Watch Lolita
- Approved
- 1962
- 2 hr 33 min
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7.5 (110,618)
Lolita is a 1962 drama film based on the controversial novel of the same name by Vladimir Nabokov. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, the film stars James Mason as Humbert Humbert, a middle-aged professor who becomes infatuated with a teenage girl named Dolores Haze, who goes by the nickname Lolita, played by Sue Lyon. The story begins with Humbert renting a room from a widow named Charlotte Haze, played by Shelley Winters, who has a teenage daughter named Dolores. Humbert is immediately attracted to Dolores and becomes obsessed with her. However, as she is only 14 years old, he is forced to hide his true feelings.
Charlotte falls in love with Humbert and proposes to him, but he rejects her. In an attempt to get closer to Dolores, he agrees to marry Charlotte so that he can become her stepfather. After the wedding, Charlotte discovers Humbert's diary, where he confesses his love for Dolores. She becomes angry and threatens to leave with Dolores. In a fit of rage, Humbert strangles her.
After hiding Charlotte's body, Humbert and Dolores go on a road trip across the country. They have a tumultuous relationship, with Dolores often rebelling against Humbert's attempts to control her. Their journey leads them to a small town where Dolores becomes involved with a boy her own age. This enrages Humbert, who sees the boy as a threat to their relationship.
As their relationship deteriorates, Humbert finds out that Dolores has been giving information about their travels to a man named Clare Quilty, who he later discovers is a famous playwright who had also been in love with Dolores. In a final confrontation with Quilty, Humbert is arrested and Dolores is taken away from him.
The film's controversial subject matter and portrayal of a relationship between an older man and a young girl caused a stir upon its release. Despite this, the film was a critical and commercial success, earning several Academy Award nominations. James Mason's performance as Humbert was particularly praised, with many critics noting his ability to portray the character's complexity and inner turmoil.
The film is also notable for its use of a voiceover narration, which was taken directly from Nabokov's novel. This narration allows the audience to see inside Humbert's mind and understand his distorted perspective on the world.
Overall, Lolita is a powerful and thought-provoking drama that explores themes of love, obsession, and the blurred lines between fantasy and reality. While its subject matter may be unsettling for some, it remains an important piece of cinema that continues to be studied and discussed to this day.
Lolita is a 1962 drama with a runtime of 2 hours and 33 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.5 and a MetaScore of 79.