of the crimes they commited. Yet there is still some feeling of pathetic pity for Leopold from me. He wants to please his psychotic and deranged lover. Its almost like watching Harley Quinn and the Joker. Leopold is Harley and Loeb is the Joker.

On the other hand we have Loeb. Loeb is not a character who anyone can sympathize with. He is way to full of himself, vain, narcissistic and selfish. Let me count the ways that he got under my skin. The first time was when he told Leopold that he would not continue to have sex with him unless he helped to commit the crimes. I know that Leopold could have said no and found someone else to help him commit crimes but using sex as power was such a femme fatale move, so unimaginative. Secondly he wants to commit a murder, not only a murder but his first thought is to commit kinslaying. He wants to murder his 10 year old brother! Thirdly he is so proud of himself that he shakes the hand of the guy on the road saying "Congratulations sir, you have just shaken the hand of a murderer." his cockiness knows no bounds. And lastly he throws Leopold under the bus, not even wanting to take credit for the crime he committed which he bragged about.  Then in the face of real circumstance he turns into a coward.