I think Stanley Kubrick was the only director who had any ideas of howto tackle a film version of Lolita. I also believe that he was the onlydirector who could have succeeded, and I believe he did succeed. Thisfilm was everything I could have expected it to be, and maybe even alittle more.
Shelley Winters' performance was wonderful! James Mason delivered astrong effort in a very difficult part to play. Peter Sellers was PeterSellers, four or five times throughout the movie, but that's PeterSellers, and that's why I am really starting to admire his work. Thereal surprise performance in this movie, however, came from Sue Lyon inthe title role. Her intensity was incredible. She seemed perfectlynatural as a teenage girl enjoying the attention of older men, or justmen in general. You could really see the wheels turning in her head asshe schemed her way from one situation to the other. Some havecriticized that her Lolita was "too old" in comparison to the novel'sLolita. One could make that judgment, however, what twelve year oldactress would have been able to provide the emotional depth requiredfor the part? Let's face it, in literary adaptations, some license mustbe allowed. All in all, I thought it was a very good movie, and I wouldrecommend it to anyone who enjoys the work of Stanley Kubrick and/orPeter Sellers.
