A bizarre movie. Absorbing, but bizarre. Kubrick was forced to water down the provocative content of Nabokov's novel by the "Legion of Decency". The portrayal of the ephebophile Humbert Humbert (Mason) felt strange, as he was refined, debonair, and even sympathetic. The actors, including Mason, were first rate, across the board. There was only one Peter Sellers - just a comic genius. His manner, his timing, just his face cracks me up. Dr. Zempf WAS the predecessor of Dr. Strangelove, though. Same character, no difference. Shelley Winters was successfully unlikable as Lolita's man-hungry mother. And 14 (!) year old Sue Lyon gave a remarkable depiction of the young jailbait nymphet, very mature. Kubrick, and some other directors of the time: Elia Kazan, Otto Preminger, Billy Wilder... I think they enjoyed testing (or were frustrated with, or both) the rigid boundaries of the 'morality squad'. Not the typical milquetoast drivel.

fantasy that children are asking to be raped is somewhat out of date

Lolita is a good character study. Mason and Lyon played their roles equally well. However, I'm not a fan of the film's length. There is nothing wrong with long movies, but this one did not work as well as others. And I do not understand why it is such a touchy movie with some people. It is only a movie from 1962 that incorporates pedophilia and statutory rape. What's so bad about that? Never mind... Well done, Mr. Kubrick.

The movie is really true to the book! Peter Sellers was outstanding as Humbert Humbert's rival Clare Quilty.