Lolita (1962)
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A middle-aged literature professor becomes obsessed with the young daughter of a woman he is renting a room from.
The story
Humbert Humbert, a middle-aged European professor of French literature, arrives in Ramsdale, New Hampshire, seeking summer accommodation. He finds a room at the home of Charlotte Haze, a widow. While initially uninterested in Charlotte, Humbert becomes instantly smitten with her young daughter, Dolores, nicknamed 'Lolita'. The narrative follows Humbert's growing obsession with the girl as he navigates his complicated feelings and the circumstances of their lives in the rural setting.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Humbert Humbert, a literature professor, rents a room from Charlotte Haze in New Hampshire. He becomes obsessed with her daughter, Lolita. After Charlotte sends Lolita to camp, she dies following a discovery of Humbert's diary. Humbert then takes Lolita and they travel across the country, posing as father and daughter. During this time, they are stalked by the mysterious Clare Quilty, who assumes various identities. Eventually, Lolita is separated from Humbert by Quilty. Years later, a pregnant Lolita contacts Humbert, revealing she was held by Quilty. Humbert confronts and kills Quilty, ultimately dying of a heart attack while awaiting trial.
- First release year
- 1962
- Runtime (minutes)
- 152
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Stanley Kubrick
- Writers
- Vladimir Nabokov · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- James Mason · Humbert Humbert; Shelley Winters · Mrs. Haze; Peter Sellers · Quilty; Sue Lyon · Dolores "Lolita" Haze
- Genres
- black comedy; psychological drama
- Themes
- obsession; incongruity
- Tone and mood
- black comedy; psychological
- Premise and plot tags
- adaptation; romance; drama
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1955 novel by Vladimir Nabokov
- Reception
- The film received mixed to positive reviews, with some critics praising its unique style and others criticizing its lack of clarity or its handling of eroticism. It was considered a commercial success and remains a notable example of Kubrick's work.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 89% · review count: 46; Metacritic · score: 79 · scale: 100 · review count: 14
- Awards and nominations
- Saturn Award · winning films · win
- Production trivia
- The film was considered 'unfilmable' due to its content.; Sue Lyon was 14 years old during filming.; The character of Clare Quilty was expanded from the novel.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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