Now that the initial furor has died down and the film has been released in U.S. theaters, those who are interested can finally watch "Lolita" and wonder what exactly all the fuss was about.
This overly arty (and too long) adaptation of Vladimir Nabokov's equally loved and reviled "dirty old man" tale sat on the shelf for more than a year while studio after studio refused to pick it up for release. And though the argument was that the subject material was deemed too controversial for American consumption, the real reason for its rejection might be that it just isn't any good.
Aside from Jeremy Irons' superb and brave lead performance, the film is marked by laughable dramatic scenes, head-scratching humorous bits and awful supporting turns from Melanie Griffith and Frank Langella.
As for Dominique Swain, who plays literature's most notorious "nymphet," her performance is unconvincing. And it doesn't help that director Adrian Lyne was determined to play the material as straight as possible — likely a response to Stanley Kubrick's 1962 dark comic version, which is adored by film fans and despised by the novel's adherents.
Irons stars as Humbert Humbert, an academician who becomes obsessed with the title character (Swain), a precocious teen who lives under the same roof.
His leering attentions toward the girl go unnoticed by her clueless mother, Charlotte (Griffith), who, ironically, has her eyes set on Humbert. Eventually, he gives into Charlotte's advances and marries her, becoming Lolita's stepfather.
Later, when Humbert's secret diary (containing descriptions of his true desires) is discovered, Charlotte commits suicide. This makes him Lolita's sole guardian, and the two set off on a road trip, where they explore their forbidden "romance."
Initially, Lyne shows surprising restraint depicting the subject matter (considering that two of his most famous films are the exploitative, style-over-substance hits "Nine 1/2 Weeks" and "Fatal Attraction"). But then, in the final third, the movie erupts into an orgy of simulated sex, male nudity and violent gore.
And as scripted by Stephen Schiff, all the characters are ciphers. The motivations are far too unclear, especially when the film is supposed to be a drama.
Also, casting Griffith and Langella in prominent supporting roles was a huge mistake. Griffith's one-note performance goes beyond the book's characterization, and Langella seems to be channeling James Mason (who played Humbert in the first film).
Still, there's no denying how powerful Irons is. He manages to make Humbert oddly sympathetic, even if he is a despicable lech.
"Lolita" is rated R for violent gunplay and a fistfight, simulated sex, gore, profanity, full male nudity and use of vulgar slang, as well as some double-entendres.