Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Peter Sellers James Mason in Stanley Kubrick's "Lolita" (1962)




Two of the finest actors in screen history in one of the best and most daring films of the 1960's. Sellers purportedly did a mimicry of Bronx-born director Stanley Kubrick for this scene, where his character, Claire Quilty, tries to unsettle Hubert Humbert (Mason) as Humbert is crossing the country with the object of their mutual desire, the 12-year old Lolita (played by a 16 year old Sue Lyon).
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7 comments:

  1. Aaran AardvarkJune 11, 2008 at 4:19 AM

    Brilliant!

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  2. Khoreia 00))0((01June 11, 2008 at 6:26 AM

    Kubrick was a great master of Alchemy, and every 1 of his films tried to portray some element of The Great Work. In Eyes Wide Shut, he was trying to inform us of the secret societies who rule the world, but his life ended mysteriously before he finished the film...

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  3. Khoreia 00))0((01June 11, 2008 at 6:40 AM

    As a mother of an extremely gorgeous 13 year old daughter, I must admit that Seller's obsession with Lolita makes me cringe a bit..

    As for the line "If I was married I'd want to get away from my wife as much as I could" the first thought that came into my mind was a lot of married men run around complaining that they are fucking a dead person, never realizing they were the ones who killed her.

    Those are the thoughts that went through my mind viewing this great piece of art. Thanks for the post Doug.

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  4. doug noakesJune 11, 2008 at 7:26 AM

    I can understand both your points --the whole movie has major "cringe" factor to it, as an examination of male objectification of a too-young girl.
    I think the fact that it is a comedy and the main guys get a comeuppance for their actions helps a bit.

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  5. crabby manJune 11, 2008 at 4:57 PM

    I did not see this movie. It looked like a stereo typical portayal on this side of the blog.

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  6. doug noakesJune 11, 2008 at 6:38 PM

    I think its worth seeing--by the standards of today its not explicit in anyway. Sellers plays a character who assumes various guises to drive Mason--including a German psychologist that's totally removed from this "regular guy". It's one of Stanley Kubrick's best films and the acting is top notch. And, trust me, I think you'll find the way the story is told and eventually concludes anything but typical.

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  7. Regina FrankJune 11, 2008 at 9:58 PM

    Stanley Kubrick made the right choice, tho. Creepy or not--Sellers had a way of becoming whichever character he chose--and with such finesse! I also think he would have mad an excellent Puerot--another Inspector--Thanks again, Doug for reminding me of these wonderful classics--Wish the movies nowadays were "movies" worth forking out the cash for! LOL--G'night!

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