A Week of Kubrick - Day 2: Lolita

Yesterday's 'Week of Kubrick' review was 1987's Full Metal Jacket. Today's film is one from earlier in Stanley Kubrick's career, Lolita.

Released in 1962 and based on a Vladimir Nabokov novel that I've never read, Lolita stars James Mason, Sue Lyon, Shelley Winters, and Peter Sellers. In the movie James Mason plays Humbert, a professor who plans on spending his summer in New Hampshire. Humbert finds a room to rent at the home of a widow named Charlotte Haze (played by Shelley Winters). The lonely Mrs. Haze starts flirting with Humbert right off the bat however, he immediately becomes infatuated with her young teenage daughter, Lolita (played by Sue Lyon). Despite this, Humbert and Charlotte marry during that same summer. One evening, after Charlotte stumbles upon Humbert secret affection for her daughter while reading his diary, she runs out into the rain and is hit by a car. With Charlotte now dead, Humbert pursues a relationship with Lolita. It's both disturbing and captivating to watch how obsessed with Lolita Humbert becomes because James Mason plays it so well. 

This is a great film filled with strong performances. However this one isn't the easiest of Kubrick's to recommend because of the subject matter. At the time James Mason was in his early 50's when this movie came out and the character of Lolita is in her early teens. That is the foundation of the film but, I understand why it would put some people off. 

Overall, I really like this movie. However, if I have one criticism with the film it is that, at 150+ minutes, the film does feel a little too long. 

4.5 out of 5