Lolita (1962 film)

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Lolita
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Stanley Kubrick
Screenplay by	Vladimir Nabokov[1][2]
Based on	Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Produced by	James B. Harris
Starring	James Mason Shelley Winters Peter Sellers Sue Lyon
Cinematography	Oswald Morris
Edited by	Anthony Harvey
Music by	Nelson Riddle
Theme song by	Bob Harris
Production companies	Seven Arts Harris Kubrick Pictures[3] A.A. Productions, Ltd.[4][5] Anya Pictures Transworld Pictures[6]
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date	June 13, 1962 (1962-06-13) (United States)
Running time	152 minutes[7]
Countries	United Kingdom United States
Language	English
Budget	$1.5–2 million[5][8]
Box office	$9.2 million[8]

Lolita is an American 1962 black comedy-psychological drama film^[9] directed by Stanley Kubrick based on the eponymous 1955 novel by Vladimir Nabokov.

The black-and-white film follows a middle-aged literature lecturer who writes as "Humbert Humbert" and has hebephilia. He is sexually infatuated with young, adolescent Dolores Haze (whom he calls "Lolita"). It stars James Mason as Humbert, Shelley Winters as Mrs. Haze, Peter Sellers as Quilty, and Sue Lyon (in her film debut) as Dolores "Lolita" Haze.

The novel was considered "unfilmable" when Kubrick acquired the rights around the time of its U.S. publication. Owing to restrictions imposed by the Motion Picture Production Code (1934–68), the film toned down the most provocative aspects, sometimes leaving much to the audience's imagination. Sue Lyon was 14 at the time of filming and played a 14-year-old, whereas the Lolita of Nabokov's novel is just 12 years old when Humbert Humbert first meets her.

Lolita polarized contemporary critics with its theme of child sexual abuse but was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 35th Academy Awards. Years after its release, Kubrick expressed doubt that he would have attempted to make the film had he fully understood how severe the censorship limitations on it would be. Regardless, the film has since received critical acclaim. In the late 1990s, British director Adrian Lyne again adapted the novel to the big screen.