[Bottles clinking]
[Clinking]
[Strums harp]
Quilty?
[Clink]
Wh-Wh--
Who's there?
Are you Quilty?
Hmm?
No. I'm Spartacus.
Did you come to free the slaves or something?
Are you Quilty?
Yeah, I am Quilty. Yeah, sure.
[Crash]
Ah ah ah.
Say, what you, uh...
What you putting your gloves on for, captain?
Your hands cold or something?
Shall we have a little chat before we start?
Before we start?
Wow.
All rightie.
No, no. Listen, listen, listen.
Let's have a game,
a little lovely game of Roman ping-pong,
like two civilized senators.
Roman ping.
You're supposed to say "Roman pong."
Ok, you serve. I don't mind.
I just don't mind.
Come on.
Ah ah ah.
Bet you didn't know I had that.
Roman ping-pong.
Kind of tricky serve to handle, eh, captain?
Kind of tricky.
One of the champs taught me that.
My motto is be prepared.
Say, are you Jack Brewster?
You know who I am.
What's that? That's 3. 3-love.
Gee, I'm-- I'm really winning.
You want to get a rally going.
You know, I'm not accusing you, captain,
but it's sort of absurd
the way people invade this house...
Without even knocking.
4-1. Change service.
I'll--I'll take the service again,
if you don't mind.
I sort of like to have it at this end.
You know.
They use the telephone.
[Ding]
Jeez.
What's that? It must be--
gee, I'm really winning here.
I'm really winning.
I hope I don't get overcome with power.
That's about, uh, 6-1, maybe.
Let's say 6-1. No. 6-2.
I'll give you another point.
6-2, but I'm still winning.
You really don't remember me, do you?
Have you ever noticed how the different champs
use their bats?
Some of them hold them like this and everything.
Do you recall a girl...
Called Dolores Haze?
I remember one guy didn't have a hand.
He had a bat instead of a hand.
[Tapping table]
Lolita!
Uh...
Lolita?
Huh.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I remember that name, all right.
Maybe she made some telephone calls. Who cares?
Gee!
[Click]
Hey, you're a sort of bad loser, captain.
I never found a guy who'd pull a gun on me
when he lost the game.
Didn't anyone ever tell you
it's not who wins, it's how you play?
Like the champs.
Listen, I don't think I want to play anymore.
I want to get a drink.
Gee, I'm just dying for a drink.
I'm just dying to have a drinky.
You're dying anyway, Quilty.
Jeez.
All my friends always put their--
smokies out in the drink.
It's so unsanitary.
Quilty, I want you to concentrate.
You're going to die.
Try to understand what is happening to you.
You are either Australian or a German refugee.
This is a gentile's house.
You better run along.
Think of what you did, Quilty,
and think of what is happening to you now.
Ha ha ha!
[With Southern accent] Say, that's a--
that's a darling little gun you got there.
That's a darling little thing.
How much a guy like you want
for a darling little gun like that?
Read this.
What's this, a deed to the ranch?
It's your death sentence. Read it.
Can't read, mister.
I never did none of that there book learning.
Read it, Quilty.
Hmm?
[Humming]
"Because you took advantage of a sinner...
"Because you took advantage...
"Because you took...
Because you took advantage of my disadvantage..."
Say, that's a dadblasted, darn good poem you done there.
"When I stood Adam naked"--
oh! Adam naked.
You should be ashamed of yourself, captain.
"Before federal law and all its stinging stars."
Tarnation, you old horn toad.
That's mighty pretty. That's a pretty poem.
"Because you took advantage"--
it's getting a bit repetitious, isn't it?
"Because"-- there's another one.
"Because you cheated me.
"Because you took her at an age
when young--"
that's enough.
Say, what did you take it away for, mister?
It was getting kind of smutty there.
Do you have any last words before you die, Quilty?
[Different accent] Listen, Mac, you're drunk,
and I'm a sick man.
[Normal voice] This pistol-packing farce
is becoming a sort of nuisance.
Why don't you and I sort of, uh, settle this
like two civilized people
getting together and settling something.
All right, put them up.
Do you want to die standing up or sitting down?
I want to die like a champion.
Gee.
Right in the boxing glove.
You want to be more careful with that thing.
Listen, captain, why don't you
stop trifling with life and death?
I'm a playwright, you know.
I know all about this sort of tragedy and comedy
and fantasy and everything.
I got 52 successful scenarios to my credit,
added to which my father's a policeman.
Listen, you look like a music lover to me.
Why don't you let me play you a little thing...
I wrote last week?
[Plays piano]
Nice sort of opening that, eh?
We could dream up some lyrics maybe,
you and I dream them up together.
You know, share the profits.
You think it will make the hit parade?
The moon was blue, and so were you
and I tonight, she's mine to--
uh, yours.
She's--she's yours tonight
and...And... The moon is--
ah!
[Click]
Gee!
Gee, that hurt me. That...
You really hurt me.
Listen, if you were trying to scare me,
you did a pretty swell job, all right.
My leg will be black and blue tomorrow.
You know, this house is...Roomy and cool.
You see how cool it is.
Ow! I intend moving to england or Florence forever.
You can move in.
I got some nice friends
who could come and keep you company here.
You could use them as pieces of furniture.
This one guy looks just like a bookcase.
I could fix it for you to attend executions.
How would you like that?
Just you there, nobody else.
Just watching. Watch. You like watching, captain?
You know, 'cause not many people...
Know that--ha ha!
Ow! Ow!
That the chair is painted yellow.
You'd be the only guy in the know.
If you mention your friends, you could tell them--
[gunshot]
Oh! That hurts!
[Gunshots]
[Thud]
Humbert: Having recently arrived in America,
where so many Europeans had found a haven before,
i decided to spend a peaceful summer
in the attractive resort town of ramsdale, New Hampshire.
Some English translations I had made of French poetry
had enjoyed some success,
and I had been appointed to a lectureship
at beardsley college, Ohio, in the fall.
Friends had given me several addresses in ramsdale
where lodgings were available for the summer.
Mr. hoffstedder said
that you're going to be staying all summer.
Well, that was only a tentative plan.
Monsieur, if what you're needing is peace and quiet,
I assure you, you couldn't get more peace anywhere.
Yes, it is quiet.
It's very peaceful.
Now, this would be your room.
It's what you might call a studio.
Well, you know-- a semistudio affair.
It's, uh, very male...
And, uh, quiet.
We're really very fortunate here in west ramsdale.
Culturally, we're a very advanced group
with lots of good anglo-Dutch and anglo-scotch stock,
and we're very progressive intellectually.
That is immediately apparent.
I do hope you'll want to address our club.
There's a nice view from this window...
Of the front lawn.
And a good place for you to do your writing.
Shelves for your books.
It's very nice.
I am chairman of the great books committee.
As a matter of fact, you know,
one of the speakers that I had last season
was Clare Quilty.
Clare Quilty?
The writer? TV? TV plays?
No, no. I wouldn't--
he's a very stimulating man.
He gave us a talk
on Dr. schweitzer and Dr. Zhivago.
Schweitzer and Zhivago.
Uh-huh.
Very nice.
No. The bathroom's back here.
Uh, right next door.
Well, we still have
that good old-fashioned, quaint plumbing.
It should appeal to a European.
[Flushes toilet]
Ha ha ha!
Oh, excuse the soiled sock.
I see that you're interested in art.
In that case--
in that case, you really must see
the collection of reproductions I have
in my bedroom.
Voila!
Oh, yes. That's, uh...
Dufy.
Mmm. That's very...
And there's my little van gogh.
Monet.
Is, uh, madame Humbert--
there's no madame. We are divorced.
Oh...
Happily divorced.
When did all this happen?
About a year ago, in Paris.
Ah, Paris, France, madame...
You know, monsieur, I really believe
that it's only in the romance languages
that one is able to really relate in a mature fashion.
Mm-hmm.
In fact, I remember when the late Mr. Haze--
oh, the late Mr. Haze, hmm?
Yes, he's passed on.
Oh.
But, uh, when we were on our honeymoon abroad,
I knew that I'd never felt married
until I heard myself addressed as seņora.
You were in Spain.
No. Mexico.
Oh, Mexico. Mm-hmm.
Oh, there were so many places
we had planned to travel,
but he was occupied with his work.
He--he was in insurance.
Oh.
Left me well-provided for.
Mm-hmm.
He was a lovely human being.
Oh.
A man of complete integrity.
I know you would have liked
to talk to the late Mr. Haze and he to you.
Yes, I'm sure he would have.
Those are his ashes.
Oh! Uh...
Uh, how late was the, uh,
l-late Mr. Haze?
Uh, 7 years.
Oh.
It's very difficult for a woman...
An attractive woman alone, you know.
Yes, I'm...Sure it is.
Uh, downstairs-- oh, excuse me.
I'm so sorry.
I've told lolita 10 times to keep that in her room.
You have a maid living in the house?
Oh, monsieur, ramsdale is not Paris.
No. The colored girl comes 3 times a week.
We think we're lucky to get her.
But she does do shirts very well.
Back here, we have the kitchen.
That's where we have our informal meals.
My pastries win prizes around here.
Perhaps if you'd let me have your telephone number,
that would give me a chance to think it over.
Uh, 1-7-7-6.
1776. Declaration of independence.
Yeah. So easy to remember.
You must see the garden before you go.
You must.
My flowers win prizes around here.
They're the talk of the neighborhood.
Voila!
My yellow roses. My--oh.
My daughter.
Darling, turn that down, please.
[Radio playing]
I could offer you a comfortable home,
a sunny garden,
a congenial atmosphere,
my cherry pies.
Well, uh...We haven't discussed how much.
Oh, uh, something nominal.
Let's say, uh, 200 a month?
Yes, that's very--
including meals and late snacks,
et cetera.
That's very reasonable.
Well, it's very nice.
You couldn't find better value in west ramsdale.
When would it be convenient for you to have me move in?
Well, right now.
It would be silly for you to go to a hotel, monsieur.
My bags are in the taxi.
You're a very persuasive salesman.
Thank you. What was the decisive factor?
Uh, my garden?
I think it was your cherry pies.
[Laughter]
Ah!
No!
[Glass breaks]
Ah!
[Glass breaks]
Aah!
Ah!
Aah!
[Glass breaks]
Aah!
Ah! Ah!
Now, this is the one that goes back and forth.
Yes. That can leap over the other pieces.
Goes around corners.
Mm-hmm.
You're going to take my queen.
That is my intention, certainly.
Uh, beddy-bye, dear.
Good night.
Good night, lo.
Oh, that wasn't very clever of you.
Oh, dear. Oh, dear.
Oh!
Ah ha!
It had to happen sometime.
Lolita: 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38,
39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46,
47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 5--
see how relaxed you're getting?
[Band playing]
Oh, there's mother. Let's go say hello.
Hi, mom.
Oh, hello, darling. Oh, hello, Kenny.
Good evening, Mrs. Haze.
Oh, uh, Kenny, this is Mr. Humbert.
Kenny oberton.
How do you do?
Are you having a good time?
Mm-hmm.
Well, we'll see you, then.
Mm-hmm.
Bye-bye.
Oh, aren't they adorable together?
I think tonight's the night.
Huh?
Well, lolita told me that she's positive
Kenny's going to ask her to go steady tonight.
Ha ha ha!
Hello, Charlotte.
Jean, John, hello.
Hi, Humbert.
At last you got here.
Hi. Hey, sorry we're late.
I got held up after court.
Oh.
The prosecution brought in some new witnesses.
I had to sit down with my client,
make sure we were prepared for tomorrow morning.
John, can't you stop being a lawyer
for just one night in the week?
Mind if I dance with your girl, hum?
We could sort of swap partners.
You're most welcome.
Well, this is what you get
because you won't dance.
Hi, Humbert.
I'm sorry that I don't dance.
Oh, that's all right.
I don't like dancing either very much.
Did you know that?
It's a funny thing, Humbert,
but John and I, we first met at a dance,
and I was sort of sitting it out,
and so he just sat it out, too.
That's very romantic.
Hi, dad!
Mona, baby.
Darling.
How are you doing?
Fine.
Humbert, uh, don't tell Charlotte
that I told you this, will you?
But did you know that you've had
the most remarkable effect on her?
I have?
Mm-hmm. I know it's none of my business,
but, well, she's begun to radiate a certain glow.
I hardly think that has anything to do with me.
Humbert, when you get to know me better,
you'll find I'm extremely broad-minded.
Oh.
In fact, John and I, we're both broad-minded.
Oh.
Hey, you two, cut that out.
I'm so thirsty.
Let's all have a little punch.
There aren't any more clean cups anywhere.
I'll get some from another table.
Thank you, Humbert.
Jean, your Mona looks simply enchanting
in that cloud of pink.
She's certainly becoming a mature young lady.
Yes. Where does the time go?
This summer, she's going to be a junior counselor.
No. That's simply wonderful.
Are you sending her to camp climax again?
We've done it every summer since she was 10.
It gives Jean and me
a chance to catch up on our homework.
Oh, excuse me, kids.
Oh, my feet are killing me.
Oh...
Who is that?
Who?
There.
It--it's Clare Quilty.
You know, the TV writer.
Oh, I adored his play the lady who loved lightning.
Oh, it was marvelous.
Oh. Oh, excuse me, kids.
I'm going to go over and say hello.
Oh, hello.
Hello again.
Wow!
Oh, it's certainly been a long time.
It certainly has, yes.
You know that I've been
the local authority on you ever since.
Is that so?
That's very sweet of you. Thank you so much.
I'll never forget
that intellectually stimulating talk
that you gave to our club.
It's a magnificent club, really magnificent.
Tell me one thing-- are you a columnist?
No, no. Don't you remember?
That afternoon changed my whole life.
Oh. Well, how about that?
You remember it?
What? What? What?
Did I do that? Did I?
And afterwards, you know,
I showed you my garden,
and I drove you to the airport.
Yes.
Really great...Fun.
Listen, listen.
Didn't you-- didn't you have a daughter?
Didn't you have a daughter with a lovely name?
Yeah. A lovely, lyrical, lilting name like, uh...
Lolita.
Lolita. That's right.
Lolita--diminutive of Dolores, the tias and the rosas.
Uh, Wednesday she's going to have
a cavity filled by your Uncle ivor.
Yes. Ha ha ha! Yes.
There you are. Where have you been?
I've been looking all over for you.
I strolled around for a while,
then I came up here.
Oh, you poor man. I bet you're bored to tears.
On the contrary. I find it most interesting.
Charlotte, hello.
Oh, Humbert,
you found a place to sit down.
Oh, gosh.
Oh, uh, Charlotte,
Mona's having a little get-together
later on at our house.
She and Freddy beale
and a couple of the other kids
are having a jam session or whatever it's called.
Anyhow, she wants to know
if lolita and Kenny can come.
Well, I don't see why not.
As long as you have her home by midnight.
Oh, but Charlotte, tonight's a special occasion.
Why doesn't lolita stay over with Mona?
John can bring her back in the morning.
Yeah, sure.
That would be too much trouble.
Nonsense. Easiest thing in the world.
Of course not.
Uh, well--
it's settled.
I guess we better say good night.
John and I have to get home
and kind of supervise things.
What she means is keep the lights on.
I think we ought to come over and help.
No. We wouldn't think of it.
It's no trouble, is it, Charlotte?
Well, Jean, perhaps we should...
We're not doing anything else.
No, no, no.
They don't like too many grownups around.
That's right.
Good night, Charlotte.
Good night, Jean.
Oh, good night. See ya.
Good night, Humbert.
Uh, now, you don't want that.
It will spoil your appetite.
We can go home now
and have a cozy little dinner for two, huh?
Oh.
I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long.
No, not at all.
I thought I'd change into something cozier.
It's charming.
You don't think it's a little too risque?
No, not at all.
Charlotte, this may not be the right time or place--
not another word...
Until we finish our pink champagne, huh?
Well, um, in a sense,
this is none of my business,
but I've come to feel almost like a member of the family
as far as lolita is concerned.
Yes, I know, and I appreciate it.
I've come to feel as if you were
a member of the family, too.
I wonder if you aren't being too liberal with her.
Liberal. Oh, you dear man.
Oh, you dear, sweet, naive man.
I don't think you realize she's beginning to grow up.
Oh, of course she's beginning to grow up,
and it's only natural and healthy
that she should take an interest
in those fascinating creatures
known as the opposite sex.
Cheerio.
But should she be allowed to stay out all night?
She's not staying out.
She's at Jean and John's.
Yes, but there's something about them
that makes me wonder whether they would provide
the right kind of supervison.
Oh, you're-- oh, hum!
You're so charmingly old-world.
But, then, that's what I adore about you.
Ha ha!
I have a proposal.
What say you... I teach you
some of the new steps, huh?
Oh, Charlotte, I don't even know the old ones.
And you do this so very well,
I'd much rather sit down and watch you.
You're very good.
Oh, come on, Humbert.
Oh, Humbert Humbert--
what a thrillingly different name.
Do you pronounce the surname differently?
You know, in a slightly lower tone?
Uh, let's see-- Humbert.
What was that, the first or the second name?
Seriously, I am an awkward tripper,
and I have no sense of rhythm.
I refuse to believe that about you.
Ha ha!
Rhythm is so basic, and it just pours out of you.
You simply... Vibrate rhythm.
Well, I'll just...
I'll clap my hands, and you go on dancing.
Oh, now, come on, Humbert!
That was not your surname.
Now, uh, put your hands here.
Tighter.
Oh, all right.
Ready? Go.
1, 2, cha-cha-cha.
Oh, very good!
Ha!
A little more joie de vivre.
1, 2...
You know, when you smile like that,
you remind me of someone.
Oh...Uh...
A college boy I had a date with.
I went dancing with him.
A young, blue-blooded bostonian,
on my very first glamour date.
Oh...
And you know, in certain lights,
you remind me of Harold.
Uh, you mean the late mister...
Yes.
Well, you're...
You're really very different, of course.
Yes, I imagine I am.
Oh, but, uh, you know, I adored Harold.
I really did.
I swore at the time
I would never marry again.
I don't think I will,
but it wouldn't be fair to his memory,
do you think?
No. One doesn't often find such loyalty these days.
But sometimes I wonder--
[clang]
Uh...
Shouldn't life be for the living?
What think you?
Uh-huh. Hmm.
You see, I'm a strongly emotional woman,
very strongly emotional.
Oh, don't be afraid of hurting me.
No, I'm not, really.
Take me in your arms.
I can't live in the past,
not anymore, hum, not anymore.
Hi.
Lolita.
Uh, darling.
Cha-cha-cha.
Uh, darling...
Did you come back for something?
No. Mona's party turned out to be sort of a drag,
so I thought I'd come back and see what you two were doing.
We had a wonderful evening.
Your mother created a magnificent spread.
Did you have something to eat?
They served some kind of salty fish eggs,
but I didn't like them.
I'll make you a sandwich. There's lots of food.
That's great. I'm starving.
I don't think she should be stuffing herself
when she should go to sleep.
But, mom...I'm hungry,
and I've got to have something to eat.
All right.
Uh, but you take it upstairs,
and after you've eaten it,
you go right to sleep.
Did you have a good time dancing with Clare Quilty?
Well, of course.
He's a very erudite gentleman.
I know. All the girls are crazy about him, too.
That's neither here nor there.
Since when?
Humbert: Here we are. Excuse me.
It's loaded with mayonnaise, just the way you like it.
Thank you.
Uh, darling, take it upstairs.
I don't want to go to bed.
It's too early.
We all think that lo should go to bed.
I don't have to.
This is a free country.
Which means there will be no allowance this week.
Which means I think you stink this week.
To bed this instant!
[Squeaking] Go to bed.
I heard that.
Good night, lo.
That miserable little brat.
She is becoming impossible,
simply impossible!
The idea.
The idea of her sneaking back here
and spying on us!
I don't think she was spying on us.
What would you call it?
I'm sure she intended no harm.
Like hell she didn't!
She's always been a spiteful little pest!
Since the age of 1!
She kept throwing her toys out of her crib
so that I would have to keep stooping over
to pick them up!
She has always had some kind of gripe against me!
Now she sees herself as some kind of a starlet!
Well, I see her as a sturdy, healthy,
but decidedly homely child!
Is it my fault if I feel young?
Why should my child resent it?
You don't resent it, do you?
Do you think that I'm just a foolish,
romantic American girl?
No, no, no.
Oh.
Uh...Let's, uh...
Why don't I throw on a wrap,
and we can go out for a little ride in the car?
It's a little late, Charlotte.
Well, let's at least finish our champagne,
shall we?
I've had a very exhausting evening.
I think I'd best go to bed.
But it's not even 1:00.
My neuralgia is about to strike with heartburn,
an old ally, and, uh, so--oh!
Good night.
And thank you for a charming evening.
You're very welcome.
[Door closes]
What drives me insane
is the twofold nature of this nymphet--
of every nymphet, perhaps--
this mixture in my lolita of tender, dreamy childishness
and a kind of eerie vulgarity.
I know it is madness to keep this journal,
but it gives me a strange thrill to do so,
and only a loving wife
could decipher my microscopic script.
Miss, in this house, we do not eat
with the table on the--
elbows on the tables!
Must you pamper your pimples?
Do you mind if I eat?
I've got to meet Mona.
Oh, this morning you have to meet Mona.
Last ni--
look, first, you wash every dish,
then you go upstairs, and you make your bed,
and you clean up your room.
I'm not picking up after you today, miss,
or any day!
[Ring]
Hello! Excuse me.
Is it Kenny?
No. Just a minute!
Uh, Jean, just a second.
Take this tray up to Professor Humbert
and do not disturb him.
Yes, ma'am.
Jean?
I'm very glad you called.
Yes?
Oh!
Mona?
What time?
Well, I'm very glad you called me, Jean.
Well, there's something very important
we both have to talk about.
That's a good idea. I'd rather not--
who is it?
Lolita!
Come in.
Here's your breakfast.
Thank you very much. And good morning.
Good morning.
Don't tell mom, but...
I ate all your bacon.
You have a very long face today.
Oh, yeah?
Mm-hmm.
What were you writing?
I was writing a poem.
Mmm?
What's it about?
It's about people.
Hmm.
That's a novel subject.
You know, it's funny.
It sort of looked like a diary when I came in.
I always write my poems in a diary.
It's one of my little idiosyncracies.
Mmm.
Afraid somebody's going to steal your ideas
and sell them to Hollywood, huh?
Perhaps.
Would you like me to read you some poetry?
Sure. Why not?
This is my favorite poet.
Who's the poet? "It was"--
the divine Edgar.
Who's the divine Edgar? Edgar who?
Edgar Allan poe, of course.
Mmm.
"It was night in the lonesome October
of my most immemorial year."
Notice how he emphasizes this word.
"It was hard by the dim lake of ober
in the misty mid-region of Weir."
You see, he takes a word like "dim" in one line
and twists it, you see,
and comes back as "mid-region of Weir."
"Mid-region"... And twists it to "dim."
Ah, that's pretty good, pretty clever.
"Thus I pacified psyche and kissed her
"and conquered her scruples and gloom,
"and we passed to the end of the vista
"but were stopped by the door of a tomb.
"And I said, what is written, sweet sister?
She replied, ula lume. Ula lume."
Well, I think it's a little corny,
to tell you the truth.
Oh? What do you object to?
Well, the "vista, sister."
That's like "lolita, sweeter."
Mm-hmm. That's very true.
That's a very acute observation.
If you were in my class, I would give you an "a" plus.
Tell me, was Mona Farlow annoyed
when you left her party last night?
Mona? Annoyed? Ha ha!
I thought she might be looking forward to...
Don't worry about Mona.
Oh?
Let me tell you something about Mona.
Do, please.
Nah. I better not tell you.
You'll blab.
I will never give away any of your secrets.
You wouldn't?
I promise.
Oh.
Well, for that, you get a little reward.
Oh, thank you very much.
Here.
Oh, no, please.
Lolita.
No.
Put your head back.
Put your head back!
Open your mouth.
You can have one little bite.
Lolita?
Lolita!
Lolita: What?
Come down here.
[Door opens]
What do you want?
Firstly... When I call you,
I want you to come right down
and not make me holler for you from room to room.
Yes, ma'am.
Secondly, I want you to go into your room
and put on a dress.
We're going to the Farlows'.
But I'm supposed to meet Mona at the lake.
And lastly,
I forbid you to disturb Professor Humbert again.
He is a writer, and he is not to be disturbed!
Sieg heil.
You know, I have a glorious surprise for us.
Uh, one of your dramatic sweets?
Uh-uh. Guess again.
Um...
The Farlows have been arrested.
Oh, really, hum.
Thank you, Louise.
I am no good at guessing.
Mona Farlow is leaving
for summer camp tomorrow.
Uh-huh.
Lolita is going with her.
You were absolutely right last night
when you warned me that I was getting
too liberal with her about boys.
What's more,
Mona disappeared from that party last night,
and she did not come home till 4 A.M.,
so Jean and I decided that isolation from boys
would be the best thing for both of the girls
this crucial summer.
Yes.
Do--do you think that the camp is the answer?
Oh, frankly, hum, I do, and it's all arranged.
The Farlows and I phoned the camp long distance,
and I did all the shopping this af--
is something the matter with your face?
Toothache.
Oh, you poor man.
If it still pains you tomorrow,
I'll call and arrange an appointment.
How far away is this camp?
Mmm, 200 Miles.
It was a stroke of genius on mamma's part.
Oh...
Ain't I clever?
Shall we, uh,
take our coffee out to the piazza?
Or do you want to go upstairs
and nurse that tooth?
Uh...Nurse the tooth.
[Car door closes]
I'll be right back.
Well, I guess I won't be seeing you again, huh?
I shall be moving on.
I must prepare for my work
at beardsley college in the fall.
Then I guess this is good-bye.
[Horn honks]
Yes.
Don't forget me.
Louise: Are you upstairs, Mr. Humbert?
Mr. Humbert!
Mrs. Haze asked me to give you this.
Thank you very much.
"This is a confession.
"I love you.
"Last Sunday in church, my dear one,
"when I asked the lord what to do about it,
"I was told to act as I am acting now.
"You see, there is no alternative.
"I have loved you from the minute I saw you.
"I am a passionate and lonely woman,
"and you are the love of my life.
"Now you know.
"So you will please at once pack and leave.
"This is a landlady's order.
"I am dismissing a lodger.
"I am kicking you out.
"Go. Scram. Departez.
"I shall be back by dinnertime.
"I do not wish to find you in the house.
"You see, cherie, if you decided to stay,
"if I found you at home, which I know I won't,
"and that's why I'm able to go...
"Go on like this.
"The fact of your remaining would only mean one thing--
that you"--
ha ha ha!
"That you want me as much as I do you
as a lifelong mate."
"And you are ready to link up your life
"with mine forever and ever
"and be a father to my little girl.
Good-bye, dear one."
Ah ha!
"Pray for me,
if you ever pray."
Ha ha ha!
[Raining]
Hum!
[Thunder]
Hum, baby!
The wedding was a quiet affair,
and when called upon to enjoy my promotion
from lodger to lover,
did I experience only bitterness and distaste?
No. Mr. Humbert confesses to
a certain titillation of his vanity,
to some faint tenderness,
even to a pattern of remorse
daintily running along the steel
of his conspiratorial dagger.
Dear, the door is locked.
Mm-hmm.
Sweetheart, I don't want any secrets between us.
It makes me feel insecure.
Can't this wait till I come out of here?
[Thunder]
I suppose.
Hum, what do you do in there so long?
I want to talk to you.
I haven't been here long.
In point of fact, I only just came in.
Were there a lot of women in your life before me?
I've told you about them already.
Well, you didn't tell me...
About all of them.
Charlotte, if it would make you any happier,
I will sit right down,
and I will make out a complete list
of every woman I have ever known!
Would that satisfy you?
Uh...I'm lonesome.
I think it's healthy for me to be jealous.
It means that I love you.
You know how happy I can make you.
Uh...Huh.
Hmm.
But, uh, Charlotte,
I haven't even had my morning cup of coffee yet.
You want me to make you some?
Please do that, like a good little wife.
All right.
[Thunder]
Darling--
I don't care about any other woman.
I know that our love is sacred.
The others were profane.
Sacred. That's right. That's what it is.
Mmm.
Oh, hum.
Hum, baby, you know I love the way you smell.
Oh, you do arouse the pagan in me.
Hum, you just touch me,
and I go as limp as a noodle.
It scares me.
Yes. I know the feeling.
Do you believe in God?
[Clears throat]
The question is, does God believe in me?
Shh! Oh...
I wouldn't care if your maternal grandfather
turned out to be a turk...
But if I ever found out...
That you didn't believe in God...
I think I would commit suicide.
Hey, a gun.
It belonged to Mr. Haze.
You should be careful with those things.
It's not loaded.
That's what they all say--
"I didn't know it was loaded."
This is a sacred weapon.
It's a tragic treasure.
Mr. Haze purchased it
when he found out he was ill.
He--he wanted to spare me
the sight of his suffering.
Happily, or unhappily,
he was hospitalized before he could use it.
Will you put it down, please?
Thank you.
That's better, now, isn't it, huh?
Uh-huh.
Oh...
Oh, you man.
Darling?
Hmm?
You know, I have a most ambitious fantasy.
What's yours?
I would love to get hold of a real French servant girl,
you know, like the German girls the Farlows had.
And have her come and live in the house.
No room.
We could put her in lo's room.
I've been meaning to make a guest room
out of that hole anyway.
And where, pray, will you put your daughter
when you get your guest or your maid?
You know, I've decided to send her straight from camp
to a good boarding school,
you know, with strict religious training,
and then on to college.
Hum, darling,
it's going to be you and me alone...
Forever.
Darling, you've gone away.
Just a minute.
I'm following a train of thought.
[Thunder]
Oh, it doesn't matter.
C'est LA vie.
Hey.
Am I on that train?
Yes.
I should hope so.
[Telephone rings]
Let's let it ring, huh?
[Ring]
Oh...
[Ring]
Hello.
Yes, this is Mrs. Charlotte Humbert.
Oh, uh, I'll accept the charges.
It's lolita. She's calling long-distance.
Hello?
Hello, dear!
We're fine!
Uh...Yes?
We spent the honeymoon on hourglass lake.
Well, with a few other young marrieds.
Is anything wrong?
You lost your new sweater?
Oh, in the woods?
Uh...
Yes, he's here.
What do you want to thank him for?
Candy?
Just a minute.
Hum, I really wish that you would not
send her candy without consulting me.
[Thunder]
Hum? I'm talking to you.
Even in the most harmonious household such as ours,
not all the decisions are taken by the female,
especially when the male partner
has fulfilled his obligations beyond the line of duty.
When you wanted me to spend my afternoons
sunbathing by the lake,
I was glad to become the bronze glamour boy
for your sake instead of remaining the scholar.
Even then, I scoot along after you
like an obliging little lap dog!
Oh, yes, I'm delighted to be bossed by you,
but every game has its rules!
Lolita--
[dial tone]
[Thunder]
No man can bring about the perfect murder.
Chance, however, can do it.
Just minutes ago, she had said it wasn't loaded.
What if I playfully pulled the trigger, then?
She said it wasn't loaded.
It belonged to the late Mr. Haze.
She was having her morning tub.
We had just finished talking about our plans for the future.
I decided to play a practical joke
and pretend I was a burglar.
We were newlyweds
and still did things like that to each other.
As soon as it happened, I called an ambulance,
but it was too late.
Simple, isn't it?
The perfect murder.
She splashed in the tub,
a trustful, clumsy seal,
and, oh, the logic of passion screamed in my ear.
Now is the time.
But what do you know, folks?
I just couldn't make myself do it.
The scream grew more and more remote,
and I realized the melancholy fact
that neither tomorrow nor Friday
nor any other day or night
could I make myself put her to death.
Charlotte?
Huh.
Darling?
Darling...
Darling?
That's my diary.
We don't read other people's diaries, do we?
Charlotte, that's my diary.
Give it to me, please.
Please! Please! Please! No, no, no!
"The Haze woman.
"The cow.
"The obnoxious mamma.
The brainless baba."
Well, the stupid Haze is no longer your dupe.
Give me that book, please.
Leave that alone,
or I'll scream out the window!
Let's sit down and discuss it quietly.
And you're a monster.
You're a disgusting,
despicable, loathsome criminal fraud!
Don't do that!
Get out of my way.
I'm getting out of here.
Go on. Get out of my way!
I'm leaving here today.
You can have all of it,
but you are never going to see
that miserable brat again!
Charlotte, please listen to me!
Charlotte, can you please--
Charlotte, open the door!
[Banging]
I want to speak to you.
This is so easy to explain.
This is a hallucination.
You're crazy, Charlotte.
I'll get you a drink.
That's what you want,
a nice, little drink.
Harold, look what happened.
I was disloyal to you.
I couldn't help it, though.
7 years is a very long time.
Why did you go and die on me?
I didn't know anything about life.
I was very young.
If you hadn't died,
all this wouldn't have happened.
Oh, darling, forgive me.
Forgive me.
You were the soul of integrity.
How did we produce such a little beast?
I promise...
I promise you that...
I'll know better next time.
Next time it's going to be
somebody you'll be very proud of.
Harold...
Charlotte!
Those notes you found
were fragments of a novel that I'm writing.
Your name and lolita's were put in by mere chance
just because they were-- they were handy.
That's the way novelists work.
They think of the names of their friends,
and, uh...
The people who enter into their daily life,
like, uh...
Like the Farlows,
and they think up funny situations.
I'm making a Martini for you.
[Telephone rings]
[Ring]
Uh, Charlotte?
I'll take it.
Yes?
Yes, this is he.
Yes.
What?
But my wife is upstairs in her bedroom.
Is this a gag?
Is this one of the fellows at the country club?
Just hold on, please.
Charlotte?
There's a man on the line
who says that you've been hit by a car.
Now listen, please, my friend.
Just hold on one moment.
[Thunder]
[Siren]
Here's an ambulance.
Take it easy, ok?
Mr. Humbert?
She just ran right in front of me.
I swerved around to avoid hitting the dog,
and she just ran right in front of me.
My dad's in a state of shock.
I gotta look after him,
but I just wanted you to know
it isn't my fault.
Are you the lady's husband?
Uh...Yes.
I'm afraid she's dead.
John: Humbert? Humbert?
Jean: It's Jean and John.
John: Hum?
Jean: Humbert, where are you?
Oh!
It's all right.
Come in, both of you.
Jean, I'm perfectly decent.
Are you sure it's all right?
There's a stool.
Sit down on that stool.
You poor man.
Just have to hang on, Humbert.
She was...
She was a wonderful person, Humbert.
She was always so gay, wasn't she, John?
I mean, it's always darkest before the dawn.
That's very... Very true.
It's--it's just wonderful
to have friends at a time like...
[Water splashing on floor]
I'm so sorry.
Now, see here, old man.
You mustn't think of doing anything rash.
Why, of course not.
You have everything to live for,
hasn't he, John?
Perhaps you'd better tell him
about Charlotte's kidney.
Humbert, Charlotte didn't want anybody to know this,
but she hadn't long to live anyhow.
She only had one kidney.
Born that way.
That's right,
and the one kidney she had was distressed.
She had, uh...
Nephritis.
Oh, char...
[Doorbell rings]
I'll get it.
Humbert...
Try to think of
your poor little lolita
all alone in the world.
You must live for her sake.
Oh! Excuse me.
No. That's all right.
Come in, please.
I'm Frederick beale, sr.
May I talk to you for a moment?
My son was driving the car.
When that thing happened?
Yes. My two youngest, Jack and Mary,
are in the same grade as your lolita.
Jean: He's had a terrible shock.
Yes, of course, he has.
This isn't easy to talk about,
but technically it was the pedestrian's fault
and not the driver.
Technically, you're absolutely right.
It was raining, and she ran across the road.
You don't have to explain to me,
because I have no quarrel with you.
Well, I must say,
you're wonderfully sympathetic.
You've been so generous about the whole matter,
I was about to suggest
that maybe you would allow me to pay
the funeral expenses.
That's awfully nice of you.
Thank you very much.
Well, that's the least I can do.
It's my pleasure.
I won't keep you any longer.
We'll have to get together very soon
and sort out the details.
Yes, let's do that. Yes.
Do you work here?
Yeah, sort of.
I didn't think you were a camper.
No.
This is a girls camp exclusively, isn't it?
Yeah. I'm Charlie, Mrs. sedgewick's son.
Oh. You visit the place, I suppose,
from time to time.
No. I live here.
Are you the only boy living in the camp?
The only one.
Do you know a girl called lolita--Dolores Haze?
Oh, yeah. I know her.
Well?
I see her around once in a while.
What are those sheets doing there?
You know they belong in the laundry room.
She's almost packed, Dr. Humbert.
We haven't told her anything.
Poor man. Terrible thing.
Ok, what's the big mystery bit?
Why did those girls look at me so funny?
There's no mystery.
It's just that I didn't want to talk
in front of your friends at the camp.
It's your mother.
Really?
She giving me time off for good behavior or something?
No. She hasn't been feeling very well.
What's the matter with her?
She's sick.
Really? What is it?
The doctors don't seem to know
quite what the trouble is.
She's being moved to a hospital
in the country, near lepingsville.
A hospital?
Is that where we're going now is lepingsville?
Yes, eventually.
Then, of course, you and I will have to bide our time
until your mother gets well.
After that I thought we might go
to the mountains for a while.
Does that appeal to you?
What's the routine? Are we going home now?
No. No, dear.
We should be in bryceton by dinnertime,
and I have no doubt that we shall find
some comfortable hotel to, uh, spend the night.
Then tomorrow morning,
we'll press on towards lepingsville.
Did you have a marvelous summer?
Yeah, I guess so.
Sorry to leave?
Not exactly.
You know, I've missed you terribly.
I haven't missed you.
In fact, I've been revoltingly unfaithful to you.
Oh?
But it doesn't matter a bit,
because you've stopped caring anyway.
What makes you say I've stopped caring for you?
Well, you haven't even kissed me yet, have you?
Hello, Mr. Swine.
Hello, Mr. Quilty. Good evening, ma'am.
Did you get any good pictures today?
Yeah. I'm having a swell vacation.
Good.
Mind if I ask you a sort of personal question?
Sure. Go ahead.
What is a guy like you doing in a job like this?
What do you mean?
You just don't seem to be the type.
Well, as a matter of fact,
I was an actor.
I knew it. Didn't I say to you?
When I first saw you, there was something about you--
a sort of aura that all actors and actresses have.
Since you're a playwright, uh...
Maybe you could use me sometime, hmm?
Yeah, maybe I could use you...Sometime.
Mr. Swine, what does an actor/manager do
with his spare time
in a small town like this?
I don't have much spare time,
but, oh, I swim, play tennis,
lift weights--
gets rid of the excess energy.
What do you do with your excess energy?
We do a lot of things with my excess energy.
I tell you one of the things we do a lot of--that's judo.
Did you ever hear about that?
Judo? Yes, I've heard about it.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
You do judo with the lady?
Yeah. She's a yellow belt. I'm a green belt.
That's the way nature made it.
What happens is she throws me all over the place.
She throws you all over the place?
She gets me in a sort of thing called
a sweeping ankle throw.
She sweeps my ankles away from under me.
I go down with one hell of a bang.
Doesn't it hurt?
I sort of lay there in pain, but I love it.
I lay there hovering
between consciousness and unconsciousness.
It's really the greatest.
Wow!
This looks swank.
See you later.
Ok.
Good evening.
Good evening, sir. Can I help you?
I'd like a room with a bath--
or rather, 2 rooms with baths.
Did you have a reservation, mister...
Humbert is the name.
No, I have no reservation.
I'm afraid it will be impossible
to accommodate you.
This convention's got us tied up in knots.
Is it just you and the girl?
Yes. I would like you to accommodate us
because we're really tired.
Mr. potts?
Yes, Mr. Swine?
What about captain love?
Has he called?
He's canceled his reservation.
I could give you 242.
It's a lovely room,
but it's only got one bed.
Well, perhaps you can find
a folding bed or camp bed.
Potts, do we have any cots?
No. The troopers have snapped them all up.
I'm sure you would find one room satisfactory.
Our double beds are really triple.
One night we had 3 ladies sleeping in one.
I'm sure we will manage.
Even if my wife joins me later,
we'll manage even then, I'm sure.
Would you mind registering?
Certainly.
By the way, what sort of convention
are you holding here?
We're very proud to have the overflow
of the state police convention.
Oh!
Perhaps if you just left them on the floor.
It'll be all right.
Oh! Oh!
Well, you can just...
Yes. All right.
Thank you very much.
Oh, thanks.
Thank you, sir.
Well...
Is, uh, this it?
You mean, uh...
Yeah.
Well...
Yes.
See, I-I-I'm quite sure that they will manage
to find a cot for us.
I asked them downstairs in the lobby to find a cot.
A cot?
Yes.
You're crazy.
Why, my darling?
Because, my darling,
when my darling mother finds out,
she's going to divorce you
and strangle me.
Oh.
Yes. Now, look, now...
I have a great feeling of tenderness for you,
and while your mother is ill,
I'm responsible for your welfare.
We're not rich, and while we travel,
we shall be obliged--
we shall be thrown a good deal together.
Two people sharing one room
inevitably enter into kind of, um...
How shall I say?
Kind of, um...
Aren't you going to go down and see about the cot?
Um...
Has there been a message for me from my wife?
I'm sorry, sir. Nothing yet,
but we're working on that cot.
Oh, thank you.
Hello. Ha ha ha!
Hello.
Oh, you're addressing me.
I thought perhaps there was someone with you.
I'm not really with someone. I'm with you.
I don't mean that as an insult.
What I really meant was I'm with the state police here.
When I'm with them, I'm with someone,
but right now, I'm on my own.
I'm not with a lot of people, just you.
I wouldn't like to disturb you.
I'll leave you alone if you prefer it.
No, you don't really have to go at all.
I like it, you know,
because I sort of get the impression
that you want to leave, but you don't like to,
because maybe you think I think it looks suspicious,
me being a policeman.
Oh, yes.
You don't have to think that,
because I haven't really got
a suspicious mind at all.
A lot of people think I'm suspicious,
especially when I stand around on street corners.
One of our own boys picked me up the other week.
He thought I looked a bit too suspicious.
Tell me something.
I couldn't help noticing when you checked in.
It's part of my job.
I notice human individuals,
and I noticed your face.
I said to myself when I saw you,
"that's a guy with the most normal-looking face
I ever saw in my life."
That's very nice of you to say that.
Not a bit. It's great to see a normal face
because I'm a normal guy.
It'd be great for two normal guys like us
to talk about world events in a normal sort of way.
There's nothing I would like better than that,
but I don't have much time.
It's a pity because-- may I say one other thing?
I've been thinking about it quite a lot.
I noticed you had a lovely, pretty little girl with you.
She was really lovely.
She wasn't so little, come to think of it.
She was fairly tall. Taller than little.
She was really lovely.
I wish I had a lovely, pretty,
tall, lovely little girl like that.
That was my daughter.
Your daughter?
Isn't it great to have a lovely, tall, pretty,
little, small daughter like that?
I don't have any children or boys
or little tall girls or anything.
I'm not even-- are you married?
Yes. I'm expecting my wife to join us here.
May I say something?
You looked a little uneasy at the desk.
Maybe you wanted to get away from your wife.
If I was married,
I'd take every opportunity to get away from my wife.
Yes. No, that was not it at all.
It's quite possible
that my wife will not join me,
because when I left home,
she was not very well.
Gee, what was the matter with your wife?
Oh, nothing. She had an accident.
That's really terrible--
a normal guy, his wife having an accident like that.
What happened to her?
She was hit by a car.
Gee, no wonder she's not here.
Gee, you must feel pretty bad about that.
Is she coming on later or something?
That was the understanding.
What, in an ambulance?
Gee, I'm sorry. I shouldn't say that.
I get so carried away, being so normal.
Tell me, when you were checking in
with the night manager, Mr. George Swine,
who I happen to know as a personal friend of mine,
I was wondering if he fixed you up
with sort of good accommodation here.
Yes, they were extremely cooperative.
You're quite sure about that?
Because I could easily have a word with Swine.
He's a really normal, nice sort of guy.
I've only to have a normal word in his ear
and you'd be surprised what things could happen.
He'd probably turn some of the troopers out
so you could have a lovely room--
a bridal suite for you and your lovely little girl.
I don't want you to take any trouble on my account.
We're perfectly comfortable.
But he should do it.
It's his job to fix you up with something nice.
He gets paid for doing that thing,
and when he sees a guy like you coming in--
all normal with a lovely little girl beside him--
he should say to himself,
"gee, I got to give that guy a lovely,
sort of comfortable, foamy bed to sleep in."
I don't like to hear things like that happening.
I could really take a swipe at him
for not giving you a lovely, comfortable,
sleepy movie-star bed.
You know what I mean.
What, has he got you on the floor or something?
The little girl is probably asleep already in the bed,
and, um...
I don't know why we're discussing this--
why don't you let me have a look
at the accommodation you have now,
then I could have a word with George Swine?
It would be so simple.
No. You really shouldn't worry about it.
I think that I should go upstairs.
You're going because you maybe think that
me being a policeman and everything,
I think you're sort of suspicious.
I don't think that at all.
I think you're really normal and everything.
Don't have to go because of that.
No. It's been very nice talking to you.
I was wondering whether maybe in the morning,
me being lonely and normal and everything--
we shall have to get up at the crack of dawn.
Have breakfast with me, perhaps.
That's very nice of you, but--
I can arrange that with George Swine.
Thank you so much. Good night.
You have a most interesting face.
Good night.
[Banging]
Excuse me.
[Banging]
Shh! Shh! She's asleep.
Good evening, sir. I brought the cot, sir.
Yes, I see you did.
We don't really need it now,
so take it away.
You don't need the cot, sir?
She's asleep.
I won't make any noise.
That's not the point.
2 troopers agreed to double up.
That's how I got the cot, sir.
All right. Bring it in.
No noise, please. Quietly.
[Creaking]
[Twang]
[Clank]
Shh.
We did it, sir.
Shh!
Thank you, sir.
[Locks door]
Hello.
[Yawn]
Hey, the cot came.
Yes.
Well...
Good night.
Ooh!
[Birds singing]
Wake up, Humbert! The hotel's on fire!
Hmm?
The hotel's on fire! Quick!
W-what? On fire?
Yeah, get out of bed real quick!
It's burning right down to the ground.
Oh, lolita.
Do you have to wake me?
I only just got to sleep.
Ha ha ha!
Very funny.
By the way, what happened to your bed?
It looks a lot lower.
Well, the bed collapsed. It's a collapsible bed.
What time is it?
It's breakfast time.
Hmm. My tan is much darker than yours now.
That's not strictly true.
You are a very fair-skinned lady.
Oh. Look at that.
That's very interesting.
Yeah.
What else can you do?
This little thumb can go all the way back to my wrist.
See?
Yes. I can see you're very talented.
Boy, you need a shave.
Of course I need a shave
because I've not shaved since yesterday morning,
and I'm a man who needs 2 shaves a day.
Do you always have to shave twice a day?
Yes, of course.
All the best people shave twice a day.
Well, what should we do now?
Well, you ring down and order breakfast.
No. I don't want to do that.
Well, what do you want to do?
Why don't we play a game?
A game? Oh, come on.
No. You get on to room service at once.
No, really. I--I learned some real good games in camp.
One in particularly was fun.
Well, why don't you describe this one
in particu-Lulu-larly good game?
Well, I played it with Charlie.
Charlie? Who is he?
Charlie? He's that guy you met in the office.
You mean that boy?
Mm-hmm.
You and he?
Yeah.
You sure you can't guess what game I'm talking about?
No. I'm not a very good guesser.
[Whispering]
[Giggling]
I don't know what game you played.
You mean you never played that game
when you were a kid?
No, never.
All rightie, then.
Have you ever kissed the blarney stone?
No. That's something I never did.
Boy, I sure wish I could.
Well, perhaps sometime we can organize a trip.
Mmm.
Hey, let's tell mother.
Tell mother what?
You know what.
No. I don't think that will be very funny.
I wonder what she'd do.
Hmm?
If you don't stop eating those chips,
you won't have any appetite for your lunch.
Hmm.
Ooh, did you see that? A squashed cat.
Boy, that's terrible.
I hate things like that.
Mmm.
You know what I'd like for lunch?
No. Tell me.
A big plate of French fries and a malt.
Oh.
How long until we get to lepingsville?
Well, I'm beginning to think
that perhaps we won't make it this evening.
We got off to rather a slow start, remember?
Mmm. Can we go to a movie tonight?
If that's what you'd like.
Mmm. I would.
Have you ever seen any of those, you know,
those, um, foreign films?
Yes, frequently.
I don't like them.
Oh?
Uh-uh.
Can we please stop at the next gas station?
All right.
You're feeling all right, aren't you?
Mm-hmm. I feel fine.
I want to call mother at that hospital.
What's the number?
Well, don't you know the number?
I think it will be just as well
if you wait until we get to lepingsville.
Why? What difference does it make?
I want to call her.
I don't think it would be a very good idea.
Why can't I call my mother if I want to?
Because you can't.
Why?
Because...
Your mother is dead.
[Giggling]
Come on, now. Cut it out.
Why can't I call her?
Your mother is dead.
[Lolita crying]
Try to stop crying.
Everything's going to be all right.
Nothing will ever be all right.
I'm sure that we're going to be very happy,
you and I.
But everything has changed
all of a sudden.
Everything was so, oh,
I don't know, normal.
Lolita, please. Please stop crying.
W-we'll do things. We'll go places.
But there's no place to go back to.
We'll find a new home.
W-where?
Beardsley. My lectureship starts in September.
Beardsley?
It's--it's in Ohio.
You'll like it there.
I'll hate it.
I know I will.
No, you won't. It's a wonderful place.
But what about all my things
back in ramsdale?
And the house?
We'll take care of all those things.
What things? What things do you want especially?
My record player and my--my records.
Well, we'll send for them, but in the meantime,
I can buy you new ones
to take the place of the old ones.
I'll buy you the best hi-fi set that you ever saw
and all the new records.
Oh, there, there.
We can't stay in beardsley forever.
Where's that handkerchief?
Here.
Promise me something.
Yes. Anything.
Promise you'll never leave me.
I don't want to ever be
in one of those horrible places
for juvenile delinquents.
Whatever makes you think that would happen to you?
I know it would,
and anyway, I'd rather be with you.
You're a lot better than one of those places.
You will promise, won't you?
Yes, I promise.
Cross your heart and hope to die?
Cross my heart and hope to die.
You must now forget ramsdale
and poor Charlotte and poor lolita
and poor Humbert
and accompany us to beardsley college,
where my lectureship in French poetry
is in its second semester.
6 months have passed,
and lolita is attending an excellent school,
where it is my hope she will be persuaded to read
other things than comic books and movie romances.
Why were you so late coming home from school
yesterday afternoon?
Yesterday... What was yesterday?
Yesterday was Thursday.
Oh. Well, um, was I late?
Yes, you were.
You finish school at 3:00. You were not home until 6:00.
That's right. That's right.
Michelle and I watched football practice.
In the frigid queen?
What do you mean, "in the frigid queen"?
I was driving around,
and I thought I saw you through the window.
Oh, yeah.
Well, we stopped there for a malt afterwards.
What difference does it make?
You were sitting at a table with 2 boys.
Yeah. Well, Roy and Rex
just happened to sit down with us.
Roy and Rex?
The co-captains of the football team.
I thought we understood--no dates.
What do you mean, "no dates"?
They just sat down at our table.
I don't want you around them.
They're nasty-minded boys.
You're a fine one to talk about someone else's mind.
Don't avoid the issue. I told you no dates.
It wasn't a date.
It was a date.
It wasn't a date.
It was a date, lolita.
It was not a date.
It was a date.
It wasn't a date.
Whatever it was that you had yesterday afternoon,
I don't want you to have it again.
And while we're on the subject,
how did you come to be so late on Saturday afternoon?
Saturday I went to my piano lesson.
I thought that was on Wednesday.
No. It was changed to Saturday, remember?
Between 2:00 and 4:00, miss Starch, piano?
Well, ask Michelle. She was with me.
"Ask Michelle."
That's what you always say to me.
Well, for a change,
I'm going to ask you something about Michelle.
You can't have her. She belongs to a marine.
I will ignore that idiotic joke.
Why does she give me these searching looks
whenever she comes to the house?
How should I know?
Have you told her anything about us?
No. Have you?
You've told her nothing?
You think I'm crazy?
You spend too much time with that girl.
I don't want you to see her so often.
Oh, come on. She's the only friend
I've got in this stinking world.
You never let me have any fun.
No fun? You have all the fun in the world.
We have fun together, don't we?
Whenever you want something,
I buy it for you automatically.
I take you to concerts, to museums, to movies.
I do all the housework.
Who does the tidying up? I do.
Who does the cooking? I do.
You and I, we have lots of fun,
don't we, lolita?
Come here.
Still love me?
Completely.
You know that.
You know what I want
more than anything else in the world?
No. What do you want?
I want you to be proud of me.
But I am proud of you, lolita.
No. I mean really proud of me.
They want me for the lead in the school play.
Isn't that fantastic?
And I have to have a letter from you
giving your permission.
Who wants you?
Adusa gold, the drama teacher,
Clare Quilty, and Vivian Darkbloom.
And who might they be?
Oh, they're the authors.
They're here to supervise the production.
But you've never acted before.
They say I have a unique and rare talent.
And how do they know that?
We had readings,
and I was chosen over 30 other girls.
That's the first I've heard about it.
I know. I wanted to surprise you.
I suppose Roy has a part in this production?
Roy? What's he got to do with this?
Roy and Rex. Naturally, I suppose they're in it.
How do I know? I only met them yesterday.
Besides, they're football players, not actors.
And you, suddenly, overnight, are an actress?
Well, it's out of the question.
Out of the question?
I don't want you in that atmosphere.
What atmosphere? It's just a school play.
I have told you over and over again,
I don't want you mixing with those boys.
It's just another excuse to make dates with them
and to get together close with them.
You don't love me.
I do love you.
You don't love me.
I do love you, lolita.
You're driving me crazy.
You won't let me do anything.
You just want to keep me locked up in this filthy house.
Lolita, go and wash your face.
I'll go downstairs and start the roast.
Someday, you'll regret this, you'll be sorry you--
I'll go downstairs and start the roast.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
And don't smudge your toenails.
Lo?
[With German accent] Good evening, Dr. Humberts.
Oh. Who are you?
I am Dr. zempf.
Dr. Humbert, I am pleased to meet you.
I am the beardsley high-school psychologist.
Have you been here--
I mean, how did you get in?
Your little daughter opened the door to me
on the way to her piano lesson,
and she said I was to wait in here until your arrival.
And so, here I am.
Sit down. Make yourself at home.
Sit in the dark so as to save you
the expense of electricity.
That is very considerate of you.
It's a great pleasure.
What can I do for you, Dr. zempf?
Dr. Humberts, would you mind if I am putting to you
a blunt question?
No. By all means, do so.
We are wondering, has anybody instructed lolita
in the facts of life?
The facts?
The facts of life.
You see, lolita is a sweet little child,
but the onset of maturity
seems to be giving her a certain amount of trouble.
I really don't think
that this is a fit topic.
Well, Dr. Humberts, to you, she is still the little girl
what is cradled in the arms,
but to those boys over there at beardsley high,
she is a lovely girl, you know?
I m-m-mean, the thing, you know,
the chest, and she has got the curvatures
that take a lot of notice of.
You and I, what are we?
We are the symbols of power sitting in our offices,
we are making the signatures writing the contracts,
and the decisions all the time.
But if we cast our minds back,
just think, what were we only yesterday?
Yesterday, Dr. Humberts,
you and I were little high-school Jim,
and we were carrying
little high-school Jane's schoolbooks.
You remember those days?
In point of fact, Dr. zempf,
I am a lecturer in French literature.
I have not made my point quite clear.
I have some other details
which I would like to put to you, Dr. Humberts.
Here. "She is defiant and rude,
sighs a good deal in the class."
She sighs, makes a sound of, "uhhh."
"Chews gum vehemently,"
all the time is chewing this gum.
"Handles books gracefully"--
this is all right, doesn't really matter.
"Voice is pleasant,
giggles rather often, and is excitable."
She giggles at things.
"A little dreamy. Concentration is poor."
She looks at the book for a while
and then gets fed up with it.
"Has private jokes of her own which no one understands,
"so they can't enjoy them with her,
"she either has exceptional control,
or she has no control at all."
We cannot decide which.
Added to that, just yesterday, Dr. Humberts,
she wrote a most obscene word
with her lipstick, if you please,
on the health pamphlets.
And so, in our opinion,
she is suffering from acute repression of the libido,
of the natural instincts.
I fail to see the significance of all this
as far as her record as a student
is concerned, Dr. zempf.
We Americans, we are progressively modern.
We believe that it is equally important
to prepare the pupils
for the mutually satisfactory mating
and the successful child-rearing.
That is what we believe.
And what do you suggest?
I am suggesting that Dr. cuddler,
who is the district psychologist
with the board of education,
should visit you in the home
with his 3-member board of psychologists.
And once they're in the home,
they can investigate thoroughly
in the home situation with all 4 of them.
Um...
The--the home situation?
So that they can get straight
at the source of the repression.
But she is not being repressed, Dr. zempf.
Do I take it, then,
that you are refusing to cooperate
with Dr. cuddler and these men that he's got?
I'm not refusing anything at all,
but please understand me.
What do you think, then?
I absolutely refuse
to have a quartet of strange psychologists
nosing around my house.
Dr. Humberts, I am afraid that you may have no choice.
Cigarette?
No choice?
No choice.
Keep the pack.
Look, Dr. Humberts,
I don't wish to take this
to a higher level of authority
if I can possibly help against it.
I should hope not.
So, you must help me.
What can I do?
Perhaps--I don't know--
but perhaps there is another approach that we can take,
something new altogether,
something new, some new approach.
What would you say? Would you like that?
Ja! Some new area of adjustment
that lolita could find, perhaps,
by taking the larger share
of the extracurricular school activities.
I have never objected to her
taking part in the extracurric-tular...
School activity.
We have questioned lolita on the home situation,
but she says not one word,
stays with her lips buttoned up.
So we are speaking with the friends of her,
and they're saying things
which I wouldn't repeat to you here,
but there's one thing which has arisen from this
which is quite clear--
that you, Dr. Humberts, should definitely unveto
that girl's nonparticipation in the school play.
All right. Perhaps I was wrong
in the attitude I took about the school play.
That's very big of you to admit that.
And whilst you are admitting that,
why don't you loosen up on the attitudes--
the dating and the dance?
You think that those are equally important?
Dr. Humberts, I'll tell you what I do think.
I feel that you and I should do all in our power
to stop old Dr. cuddler and his quartet of psychologists
from fiddling around in the home situation.
That's what I feel.
Don't you agree with me?
Ja.
Man: I stand before you
a raresome, bucky goat no more.
Tremble not, little nymph.
You see before you a weary goat.
The bewitcher is bewitched.
Look, cimmeranis, look.
Yes, the goat removeth his horns.
Let us take him to the dark kingdom.
Yes.
To the dark kingdom. Away! Away!
Oh, why, good evening, Dr. Humbert.
Miss Starch. Good evening.
Did you enjoy the performance?
Very much. I enjoyed every minute of it.
I wondered if the symbolism
wasn't a bit heavy-handed at times.
Yes, I know what you mean by that,
but the boys and girls were so charming.
Oh, they were, weren't they?
And particularly little lolita.
She was quite perfect.
You must be awfully proud of her.
Her performance took me completely by surprise.
She made me promise not to watch any of the rehearsals.
They're so intense at that age.
She must have worked awfully hard, though.
No wonder you decided to suspend her piano lessons.
After all, there are only so many--
did you say suspend her piano lessons?
Yes. Do you play, Dr. Humbert?
Well, hardly at all now.
Didn't she have a lesson with you last Saturday afternoon?
No.
Nor the preceding Saturday?
No. She called to say she was busy rehearsing.
Busy rehearsing.
As a matter of fact,
she hasn't had a lesson for...
Let me see...4 weeks.
Oh, I do hope I haven't spoken out of turn.
No, not at all. I must have misunderstood.
By the way, Dr. Humbert,
there are so few people in beardsley
who appreciate music.
I was wondering if perhaps you'd like to come around,
and I could play something for you.
Yes, of course, certainly, I will. Excuse me.
Oh.
Oh, hi, dad.
Wasn't it wonderful?
How did you like it?
We're having a party at my house,
but everybody's invited.
I'm afraid I must take lolita home.
What?
Our little starlet has had
enough excitement for one evening.
I wouldn't want you to miss any more piano lessons.
I haven't missed any lessons.
Say good night to your friends.
Come collect your things.
This is the cast party!
Come on. Come on.
This is... The cast party.
Brewster,
go and get some type "a" kodachrome.
Ok.
You're not going upstairs!
Yes, I am!
Let go of me! You're hurting my arm!
You let me go, you jerk!
Sit down!
Now, you're going to answer a few questions.
You've got a big, fat nerve, dragging me away like that!
Stop that silly noise!
Who do you think you are,
not letting me go to my cast party?
I hope the police do come, you creep!
All right, now the doors are shut.
Let's hear how loud you can shout.
Come on. Come on.
Now, perhaps you will tell me...
What were you doing on Saturday
between 2:00 and 4:00 in the afternoon?
I went to my piano lesson.
That's a lie. It is not!
I happen to know you haven't been
to a piano lesson for 4 weeks now.
Oh, yeah? Just ask miss Starch.
I asked miss Starch.
How do you think I know? She told me.
Didn't you see her at the performance?
Yeah.
All right, now tell me--
what have you been doing these afternoons?
You really want to know?
Yes, I do. I really want to know.
All right, I'm going to tell you the real truth
of what I've been doing.
I've been going to extra rehearsals.
Oh, that's the most fatuous lie
you could possibly think up.
Don't tell me any more
because I know exactly what you've been doing.
You've been with this boy,
this leading man of yours, Roy, isn't that so?
You're sick.
Don't throw those silly, silly cliches at me.
No, seriously.
Don't tell me any more.
You've been with this boy, haven't you?
You need help. You're imagining things.
Shut up, lolita! Stop that silly talk!
[Groaning]
Oh, lolita...
Lolita...
Now, if you swear to me that this isn't true,
I promise that I will believe you.
I'm not gonna swear anything to you.
You'll never believe me, no matter what I swear.
I will believe you.
No, you won't. Let's face it.
You're not gonna believe me--
I'll never cross-question you about it again.
No, you'll never believe me.
Why should I swear to you?
All right. I believe you.
It's partly my fault. I realize that.
It's something that's happened
on account of this horrible place,
all these people poking their nose into our business.
I never see you anymore,
what with your soda fountains and your extra--
stop doing that!
But we could leave this place, perhaps.
Yes, there's...
There's nothing to keep us here.
We haven't any obligations here.
We don't owe rent to anybody.
We can just pack up our bags.
Tonight! We could go now.
I could take you for a wonderful trip around the country.
You can't leave here.
Why not?
You've got to work. What about your job?
My job, that doesn't mean anything.
I can always publish articles.
My book's going to be published quite soon.
It's a wonderful idea.
Well, I have to go to school.
What about my education?
Your education? What sort of an education
do you think you're getting here?
You got a much better education
when you were traveling around with me.
Well, look, the play has
2 more performances next week.
Don't start talking about the play to me!
That's what's just come between us.
That's what started this whole row.
Don't you want to get back to where we were
before we came to this horrible place?
Don't you want to come away with me?
No!
I hate you! I hate you!
Lolita!
You'd rather stay with this filthy boy?
Yes! Why don't you leave me alone?
Shut your stupid mouth,
you horrid little psychopath!
Don't tell me what to do! You're a nauseating creep!
You're not going to see these filthy boys anymore.
Oh, yeah? Well, I've got news for you.
I'm going to do anything I want to...
Anytime I want to...
Shut your filthy mouth!
With anybody I want to!
[Knocking on door]
And you can't stop me!
Oh.
Oh, miss Lebone.
Dr. Humbert, may I come in?
W-what can I do for you?
Well, this is a little awkward to say,
but I thought you ought to know.
This noise...I can hear every word next door.
We were having a family row.
The child's voice is very shrill when she gets upset.
Of course. I understand perfectly,
but I happen to have company.
He's a minister of the church...
Oh, a minister.
Well, perhaps you can convey my apologies to him.
We were quarreling about piano lessons.
Oh, hello, dear.
Hello, miss Lebone.
Good night.
What a pretty getup.
She was in the school play tonight.
Oh, yes, of course. The school play.
Dr. Humbert, I do hope you don't think
I'm presuming on our good-neighbor relations,
but I think I ought to tell you
the neighbors are getting a little curious
about you and your little girl.
I can't think why they should do that.
Well, you know how people talk.
Um, I--I must get back to my guest.
Would you care to join us for a little while?
That's very nice of you.
Thank you very much, but I'll take a rain check.
Oh, right. Well, good night.
Good night.
[Dog barking]
All right, come on. We're going home.
Wait a minute.
I forbade you to go to that party, didn't I?
I wasn't going to the party.
Who were you talking to just now?
I tried to call you.
You were speaking to somebody just now on the telephone.
I got a wrong number.
Listen, I've decided something.
Yes?
I want to leave school.
You what?
I don't want you to be mad at me anymore.
Everything's gonna be great from now on.
You mean that?
I hate school, and I hate the play.
I really do. I never want to go back.
That's good.
Let's leave tomorrow.
We can go for a long trip,
and we'll go wherever I want to, won't we?
Yes, my darling.
Are you glad?
Yes, of course, I'm glad.
To hell with the play! See what I mean?
Yes. That's good.
Let's go home. I feel sort of romantic.
The brakes were relined, the water pipes unclogged,
the valves ground.
We had promised beardsley school
that we would be back
as soon as my Hollywood engagement came to an end.
Inventive Humbert was to be, I hinted,
chief consultant in the production of a film
dealing with existentialism,
still a hot thing at the time.
[Trills tongue]
I cannot tell you the exact day
when I first knew with utter certainty
that a strange car was following us.
Queer how I misinterpreted the designation of doom.
Fill her up, please.
I'm cold. I'm gonna get a sweater.
Watch it, please.
You drive so fast, you're gonna get us killed.
What's the big, fat hurry, anyway?
There's been a car following us
which we have been trying to lose.
What?
I haven't seen it for the past quarter of an hour,
and I think we have lost it.
Really?
I didn't want to scare you,
but this car's followed us for the past 3 days.
Yesterday, it was parked outside the motel.
I haven't seen any car. Are you sure?
Yes, I am sure.
I think you're just imagining things.
What did that man ask you in the service station?
What man?
There was a man in the service station--
I saw you while I was in the John.
I didn't see any man-- oh, yes, that man.
He wondered if I had a map. I guess he got lost.
Oh, no. Now, listen, please.
I don't know if you're lying to me.
I don't know if you're insane.
And I don't really care any longer,
but that man was the man who is driving the car
that's been following us.
Oh, that's ridiculous.
I think he's some kind of cop.
Yes. A cop?
The worst thing we can do is let him know we're scared.
Let's just ignore him. And slow down.
Will you kindly tell me what you said exactly,
and what he said to you?
I told you.
Did he ask you where we were going?
All he asked was if I had a map.
Well, I would have thought he'd ask
the man at the station that.
I would have thought he would, too.
Anyhow, I think we've lost him.
[Tire blows out]
I told you not to drive so fast! You almost got us killed!
Leave me alone, can't you?
Don't talk to me that way.
Did you think I wanted to have a blowout?
Look--all the 9s changed to the next--
shh. There it is.
What?
The car.
Don't you recognize it now?
No.
D-don't look there.
I don't want him to think we've seen him.
What's he stopping for?
Maybe he's going to help us.
He can't help us
stopping way back there like that.
He can't be the police because if he were,
they'd draw up beside us and start writing a ticket.
But the police--
shh! I'm trying to think.
Maybe it's a special kind of police
who are just supposed to follow people.
Yeah, like the vice squad. Scatty. Wow!
Be quiet. Stop talking.
We've got to think about this.
What are we going to do?
Am I being quiet enough?
Oh, don't try to be clever, please.
There's a terrific pain in my arm.
Really?
I don't know what I did to it.
Hmm. Well, what are we going to do now?
I'll tell you what I'm going to do.
I'm going to get out of this car,
I'm going to walk down the road
and I'm going to speak to him face-to-face.
"What's all this about? What are you doing?"
I wouldn't do that.
Why not?
It might be dangerous.
[Groaning]
My arm is killing me.
I don't seem to be able...
To breathe properly.
Oh, well, it's probably just gas pains.
Yeah, it must be that.
Maybe you ought to see a doctor in the next town.
No. I'll be all right. It's...
Probably just something I...Ate.
Wait a minute.
I once read in a reader's digest
that this is the way heart attacks start.
Shut up, will you?
Oh, shut up yourself.
I'm sick and tired of hearing about your moans and groans.
If you want to know something,
I feel pretty lousy myself.
[Engine starts]
He's moving.
Big deal.
He's turning around.
He's going away.
Are you feeling cold?
Yeah.
I feel all achy.
I bet I'm getting the asiatic flu.
Here. Let me feel your head.
We make a fine pair, don't we?
Hmm.
You just relax and stretch out on the seat,
if that would make you feel better,
and I will see what I can do
about changing the tire.
Good morning, miss.
Good morning.
[Coughing]
Good morning, Mr. Humbert.
We seem to be going the same way.
I was just about to give your daughter some medicine.
How is she?
Oh, she's much better today.
Her temperature is normal, and her cough is gone.
Here's your father, dear.
Hi.
Hello.
How are you feeling?
I feel fine.
You're looking much better.
Ugh. What gruesome flowers.
Oh?
But thanks, anyway.
Nurse, can you find some water
to put these in, please?
Oh, certainly.
Have you been getting notes here in the hospital?
Excuse me. Does your father think that
you get notes from my boyfriend?
I just thought it might be
a bill from the hospital or something.
Do you have to antagonize everybody?
It was a perfectly reasonable question.
What's the matter with you, anyway?
You look kind of slimy.
I'm afraid I'm coming down with a cold.
Hmm. Caught it from me, huh?
I suppose.
Mr. Humbert, would you please move your car
to the visitors parking lot?
I was in a hurry,
and I didn't feel too bright this morning.
You've parked next to a sign saying "staff only."
All right. I shall be leaving in a moment.
I'm sorry, but these are the hospital rules.
Mary was only trying to be helpful.
I've no doubt she's been just as helpful with you.
She has.
And I shouldn't wonder
if you've been exchanging the crummiest of confessions.
Come on. Let's not start that all up again.
I brought you some books.
My friend, Professor bayer, the romantic poets,
and here's something you might like--
the history of dancing
and portrait of the artist as a young man
by James Joyce, you might like.
Whose are these? These are not yours.
Those are Mary's.
And since when have nurses
worn dark glasses when on duty?
[Sigh]
There we go again.
When did the doctor say that you can leave the hospital?
What?
Are you going to read the magazine
or talk to me for a while?
Sure.
When did the doctor say that you can leave the hospital?
I think he wants me to stay another 48 hours.
We can start early on Tuesday morning,
and we'll make the Mexican border in 3 days.
That'll be the end
of all these mysterious agents following us around.
Mr. Humbert, I must ask you to move your car.
I am just leaving.
Good-bye.
Might catch your cold.
I shall stay in tonight and rest my cold,
so I shan't see you until tomorrow morning.
Bye-bye.
[Telephone rings]
[Ring]
[Coughing]
[Ring]
Hello?
Man: Uh, hello. Is that Professor Humbert?
Yes.
How are you, Professor?
I'm-- who is this, please?
Um, I'm sort of really sorry to disturb you.
I hope I haven't woken you at this terribly late hour.
I was just wondering if you've been enjoying your stay
in our lovely little town here.
Who is this calling?
Oh, my name--it doesn't matter about my name.
It's really an obscure, unremarkable name,
you understand, Professor.
But my department is sort of concerned,
sort of concerned with the bizarre rumors
that have been circulating about you
and that lovely remarkable girl
you've been traveling around with.
Look, I'm very much afraid
you'll have to identify yourself
because this conversation is becoming preposterous.
Professor, tell me something--
I guess all this traveling around you do,
uh, you don't get much time
to see a psychiatrist regularly, is that right?
I have no psychiatrist,
and I don't need a psychiatrist.
I tell you why I ask, you see.
You were classified in our files, Professor.
You're classified in our files as a white, widowed male.
I wonder if you'd be prepared to give our investigator
the reports, Professor, on your current sex life,
if any.
Look, I don't know who you are,
and I have no interest in your investigators.
Therefore, I'm afraid
you'll have to terminate this conversation.
Professor, the phrase, it's freudian lingo--
[coughing]
Can I help you, sir?
My name is Humbert.
I want to pay the bill of miss Haze in room 3.
I'm taking her home.
Have you gotten permission from the doctor, sir?
I can do anything I choose to do.
It has nothing to do with the doctor.
You have to have permission from the doctor.
What is this, a prison or hospital?
I'm afraid you'll have to speak to Dr. keegee.
Calling Dr. keegee.
Dr. keegee, come to reception, please.
I will just go into her room to alert her.
No. You can't go in there.
I'll get her bags ready.
Dr. keegee will be down in just a minute.
Why don't you wait?
Yes, miss fromkiss?
Dr. keegee, Mr. Humbert.
[Coughing]
How long have you had that cough, Mr. Humbert?
I'm perfectly all right.
I simply want to pay the bill
for miss Haze in room 3
and take her away from here.
Haze? Room 3?
Wasn't she discharged earlier this evening?
I'll see.
No. She couldn't have been.
Yes, she was discharged at 8:15 this evening.
Oh, that's impossible.
She was discharged at 8:15.
No, I don't care about that.
Oh, you. Nurse what's-your-name.
She's still in there, isn't she?
Oh, Mr. Humbert,
your daughter left early this evening.
That's ridiculous.
Hey, where do you think you're going?
You can't go in there!
Where is she?
Get your hands off her!
Where is she? Where is--
let go of me! Let go of me!
What do you think you're doing?
Where is she?
Sidney, get a strait jacket.
All right, all right. I'm calm.
Doctor, this man must be psychotic.
His stepdaughter was a patient in there,
and she left this evening in care of her Uncle.
Her Uncle? Did you say Uncle?
Yes. Let me go.
Oh, wait! Don't!
Let me go!
[Struggling]
All right. Hold him down.
You got him?
Yeah.
All right. Let me-- let me--
look, mister, you've caused quite a serious disturbance.
Now, hold it!
If you like, we'll call the police.
The police? No. We don't need the police.
That's quite unnecessary.
All right. Let's get this business straight.
This girl was officially discharged
earlier tonight in the care of her Uncle.
If you say so.
Has she or hasn't she an Uncle?
All right, let's say she has an Uncle.
What do you mean, "let's say she has an Uncle?"
All right, she has an Uncle.
Uncle Gus. Yes, I remember now.
He was going to pick her up here at the hospital.
I forgot that.
Forgot?
Yes, I forgot.
That's a strange thing to forget, isn't it?
You don't know my brother Gus.
He's very easy to forget.
He's drunk. That's what's the matter with him.
Yes. I've been drinking much too much.
I have personal problems, you understand.
Here it is, doctor.
No. It's all right, Sidney.
Would you like some black coffee or something?
No, not now, thank you.
I really ought to move on now.
Think you feel well enough to leave?
Yes. Just let me up. I'm fine now.
Uh-huh. Much better.
See that he gets home all right.
All right, let him up.
She didn't by any chance leave any message for me?
No, I suppose not.
Well.
Gee, what a surprise.
So, this is what
Mrs. Richard t. Schiller looks like.
I'm afraid you'll have to excuse my appearance,
but you've caught me on ironing day.
Oh, but do come in.
But you're looking marvelous.
May I take your coat?
No. I'd rather keep it.
I wrote to you about a week ago.
I was beginning to think you were sore or something.
I must say, I wouldn't blame you if you were.
It's a fine thing,
me dropping out of sight for so long
and then writing you for a handout.
Would you like a cup of coffee?
No, thank you.
Or a drink, maybe?
No.
Ooh, I won't be able to do that in another month.
Is that him? The one facing us?
Yes, that's dick.
He doesn't know a thing about you and me,
so please watch what you say.
You don't expect me to believe that, do you?
Why not? You don't think I'd tell him, do you?
Who does he think that I am?
My stepfather.
Then this isn't the man who took you from the hospital?
No. Of course not.
How long have you known him?
About a year. I met him in Phoenix.
I was working as a waitress.
Who is the man that I'm looking for?
Oh, there's no point in going into that.
It's all over.
Lolita, I have to know.
Well, I'm sorry, but I can't tell you.
Look, lolita,
I have a perfect right to know this.
Oh, criminey! I should never have written to you.
You wouldn't have written to me
if you hadn't needed the money.
Now, if you're a sensible girl,
and if you want what I've come to give you,
you'll tell me what I want to know.
Do you remember Dr. zempf?
That German psychologist
that came to see you at beardsley.
Was it him?
Not exactly.
I didn't come here to play guessing games.
Tell me who it was.
Well, give me a chance to explain.
All right.
Do you remember that car that used to follow us?
I'm not likely to forget that in a hurry.
Remember mother's old flame at the school dance?
No, you probably don't remember.
Do you remember the guy that you talked to
at that hotel on the way back from camp?
He pretended he was part of that police convention
that was there.
Vaguely, yes.
And do you remember that guy who called you at the motel?
The night you disappeared?
Yes, I remember him very well.
And yet you still haven't guessed.
I told you that I'm not playing games with you.
Tell me who it was.
It was Clare Quilty.
Who was Clare Quilty?
All of them, of course.
You mean Dr. zempf, he was Clare Quilty?
Well, congratulations.
I don't suppose it ever occurred to you
that when you moved into our house,
my whole world didn't revolve around you?
I'd had a crush on him ever since the times
that he used to come and visit mother.
He wasn't like you and me.
He wasn't a normal person.
He was a genius.
He had a kind of, um,
beautiful Japanese oriental philosophy of life.
You know that hotel that we stopped at
on the way back from camp?
It was just by accident that he was staying there.
But it didn't take him long to figure out
what was going on between us.
And from that moment on,
he was up to every brilliant trick he could think of.
And he did these all these brilliant tricks
for the sheer fun of tormenting me?
Well, sometimes he had to,
like the German psychologist bit.
He had to trick you into letting me be in his play.
Otherwise, how would I ever get to see him?
So that's why you wanted to be in the play.
That's right.
And all those afternoons
you were supposed to be practicing the piano,
you were actually with this man?
I guess he was the only guy I was ever really crazy about.
Aren't you forgetting something?
Oh, dick.
Dick's very sweet.
We're very happy together,
but I guess it's just not the same thing.
And I?
I suppose I never counted, of course.
You have no right to say that.
After all, the past is the past.
What happened to this oriental-minded genius?
Look, don't make fun of me.
I don't have to tell you a blasted thing.
I am not making fun of you.
I'm merely trying to find out what happened.
When you left the hospital, where did he take you?
To new Mexico.
Whereabouts in new Mexico?
To a dude ranch near Santa Fe.
The only problem with it was
he had such a bunch of weird friends staying there.
What kind of weird friends?
Weird--painters, nudists, writers, weight lifters.
But I figured I could take anything for a couple of weeks
because I loved him and he was on his way to Hollywood
to write one of those spectaculars.
And he promised to get me a studio contract.
But it never turned out that way,
and instead, he wanted me to cooperate with the others,
making some kind of, you know, an art movie.
An art movie?
Yeah.
And you did it?
No, I didn't do it,
and so he kicked me out.
You could have come back to me.
Oh, excuse me, sweetheart. Bill just cut his thumb.
Just a scratch.
Dick, this is my stepfather, Professor Humbert.
Oh, how do you do, Professor?
How do you do?
This is our neighbor bill crest.
Glad to meet you, Professor.
How do you do?
Well, gee, lo's told me so much about you.
Well, I guess we might as well
fix that thumb.
This is a grand surprise, Professor.
When you didn't answer the letter,
we were afraid you were still sore at lo
for having run away from home.
Oh...Yes.
H-how about a beer?
No, thank you.
I bet you're dry after that long drive.
This is some of that foreign beer.
I'm sure you'll like it.
No beer, thank you.
Bandages are upstairs.
Oh, I'm sorry.
That's all right.
Can I get you anything else?
Nothing, thank you.
How are you two getting along?
Just fine.
You'll have to speak up. His phone's on the blink.
[Loudly] One of those for me?
Oh, sure, hon.
Thank you.
I hope you're planning on staying awhile.
You caught us a little unprepared,
but we'll try and make you feel at home.
I shall have to be on my way, I'm afraid.
You can have the bed upstairs.
We sleep down here 'cause lo likes to watch the TV.
He can't stay, dick.
Oh, what a shame. I wish you could.
Why don't you tell him about Alaska?
Yeah. I guess lo explained to you
about going to Alaska in the letter.
It's a marvelous opportunity up there,
an opportunity for a guy like me
to get in on the ground floor.
Well, industry is opening up.
And if we can scrape together enough money
with maybe your help,
well, we can go.
We got a few back debts.
We kind of overextended ourselves.
How are the Farlows?
Oh. John Farlow is quite all right.
It was he who gave me your letter, of course.
She's sure a swell kid, Professor Haze.
She's just nuts about dogs and kids.
And she's going to make a swell mother, too.
Alaska's a great place for kids, you know,
lots of room for them to run around.
Well, it's as good as new.
Well, we'd better get back to work, bill.
I guess you two have a lot to talk about.
Been a pleasure meeting you, Professor.
Thank you.
When you finish, dad--
I hope you don't mind me calling you that--
come on out back, and I'll show you
what I'm making for the kid.
Thank you.
Just holler, sweetheart, if you want me for k.P.
Dick's awfully sweet, isn't he?
Come here.
What's going on? What are you doing?
This may be neither here nor there,
but I've got to say it--
life is very short.
Between here and that old car, it's under 25 paces.
Make them. Now. Right now.
What?
Come away with me now, just as you are.
Oh, you mean you'll give us the money
only if I go to a hotel with you.
No. You've got it all wrong.
I want you to leave your husband and this awful house.
I want you to live with me and die with me
and everything with me.
You must be crazy.
I'm perfectly serious.
I've never been less crazy in all my life.
Let's start afresh.
We can forget everything that has happened.
No. It's too late.
No, it's not too late.
Will you please keep your voice down?
All right, but don't tell me that it's too late.
If you want time to think it over,
that's perfectly all right with me.
I've waited already for 3 years.
I could wait for the rest of my life if necessary.
You're not giving anything up.
There's nothing here to keep you.
This man is married to you,
but that's purely incidental.
It was an accident that you met him in the first place.
You're not bound to him in any way,
as you are bound to me by everything
we've lived through together, you and I.
I'm going to have his baby in 3 months.
I know.
I've ruined too many things in my life.
I can't do that to him. He needs me.
Oh, come on. Now, don't make a scene.
Stop crying.
He could walk in here at any minute.
Will you please stop crying?
There are no strings attached.
It's your money, anyway.
It comes from the rent of the house.
It's $400 in cash.
$400?
I wrote out a check here for $2,500.
$2,500...
There's someone in ramsdale
who's prepared to take care of
the mortgages on the house.
Made a down payment--
10,000.
There's the payment.
You mean we're getting $13,000?
This is wonderful.
Oh, come on. Now, don't cry.
[Sobbing]
I'm sorry.
Try to understand.
I'm really sorry that I cheated so much,
but I guess that's just the way things are.
Hey, where are you going?
Well, listen, let's keep in touch, huh?
I'll write to you when we get to Alaska.
[Clink]
[Strums harp]
Quilty?