An English professor falls for a minor, and has to face the consequences of his actions.An English professor falls for a minor, and has to face the consequences of his actions.An English professor falls for a minor, and has to face the consequences of his actions.
- Director
- Writers
- Vladimir Nabokov(novel "Lolita")
- Stephen Schiff(screenplay)
- Stars
Top credits
- Director
- Writers
- Vladimir Nabokov(novel "Lolita")
- Stephen Schiff(screenplay)
- Stars
- Awards
- 2 wins & 4 nominations
Videos1
Pat Pierre Perkins
- Louiseas Louise
- (as Pat P. Perkins)
Emma Griffiths Malin
- Annabel Leeas Annabel Lee
- (as Emma Griffiths-Malin)
- Director
- Writers
- Vladimir Nabokov(novel "Lolita")
- Stephen Schiff(screenplay)
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
- All cast & crew
Storyline
In early adolescence, Humbert fell hopelessly and tragically in love with a girl his own age, and, as he grew into adulthood, he never lost his obsession with "nymphets," teenagers who walk a fine line between being a girl and a woman. While looking for a place to live after securing a new teaching position, he meets Charlotte Haze (Melanie Griffith), a pretentious and annoying woman who seems desperately lonely and is obviously attracted to Humbert. Humbert pays her little mind until he meets her 13-year-old daughter Lolita (Dominique Swain), the image of the girl that Humbert once loved. Humbert moves into the Haze home as a boarder and eventually marries Charlotte in order to be closer to Lolita. When Charlotte finds out about Humbert's attraction to her daughter, she flees the house in a rage, only to be killed in an auto accident. Without telling Lolita of her mother's fate, Humbert takes her on a cross-country auto trip, where their relationship begins to move beyond the traditional boundaries of stepfather and step-daughter..
- Taglines
- A forbidden love. An unthinkable attraction. The ultimate price.
- Genres
- Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
- Rated R for aberrant sexuality, a strong scene of violence, nudity and some language
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaAs Dominique Swain was a minor at age 15 when the movie was filmed, an adult body double had to be used for most of the sex scenes.
- GoofsCharlotte threatens to "ground" Lolita. Though the term was known to airmen it would not assume its current familiar meaning for many years.
- Quotes
[first lines]
Humbert: [voiceover] She was Lo, plain Lo, in the morning, standing four feet ten in one sock. She was Lola in slacks, she was Dolly at school. She was Dolores on the dotted line. But in my arms she was always - Lolita. Light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin. My soul.
[whispered]
Humbert: Lolita.
- Crazy creditsAfter the credits are over there is a brief clip where Lolita is shown juggling a red apple.
- Alternate versionsThe film was slightly cut to avoid a 'Not under 18' rating in Germany. An uncut version has been released on video.
Top review
Lyne's Lolita emphasizes tragedy of Nabokov's novel
Lyne's point of departure from the Kubrick version of Nabokov's great novel lies primarily in tone: the later version focuses more on the tragic, dramatic elements of the book and less on the comedic ones. I will not go so far as to suggest that Lyne made a better film; he did not. I do think, however, that he did pinpoint one of the key components of the novel's genius: a capturing of life on the newly paved highways of mid-century America. As Humbert, Jeremy Irons is as good as his predecessor James Mason. Frank Langella's interpretation of Quilty entirely diverges from the one given by Peter Sellers (and rightfully so; who wants to compete with Sellers?). But it is Dominique Swain, outdoing Sue Lyon, who comes closer than what ever seemed possible to embodying the essence of the doomed Dolly Haze.
helpful•3920
- pooch-8
- Feb 4, 1999
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $62,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $1,071,255
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $19,492
- Jul 26, 1998
- Gross worldwide
- $1,071,255
- Runtime2 hours 17 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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