FILM · 1962 · UK
Lolita
- Directed by
- Stanley Kubrick
- Runtime
- 154 min
- Studio
- Seven Arts Productions, Harris Kubrick Pictures, A.A. Productions, Ltd.
309 archived facts 8 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026
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.
309 Interesting Facts About Lolita
Interesting Facts (19)
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A few days before the film's premiere, Stanley Kubrick arranged a private screening for Vladimir Nabokov. The author learned that most of his screenplay had been cut, but he said he was very pleased with the finished film and praised Kubrick and the cast. In the 1970s, Nabokov published the original screenplay he had submitted to Kubrick and Harris.
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For the party scene, Stanley Kubrick gave James Mason an unusual acting exercise. He told Mason: "I want you to wear a white suit in this scene, and as Humbert you will be charming, witty and polite to everyone. But if anyone comes near that jacket or touches it, I want you to look at them as if you were going to tear their arms off."
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The money Stanley Kubrick paid for the rights to the book came from his directing fee for Paths of Glory (1957) and from the six months' compensation he and Calder Willingham earned working on the screenplay for One-Eyed Jacks (1961) before Marlon Brando decided to direct the film himself.
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Production Story (142)
- #020
Stanley Kubrick suggested that Shelley Winters read the novel before meeting with Vladimir Nabokov to earn his approval for the role of Charlotte. At the time, she was campaigning for future president John F. Kennedy. When Kennedy noticed what she was reading on the platform, he suggested she use a brown-paper cover so as not to jeopardize his election chances.
- #021
According to a December '58 article, the production first suggested Brigitte Bardot for the role of Lolita. In a later interview appeared in '61, Nabokov stated that Bardot was very far from "his creature:" this explains why Bardot didn't get the part. In the spring of '59, the role was offered to the then 17 years-old Sandra Dee, but her mother said she wasn't sure about it. A few weeks later, Beverly Aadland, at the time Errol Flynn's fiancée, was considered. In October '59, just a few days after Flynn's passing, Aadland stated that she and Flynn would have been the perfect couple for the film: "If he didn't pass away, we would certainly act in Lolita. We both had the physique du rôle." Sue Lyon would be chosen only in late 1960, after several selections.
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Since the censors would not allow anything close to a suggestion of paedophilia, Lolita's age had to be increased from 12, in Vladimir Nabokov's original novel, to 14 for the film. They also objected to a scene where Humbert Humbert was to gaze at Lolita's picture while in bed with her mother Charlotte; in the end, the scene was filmed with Charlotte lying fully dressed on the bed and Humbert lying atop her, wearing a robe.
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Stanley Kubrick held a special screening for Vladimir Nabokov a few days before the film's premiere. It was at this time the author learned that most of his screenplay had been jettisoned, but he reported himself very happy with the finished picture, praising Kubrick, and the cast. In the 1970s, Nabokov published the original screenplay that he had submitted to Kubrick and Harris.
- #032
Stanley Kubrick prepared for the film while shooting Spartacus (1960) in Spain. Brought in at the last minute to replace Anthony Mann, Kubrick was primarily a director for hire on the film, supervising the actors and setting up shots but forced to follow Dalton Trumbo's screenplay closely. He dealt with the frustration of working that way by developing the supposedly unfilmable novel for the screen.
- #033
James B. Harris and Stanley Kubrick bought the rights for a film adaptation back in 1958. According to a December '58 article, the production first suggested Charles Boyer for the role of Humbert. The actor initially accepted, but for unspecified reasons, declined some weeks later. Then, in 1960, Kubrick asked James Mason to play the part, but he initially declined due to a Broadway engagement. Sir Laurence Olivier then refused the part, apparently on the advice of his agents. Kubrick considered Peter Ustinov, but decided against him. Harris then suggested David Niven; Niven accepted the part, but then withdrew for fear the sponsors of his TV show, Four Star Playhouse (1952), would object. Mason then withdrew from his play and got the part. Harris denies claims that Noël Coward also rejected the role.
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The money with which Stanley Kubrick paid for the rights to the book came from his director's fee for Paths of Glory (1957) and compensation for six months he and Calder Willingham had spent working on the script for One-Eyed Jacks (1961) before Marlon Brando decided to direct the film himself.
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Vladimir Nabokov's original screenplay diverged greatly from the novel, but only a portion of it was used by Stanley Kubrick, even though Nabokov gets screen credit. Nabokov later published it as "Lolita: A Screenplay." The unused screenplay featured an Alfred Hitchcock-like cameo for Nabokov, who is referred to as "that nut with a butterfly net" (Nabokov was well known as an amateur lepidopterist). Although he generally admired the movie adaptation of his book, Nabokov regretted the waste of his time in writing a screenplay which was altered so drastically during filming.
- #041
Stanley Kubrick spotted Sue Lyon on The Loretta Young Show (1953). One thing that convinced him to hire her was the size of her breasts, which were surprisingly mature for her age at the time (13). He reasoned her physical maturity would make Lolita seem older. She was 14 when the film was shot and 16 when it was released.
- #042
The "Catholic Legion of Decency" deemed it would be a "sin" to view "Lolita". This fact (coupled with the Hays Production Code) held up the release of the film for several months while Stanley Kubrick re-edited it. Years later (in a "Newsweek" article), Kubrick said he "probably wouldn't have made the film" had he realized in advance how difficult the censorship problems would be.
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It took Vladimir Nabokov six months to draft his first screenplay which ran to 400 pages. Producer James B. Harris remarked "You couldn't make it. You couldn't lift it!" The end result was credited to Nabokov (who received an Academy Award nomination) but it was extensively rewritten by Stanley Kubrick and Harris.
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Although set in the USA, the entire film was shot in England. Stanley Kubrick was notoriously frightened of flying and, at this stage in his career, had settled in the United Kingdom. Another reason was that most of the film's budget had been raised in England and so it had to be spent there.
- #060
Contains a major spoiler — show
Of the many changes the film makes to the book, the most overlooked one is very significant: in the novel the reader learns in the Foreword, by John Ray, Jr., not only that Humbert Humbert died of a heart attack while awaiting trial for murder (as noted in the film's epilogue) but also that Lolita died giving birth to a stillborn girl on Christmas Day, 1952. The film's epilogue does not mention her death, permitting the viewer to imagine that Lolita lived on.
- #061
Contains a major spoiler — show
The Production Code Administration passed the film with a few snips on the soundtrack and an early fade to the scene in which Lolita seduces Humbert after her mother's death. The PCA awarded the film Certificate No. 20000. The British and Australian prints contain the scene as originally shot.
- #062
Stanley Kubrick prepared the film while shooting Spartacus (1960) in Spain. Brought in at the last minute to replace Anthony Mann, Kubrick was primarily a hired director on that film; he supervised the actors and staged the shooting, but had to follow Dalton Trumbo's screenplay closely. He dealt with the frustration of working that way by developing the novel that was said to be unfilmable for the screen.
- #063
- #064
Because censors would not permit the slightest hint of pedophilia, Lolita's age was raised from 12 in Vladimir Nabokov's original novel to 14 for the film. They also objected to a scene in which Humbert Humbert would look at a photograph of Lolita while in bed with Lolita's mother, Charlotte; in the end, the scene was shot with Charlotte lying fully clothed on the bed while Humbert, in a bathrobe, lies on top of her.
- #065
Stanley Kubrick suggested that Shelley Winters read the novel in order to secure Vladimir Nabokov's approval for her in the role of Charlotte. At the time, Winters was campaigning for future president John F. Kennedy. When Kennedy noticed on the platform what she was reading, he suggested she cover the book in brown paper so as not to jeopardize his election chances.
- #066
Stanley Kubrick arranged a private screening for Vladimir Nabokov a few days before the film's premiere. The author learned at this screening that much of his screenplay had not been used, but he stated that he was very pleased with the finished film and praised Kubrick and the cast. In the 1970s, Nabokov published the original screenplay he had submitted to Kubrick and Harris.
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Vladimir Nabokov's original screenplay diverged greatly from the novel, but Stanley Kubrick used only a portion of it; even so, Nabokov received a screenplay credit. Nabokov later published it as 'Lolita: A Screenplay'. The unused screenplay included an Alfred Hitchcock-style cameo for Nabokov, in which he was referred to as 'that crazy man with the butterfly net' (Nabokov was known as an amateur lepidopterist). Although he generally liked the film adaptation of his book, Nabokov lamented that he had wasted his time writing a screenplay that was so extensively altered during shooting.
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The 'Catholic Legion of Decency' ruled that watching 'Lolita' would be a 'sin'. This (combined with the Hays Production Code) delayed the film's release by several months while Stanley Kubrick re-edited it. Years later, in a Newsweek article, Kubrick said that if he had known in advance how difficult the censorship problems would be, 'I probably wouldn't have made the film'.
- #074
Stanley Kubrick prepared for this film while shooting Spartacus (1960) in Spain. Brought in at the last minute to replace Anthony Mann, Kubrick was primarily a hired director on that film; he supervised the actors and set up the shots but was obliged to adhere strictly to Dalton Trumbo's screenplay. Frustrated by working in this way, he set out to adapt the supposedly unfilmable novel for the screen.
- #075
The money with which Stanley Kubrick bought the rights to the book came from his directing fee on Paths of Glory (1957) and from the compensation for the six months he spent working on the screenplay with Calder Willingham before Marlon Brando decided to direct One-Eyed Jacks (1961) himself.
- #076
James B. Harris and Stanley Kubrick bought the rights to the film adaptation in 1958. According to an article dated December 1958, the production first proposed Charles Boyer for the role of Humbert. The actor initially accepted, but for unspecified reasons turned it down a few weeks later. Then, in 1960, Kubrick asked James Mason to play the role, but Mason initially declined because of a play he was doing on Broadway. Sir Laurence Olivier apparently turned down the role on his agents' advice. Kubrick considered Peter Ustinov but gave up on the idea. Harris then suggested David Niven; Niven accepted the role, but withdrew for fear that the sponsors of the TV program Four Star Playhouse (1952) would object. Mason later withdrew from his play and took the role. Harris denied claims that Noël Coward had also turned down the role.
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It took Vladimir Nabokov six months to write the first draft of his screenplay, which ran to 400 pages. Producer James B. Harris joked, 'You couldn't shoot this. You couldn't even lift it!' The final result was attributed to Nabokov (who received an Academy Award nomination), but it was extensively rewritten by Stanley Kubrick and Harris.
- #079
The Production Code Administration approved the film with a few cuts to the score and an early fade to black in the scene in which Lolita seduces Humbert after her mother's death. The PCA gave the film Certificate No. 20000. British and Australian copies include the scene as originally shot.
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Although James Mason was nominally the lead actor, AMPAS wanted to nominate Peter Sellers in the Best Actor category. Producer James B. Harris lobbied for him to be placed in the Supporting Actor category but got nowhere. The Academy remained firm on the matter because Sellers's name had been pushed to the fore in the film's marketing.
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Donald Sutherland played Humbert in a 1981 Broadway production of 'Lolita' that failed; Blanche Baker took the role of Lolita, Clive Revill played Quilty and Shirley Stoler played Charlotte. The play, written by Edward Albee, ran for 31 previews and 12 performances. A musical he co-wrote with John Barry closed before it even reached New York.
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Cinematographer Oswald Morris had a serious argument with director Stanley Kubrick during production. When frames from the film were published in a newspaper while shooting continued, Kubrick was furious. He blamed Morris, who was responsible for the daily rushes from which the images leaked. It later emerged that an assistant at the film lab had sold the frames to the press. According to Morris, Kubrick never apologized, and Morris swore he would never work with him again.
- #093
For the party scene, Stanley Kubrick gave James Mason an interesting acting exercise. He told Mason, 'In this scene I want you to wear a white suit and, as Humbert, be charming, witty and polite to everyone. But if anyone comes near or touches your jacket, I want you to look at them as if you were going to tear their arms off.'
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Although the film is set in the US, it was shot entirely in England. Stanley Kubrick was extremely afraid of flying and had settled in the United Kingdom during this period of his career. Another reason was that a large part of the film's budget had been raised in England and had to be spent there.
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In her biography, Shelley Winters recounts that director Stanley Kubrick rode only a bicycle between his house and the production sets. When she invited him into her limousine, he politely declined. She learned from a crew member that Kubrick did not like riding in cars or planes. She later wondered how Kubrick went to Ireland to shoot Barry Lyndon.
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While creating the voice of the character Clare Quilty, Peter Sellers modeled it on the way director Stanley Kubrick spoke. This impersonation added an ironic layer to Quilty's sinister and multifaceted personality. Sellers's way of reflecting Kubrick added a distinct flavor to the tense cat-and-mouse game in the film.
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About 800 young girls auditioned for the role of Lolita Haze. This huge turnout was an indication of the curiosity created by Nabokov's novel and the weight of the role in the film world. Sue Lyon, finally chosen, emerged from this difficult selection process and went down in cinema history.
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Stanley Kubrick initially wanted Joey Heatherton for the role of Lolita. But Heatherton's father, Ray Heatherton, turned down the offer because he feared his daughter would be branded a 'flighty sex kitten.' While this decision steered Heatherton's career in a different direction, it pushed Kubrick toward new searches.
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Stanley Kubrick discovered Sue Lyon on The Loretta Young Show (1953). One of the things that was effective in hiring her was the size of her breasts, which were surprisingly mature for a 13-year-old. Kubrick thought this physical maturity would make Lolita appear older; Lyon was 14 during filming and 16 when the film was released.
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When Cary Grant turned down the role of Humbert Humbert in October 1958, the producers begged him, telling him that the only other name they were considering was Sir Laurence Olivier. Grant refused in no uncertain terms; Olivier likewise declined. This attitude from two giants revealed how risky the role was seen to be.
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Shelley Winters described James Mason as magnificent, sexy and intelligent, but distant and technique-based. As for Peter Sellers, she said he acted as if he had come from another planet and that she could never connect with him. This comment strikingly sums up the opposing energies of the two master actors on set.
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According to a news item dated December 1958, the production first proposed Brigitte Bardot for the role of Lolita. However, in a 1961 interview, Nabokov stated that Bardot was very far from 'the character he had created'; for this reason Bardot did not get the role. In the spring of 1959, the role was offered to 17-year-old Sandra Dee, but her mother was indecisive. A few weeks later, Errol Flynn's fiancée Beverly Aadland was considered. In October 1959, a few days after Flynn's death, Aadland said, 'If he hadn't died, we would definitely have played in Lolita. We both had the physique for the role.' Sue Lyon was only determined at the end of 1960, after many auditions.
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Stanley Kubrick added Peter Sellers to the cast after watching him in The Battle of the Sexes (1960) and listening to the comedy album 'The Best of Sellers.' Sellers's versatile talent had fascinated Kubrick. This discovery was the beginning of the productive collaboration between the two.
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Because censors would not permit the slightest hint of pedophilia, Lolita's age was raised from 12 in Vladimir Nabokov's original novel to 14 for the film. They also objected to a scene in which Humbert Humbert would look at a photograph of Lolita while in bed with Lolita's mother, Charlotte; in the end, the scene was shot with Charlotte lying fully dressed on the bed while Humbert, in a bathrobe, lies on top of her.
- #130
Stanley Kubrick suggested that Shelley Winters read the novel in order to get Vladimir Nabokov's approval for the role of Charlotte. At that time, Winters was campaigning for future president John F. Kennedy. When Kennedy noticed on the platform what she was reading, he suggested she cover the book in brown paper so as not to jeopardize her election chances.
- #131
Stanley Kubrick arranged a private screening for Vladimir Nabokov a few days before the film's premiere. The author learned at this screening that most of his screenplay had not been used, but he stated that he was very pleased with the finished film and praised Kubrick and the cast. In the 1970s, Nabokov published the original screenplay he had submitted to Kubrick and Harris.
- #132
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Vladimir Nabokov's original screenplay diverged greatly from the novel, but Stanley Kubrick used only part of it; even so, Nabokov received a screenplay credit. Nabokov later published it as 'Lolita: A Screenplay'. The unused screenplay included an Alfred Hitchcock-style cameo for Nabokov, in which he was referred to as 'that crazy man with a butterfly net' (Nabokov was known as an amateur lepidopterist). Although he generally liked the film adaptation of his book, Nabokov lamented during the shoot that he had wasted his time writing a screenplay that was so heavily altered.
- #134
The 'Catholic Legion of Decency' ruled that watching 'Lolita' would be a 'sin'. This situation (combined with the Hays Production Code) delayed the film's release by several months while Stanley Kubrick re-edited it. Years later, in a Newsweek article, Kubrick said that if he had known in advance how difficult the censorship problems would be, 'I probably wouldn't have made the film'.
- #135
Stanley Kubrick prepared for this film while shooting Spartacus (1960) in Spain. Brought in at the last minute to replace Anthony Mann, Kubrick was primarily a hired director on that film; he supervised the actors and arranged the shots but was obliged to adhere strictly to Dalton Trumbo's screenplay. Frustrated by working this way, he set out to adapt to the screen the novel that was said to be unfilmable.
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James B. Harris and Stanley Kubrick bought the film adaptation rights in 1958. According to an article dated December 1958, the production first proposed Charles Boyer for the role of Humbert. The actor initially accepted, but for unspecified reasons turned it down a few weeks later. Then, in 1960, Kubrick asked James Mason to play the role, but Mason initially declined because of a play he was doing on Broadway. Sir Laurence Olivier apparently turned the role down on his agents' advice. Kubrick considered Peter Ustinov but gave up on the idea. Harris then suggested David Niven; Niven accepted the role, but withdrew for fear that the sponsors of the TV program Four Star Playhouse (1952) would object. Mason later left his play and took the role. Harris denied claims that Noël Coward had also turned the role down.
- #138
It took Vladimir Nabokov six months to write his first draft of the screenplay, which ran to 400 pages. Producer James B. Harris joked, 'You couldn't have filmed it. You couldn't even have lifted it!' The final result was attributed to Nabokov (who received an Academy Award nomination), but it was extensively rewritten by Stanley Kubrick and Harris.
- #139
The Production Code Administration approved the film with several cuts to the score and an early fade to black in the scene in which Lolita seduces Humbert after her mother's death. The PCA gave the film Certificate No. 20000. British and Australian copies include the scene as originally shot.
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AMPAS wanted to nominate Peter Sellers for Best Actor even though James Mason was nominally the lead. Producer James B. Harris lobbied for him to be placed in the Supporting Actor category but got nowhere. The Academy held firm on the matter because Sellers' name had been pushed to the fore in the film's marketing.
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Donald Sutherland played Humbert in a 1981 Broadway production of 'Lolita' that failed; Blanche Baker played Lolita, Clive Revill played Quilty and Shirley Stoler played Charlotte. The play, written by Edward Albee, ran for 31 previews and 12 performances. A musical co-written by John Barry closed before it even reached New York.
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Among the film's many changes to the novel, the most overlooked is quite significant: in the novel, the reader learns from John Ray Jr.'s Foreword that Humbert dies of a heart attack while awaiting trial for murder, and that Lolita dies on Christmas Day 1952 giving birth to a stillborn girl. The film's epilogue does not mention her death, so the viewer can imagine that Lolita lives on.
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Just as in the novel, the film is full of double meanings and humorous references, both verbal and visual. One of these appears in the scene where Humbert first goes to the camp office to pick up Lolita. As Humbert stands with a tennis racket and a stuffed beaver in his hands, young girls come in and out of the room. The camp is called 'Camp Climax'. What's more, Lolita's friend, who has been going to this camp since she was 10, is named Mona.
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Behind the Scenes (46)
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Shelley Winters tells in her biography that director Stanley Kubrick used only a bicycle to ride between his home and the production settings. She proposed him to drive him aboard her limousine but he politely refused. She learned by someone of the crew that Kubrick did not like getting aboard cars or planes. She later wondered how Kubrick went to Ireland to shoot Barry Lyndon (1975).
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Cinematographer Oswald Morris had a major falling out with director Stanley Kubrick during production. Kubrick was furious when images from the film appeared in a newspaper during shooting. He blamed Morris, who, as cinematographer, was responsible for managing the rushes from each days shoot and which was where the leaked images had apparently originated. It was later discovered that a junior assistant at the film processing lab had sold them to the press. According to Morris, Kubrick never apologised to him for the accusation and an angry Morris vowed never to work with the director again.
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For the party scene Stanley Kubrick gave James Mason an interesting acting exercise. He said to Mason "I want you to wear a white suit in this scene and, as Humbert, you shall be charming witty and urbane to everyone. But if anyone gets near or touches that jacket, I want you to look at them as if you're going to tear their arms off. "
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Cinematographer Oswald Morris had a major disagreement with director Stanley Kubrick during the production. Kubrick was furious when images from the film were published in a newspaper during shooting. He blamed Morris, who as cinematographer was responsible for managing the daily rush of filming and was apparently the source of the leaked images. It later emerged that an assistant at the film processing laboratory had sold them to the press. According to Morris, Kubrick never apologized to him for the accusation, and the angry Morris vowed never to work with the director again.
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During filming, James Mason realized that Peter Sellers was stealing the picture. He trusted his friends, and said that had he known, he would have insisted on playing Quilty himself. A few years later, actor David Niven would complain that Sellers had stolen The Pink Panther (1963) from him.
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Cinematographer Oswald Morris had a serious argument with director Stanley Kubrick during production. When frames from the film were published in a newspaper while shooting continued, Kubrick became furious. He blamed Morris, who was responsible for the daily rushes from which the images had leaked. It later emerged that an assistant at the film laboratory had sold the frames to the press. According to Morris, Kubrick never apologized, and Morris swore he would never work with him again.
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For the party scene, Stanley Kubrick gave James Mason an interesting acting exercise. He told Mason, 'I want you to wear a white suit in this scene and, as Humbert, be charming, witty and polite to everyone. But if anyone comes near or touches your jacket, I want you to look at them as if you were going to tear their arms off.'
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Although the film is set in the United States, it was shot entirely in England. Stanley Kubrick was extremely afraid of flying and had settled in the United Kingdom during this period of his career. Another reason was that a large part of the film's budget had been raised in England and had to be spent there.
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In her biography, Shelley Winters recounts that director Stanley Kubrick used only a bicycle between his house and the production sets. When she invited him into her limousine, he politely declined. She learned from a crew member that Kubrick did not like riding in cars or planes. She later wondered how Kubrick went to Ireland to shoot Barry Lyndon.
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Characters & Cast (44)
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While creating the voice of Clare Quilty, Peter Sellers modeled it on the way director Stanley Kubrick spoke. This impersonation added an ironic layer to Quilty's sly and multifaceted personality. The way Sellers reflected Kubrick gave an extra flavor to the tense cat-and-mouse game in the film.
- #219
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Around 800 young girls auditioned for the role of Lolita Haze. This enormous turnout was a sign of the curiosity created by Nabokov's novel and the weight the role carried in the film world. Sue Lyon, who was ultimately chosen, emerged from this grueling selection process and went down in cinema history.
- #221
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Stanley Kubrick initially wanted Joey Heatherton for the role of Lolita. But Heatherton's father, Ray Heatherton, turned down the offer because he feared his daughter would be branded a 'flirtatious sex kitten.' While this decision steered Heatherton's career in a different direction, it pushed Kubrick toward new searches.
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Stanley Kubrick discovered Sue Lyon on The Loretta Young Show (1953). One of the things that influenced him to hire her was the size of her breasts, which were surprisingly mature for a 13-year-old. Kubrick thought this physical maturity would make Lolita appear older; Lyon was 14 during filming and 16 when the film was released.
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When Cary Grant turned down the role of Humbert Humbert in October 1958, the producers begged him and told him that the only other name they were considering was Sir Laurence Olivier. Grant refused outright; Olivier likewise declined. The attitude of these two giants revealed how risky the role was seen to be.
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Shelley Winters described James Mason as magnificent, sexy and intelligent, but distant and technique-based. As for Peter Sellers, she said he acted as if he had come from another planet and that she could never connect with him. This comment strikingly sums up the contrasting energies of the two master actors on set.
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According to a news item dated December 1958, the production first proposed Brigitte Bardot for the role of Lolita. However, in a 1961 interview, Nabokov stated that Bardot was far from 'the character he had created'; for this reason Bardot did not get the role. In the spring of 1959 the role was offered to 17-year-old Sandra Dee, but her mother was hesitant. A few weeks later, Errol Flynn's fiancée Beverly Aadland was considered. In October 1959, a few days after Flynn's death, Aadland said, 'If he hadn't died, we would definitely have played in Lolita. We both had the physique for the role.' Sue Lyon was only determined at the end of 1960, after many auditions.
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Although Gary Cockrell plays Lolita's legitimate and well-respected husband, he turned 28 during filming and was 14 years older than Sue Lyon. He was only 7 years younger than Peter Sellers. These age differences made the film's strange dynamics between the characters even more complicated.
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Easter Eggs & References (13)
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Just as in the novel, there are many double entendres and humorous references - both verbal and visual - throughout the film. A couple of such references happen when Humbert's first seen at the office of Lolita's camp to pick her up. The shot shows Humbert standing there, as all these nubile young girls come in and out of the room, whilst Humbert stands there, with a tennis racquet, and a stuffed beaver. The name of the camp? 'Camp Climax'. Further still, the name of Lolita's friend who has been attending Camp Climax since she was 10 years old is Mona.
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Sue Lyon's Lolita is watching (and being scared silly by) The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), at the drive-in theatre. The particular scene shows Christopher Lee revealing himself to be the monster. 15 years later, Lyon would herself co-star with Lee, in the low-budget thriller, End of the World (1977).
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Deeper Meaning (27)
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Among the many changes the film makes to the novel, the most overlooked is quite significant: in the novel, the reader learns from John Ray Jr.'s Foreword that Humbert died of a heart attack while awaiting his murder trial, and that Lolita died on Christmas Day 1952 while giving birth to a stillborn girl. In the film's epilogue, her death is not mentioned, allowing the viewer to imagine that Lolita lives on.
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Just as in the novel, the film is full of verbal and visual double entendres and humorous references. One of them appears in the scene where Humbert first goes to the camp office to pick up Lolita. Humbert stands with a tennis racket and a stuffed beaver in his hands while young girls come in and out of the room. The camp is called 'Camp Climax.' What's more, Lolita's friend who has been going to this camp since she was 10 is named Mona.
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Lolita, played by Sue Lyon, is scared out of her wits while watching The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) in the drive-in scene. In that scene, Christopher Lee reveals himself as the monster. Fifteen years later, Lyon would share the lead with Lee in the low-budget thriller End of the World (1977).
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Career & Awards (16)
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AMPAS wanted to submit Peter Sellers in the Best Actor category even though James Mason is nominally the lead actor. Producer James B. Harris lobbied for him to go in the Supporting Actor category but to no avail. The Academy stood firm on this, given the prominence of Sellers' name in the marketing of the film.
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Donald Sutherland played Humbert in a failed Broadway production of "Lolita" in 1981, opposite Blanche Baker as Lolita, Clive Revill as Quilty, and Shirley Stoler as Charlotte. Written by Edward Albee, the play ran for 31 previews and 12 performances. John Barry co-wrote a musical which folded before it even reached New York.
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Life & Family (2)
Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- Wikipedia
- IMDb
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