Lolita

"A forbidden love. An unthinkable attraction. The ultimate price."

1997 2h 17m EN

👍

7.1

SOLID

★7.1TMDB · 2,057

DramaRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Humbert Humbert is a middle-aged British novelist who is both appalled by and attracted to the vulgarity of American culture. When he comes to stay at the boarding house run by Charlotte Haze, he soon becomes obsessed with Lolita, the woman's teenaged daughter.

“A forbidden love. An unthinkable attraction. The ultimate price.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Jeremy Irons
Humbert Humbert
Dominique Swain
Dolores "Lolita" Haze
Melanie Griffith
Charlotte Haze
Frank Langella
Clare Quilty
Suzanne Shepherd
Miss Pratt
Keith Reddin
Reverend Rigger
Erin J. Dean
Mona
Joan Glover
Miss LaBone

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Adrian Lyne
Writers: Stephen Schiff
Languages: English
Countries: France, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Mid-budget at $62M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 2% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

29 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: France, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Adrian Lyne, shot by Howard Atherton. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Ennio Morricone. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Julie Monroe shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Jeremy Irons and Dominique Swain and Melanie Griffith carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Adrian Lyne directs. Howard Atherton behind the camera. Ennio Morricone scores. Julie Monroe cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in France, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Mid-budget at $62M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.
2Earned back only 2% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
329 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
4International production across 2 countries: France, United States of America.
5Directed by Adrian Lyne, shot by Howard Atherton. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Ennio Morricone. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Julie Monroe shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Jeremy Irons and Dominique Swain and Melanie Griffith carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "A forbidden love. An unthinkable attraction. The ultimate price.".
10IMDB entry: tt0119558 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Classified under 20 themes, including "jealousy", "based on novel or book", "police", "obsession".

The technical file

Cinematography: Howard Atherton
Original score: Ennio Morricone
Editing: Julie Monroe
Production design: Jon Hutman
Costume design: Judianna Makovsky
Makeup / hair: Lyndell Quiyou
Stunt coordinator: Danny Aiello III
Runtime: 137 min · 2h 17m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $62,000,000
Box office: $1,100,000
Return: 2% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Lolita (1997)

Awards

National Board of Review: Top Ten Films

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Adrian Lyne

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

RalphRahal2024-12-17
★ 7/10
Adrian Lyne’s Lolita (1997) is a haunting and provocative adaptation of Vladimir Nabokov’s controversial novel. Despite being over two hours long, the pacing felt just right. The first act didn’t drag at all, and the transition to the second act was seamless, keeping me engaged throughout the film. Every scene felt necessary, with nothing added unnecessarily to stretch the runtime. The script was very well written and stayed true to Nabokov’s original novel. It captured the complexity of Humbert’s character and the disturbing dynamics of his relationship with Lolita. Jeremy Irons’ narration as Humbert added depth to the story, giving an intimate view into his twisted perspective while constantly reminding the viewer of the uncomfortable reality behind his justifications. The cinematography was outstanding, moving in harmony with Humbert’s narration. The film’s focus on Lolita’s legs and feet was a subtle but powerful visual choice, directly reflecting the meticulous and fetishistic way Nabokov’s Humbert describes her in the book. He often noticed her bare feet, her sandals, and the way she moved, emphasizing her youth and innocence while twisting those details into objects of his obsession. The camera captured this fixation without needing explicit explanations, immersing the viewer in Humbert’s distorted mindset. The soundtrack was beautifully done, complementing the film’s emotional shifts. It expressed Humbert’s feelings, from his infatuation and longing to his jealousy and guilt. The music never overwhelmed the scenes but added a layer of emotional complexity that made the film even more immersive. Adrian Lyne’s direction brought intentional discomfort. The lingering on certain scenes and objects, like Humbert’s stairs, was not random. These moments were designed to make the viewer feel trapped in the same uneasiness as Humbert’s world. It forced me to sit with the moral weight of the story and think about the darkness behind Humbert’s actions. While they echo Humbert’s fixation and Nabokov’s descriptions, they can feel exploitative in a medium as visual as film. This stylistic choice makes the audience complicit in Humbert’s gaze, which is arguably the point, but it may alienate viewers or overshadow the film’s critique of his behavior. Adrian Lyne’s Lolita is a visually stunning and narratively complex film, but it is not without its flaws. It is undeniably ambitious, tackling one of the most difficult stories in literature, and it does so with technical brilliance. However, the film's reliance on Humbert’s perspective and its sensual style raise questions about how effectively it critiques its protagonist and the story’s darker themes.

Production companies