Lolita

1962

2h 34m

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

2.1K

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Drama

Comedy

Romance

Humbert Humbert is a middle-aged British novelist who is both appalled by and attracted to the vulgarity of American culture. When he comes to stay at the boarding house run by Charlotte Haze, he soon becomes obsessed with Lolita, the woman's teenaged daughter.

Directors

Stanley Kubrick

Writers

Vladimir Nabokov(novel by)

Vladimir Nabokov(screenplay by)

Stars

James Mason

Shelley Winters

Sue Lyon

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Videos3

Photos75

Top cast

James Mason

Prof. Humbert Humbert

Shelley Winters

Charlotte Haze

Sue Lyon

Dolores "Lolita" Haze

Gary Cockrell

Richard T. "Dick" Siller

John Farlow

Jean Farlow

Nurse Mary Lore

Physician

George Swine

Mrs. Starch

Vivian Darkbloom

Miss Lebone

Frederick Beale Sr.

Miss Fromkiss

Tom

Charlie Sedgewick

Man

Potts

Directors

Stanley Kubrick

Writers

Vladimir Nabokov(novel by)

Vladimir Nabokov(screenplay by)

All cast & crew

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Review

Featured review

6/10

**_An attractive 14 years-old girl knows the power over males she has… and wields it_** A middle-aged professor of French literature (James Mason) spends the summer in New Hampshire where he becomes infatuated by a 14 years-old girl (Sue Lyon), the daughter of the woman who rents him a room (Shelley Winters). Nothing good will come from this attraction if he cannot keep it in check. Helmed by Stanley Kubrick based on the book by Vladimir Nabokov, "Lolita" (1962) is a B&W black comedy and psychological drama that was controversial in its day (and still is) so the physical intimacy of the adult-minor relationship is only hinted at. Sue Lyon turned 15 during shooting and is surprisingly a good actress at such a young age. Don’t expect much exploitation of her beauty, though, beyond an early scene of her in a two-piece bathing suit. The character of Quilty has less of a role in the book and is believable. He’s basically a dark shadow of Humbert, mirroring Humbert's carnal qualities. Unfortunately, Kubrick allowed Peters Sellers to get out-of-control in the part, which spoils it (and the movie). Don’t get me wrong, Peter Sellers has great charisma, even here, but too many of his Quilty scenes are nonsensical or implausible. The two worst examples are: When he shows up at that hotel and has that eye-rolling (ad-libbed) conversation on the porch while looking in the opposite direction of Humbert. Later he shows up at Humbert’s abode masquerading as a school psychiatrist threatening to have a group of therapists come over to observe Lolita's homelife, unless she can be in his play. Why Sure! It doesn’t help that Humbert curiously goes along with both without question. While overlong by at least half an hour, the cast is a highlight and the drama is fairly compelling and sometimes amusing despite the quaint datedness of the production and the eye-rolling Quilty scenes. The film runs 2 hours, 32 minutes, and was shot in both America and England. GRADE: B-

Wuchak19 Feb, 2024