Lolita (1962) - Quotes

A Mother's Offer of Comfort and Care

Charlotte: My yellow roses. My - daughter....I could offer you a comfortable home, a sunny garden, a congenial atmosphere, my cherry pies.

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Quaint Plumbing and Art Reproductions

Charlotte: [She flushes it to demonstrate] ...The bathroom's back here, right next door. Well, we still have that good old-fashioned quaint plumbing. It should appeal to a European. WOOSH! Ha-ha-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, uh, the collection of reproductions I have in my bedroom. Voila!...Du-fee, and there's my little Van Gock, Monet. Is Mme. Humbert, umm...?

Humbert: There's no Madame. We are divorced... A happy divorce.

Charlotte: When did all this happen?

Humbert: About a year ago, in Paris.

Charlotte: Oh, Paris, France...You know, Monsieur, I really believe that it's only in the romance languages that, uh, one is able to really relate in a mature fashion. In fact, I remember when the late Mr. Haze...yes, he's passed on. But, uh, when we were on our honeymoon abroad, I-I knew that I'd never felt married until I'd had myself addressed as seniora.

Humbert: You're in Spain?

Charlotte: No, Mexico. He was a lovely human being. A man of complete integrity....Those are his ashes. It's very difficult for a woman, an attractive woman alone, you know, ha-ha.

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Cultural Aspirations in West Ramsdale

Charlotte: [sigh] Yeah, this would be your room. It's what you might call a studio - well, you know, a semi-studio affair ... it's 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, uh, we're very progressive - intellectually.

Humbert: That is immediately apparent!

Charlotte: [gesturing] Oh, 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...I am Chairman of the Great Books Committee. As a matter of fact, uh, you know, one of the speakers that I had, um, last season, was, uh, Clare Quilty...The writer, TV, TV play -

Humbert: No, no I wouldn't.

Charlotte: Oh, he's a very stimulating type of man. He gave us a talk on, hmm, uh, Dr. Schweitzer and Doctor Zhivago.

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A Game of Memory and Intrigue

Quilty: [after Humbert ignores his ping pong serve; serves again] Roman ping...You're supposed to say Roman pong! OK, you serve. I don't mind. I don't - I just don't mind. Come on... Roman ping-pong. Kinda tricky serve to handle, eh Captain? Kind of tricky. One of the champs taught me that. I'm not accusing you, Captain, but it's sort of absurd the way people invade this house without even knocking...They use the telephone..

Humbert: You really don't remember me, do you?

Quilty: Have you ever noticed how the ...different champs use their bats? You know, some of em hold it like this and everything.

Humbert: Do you recall a girl called Dolores Haze?

Quilty: I remember the one guy, he didn't have a hand. He had a bat instead of a hand. He's...

Humbert: [Bangs on the table loudly with the paddle] Lolita?!

Quilty: Lo-li-tah. Yeah, yeah. I remember that name, all right. Maybe she made some telephone calls. Who cares?

Quilty: Hey, you're a sort of bad loser, Captain. I never found a guy who pulled a gun on me when he lost a game. Didn't anyone ever tell ya? It's not really who wins, it's how you play, like the champs. Listen, I don't think I want to play anymore. Gee, I'm just dyin for a drink. I'm just dyin to have a drinkie.

Humbert: You're dying anyway, Quilty. Quilty, I want you to concentrate - you're going to die. Try to understand what is happening to you.

Quilty: You are either Australian or a German refugee. This is a gentile's house - you'd better run along.

Humbert: Think of what you did, Quilty, and think of what is happening to you now.

Quilty: Hee-hee-hee...gee, that's a - that's a durl-in little gun you got there. That's a durlin little thing. How much a guy like you want for a-a durlin little gun like that?

Humbert: [thrusts out a note for him] Read this.

Quilty: What's this, the deed to the ranch?

Humbert: It's your death sentence. Read it.

Quilty: I can't read, ah, mister. I never did none of that there book learnin', ya know.

Humbert: Read it, Quilty!

Quilty: Mmm? Because you took advantage of a sinner. Because you took advantage...Because you took...Because you took advantage of my disadvantage. Gee, that's a dad-blasted durn good poem you done there. When I stood Adam-Naked... Oh! Adam-Naked, you should be ashamed of yourself, Captain. ...before a Federal Law and all its stinging stars. Tarnation, you old horned toad, that's a mighty pretty...that's a pretty poem. Because you took advantage - Gee, 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 lads...

Humbert: [he snatches the note back] That's enough!

Quilty: [laughs] Say, what you take it away for, mister? That was getting kind of smutty there!

Humbert: Do you have any last words?

Quilty: Listen, Mac. You're drunk, and I'm a sick man. This pistol-packing farce is becoming a sort of nuisance.

Humbert: Do you want to die standing up or sitting down?

Quilty: I wanna die like a champion.

Quilty: [He turns to the piano; He begins playing Chopin's Grand Polonaise; Singing; runs from the room] 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've got fifty-two 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, why, why don't you let me play you a little thing I-I wrote last week? 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. Do you think that'll make the hit parade? Uh, the moon was blue, and so are you and I tonight...she's mine...yours...she's...she's yours tonight...and...and...

Quilty: Gee! Gee, that hurt me, that... You really hurt me. Listen, if you're tryin to scare me, you did a pretty swell job all right. My leg'll be black and blue tomorrow. You know, this house is roomy and cool. You see how cool it is. I intend moving to England or Florence forever. You can move in. I've got some nice friends, you know, 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 up for you to attend executions, how would you like that? Just you there, nobody else, just watching. Watch! You like watching, Captain? No, cause, not many people know that the, ha-ha, that the chair is painted yellow. You'd be the only guy in the know.

Quilty: That hurts!

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Identity Confusion in a Tense Encounter

Humbert: Quilty, Quilty.

Quilty: Wha? Wha? What's that?

Humbert: Are you Quilty?

Quilty: No, I'm Spartacus. Have you come to free the slaves or somethin'?

Humbert: Are you Quilty?

Quilty: Yeah, I am Quilty. Yes, sure.

Humbert: Shall we have a little chat before we start?

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Conversations Around a Troubling Relationship

Jean Farlow: [about Charlotte] She was a wonderful person, Humbert. She was always so gay, wasn't she, John?

Jean Farlow: [to Humbert] Try to think of your poor little Lolita, all alone in the world. You must live for her sake.

Miss Lebone: [to Humbert] Well I think I ought to tell you that the neighbors are beginning to get a little curious about you and your little girl...You know how people talk.

Clare Quilty: [on the phone] Hello. Is this Professor Humbert?...How are you Professor?...I was just wondering if you've been enjoying your stay in our lovely little town...It doesn't matter what my name is. It's really obscure - an unremarkable name....my department, you see, is sorta concerned with the bizarre rumors that have been circulating about you and that lovely, remarkable girl you've been traveling around with...with all this traveling around you do, you don't get much time to see a psychiatrist regularly, is that right?...You are classified in our files, professor, you are classified in our files as a white widowed male. I wonder if you'd be prepared to give our investigator a report, Professor, on your, uh, current sex life, if any...!

Dick Schiller: An opportunity for a guy like me to get in on the ground floor where industry's opening up. And if we can scrape together enough money with, with maybe your help, well, we can go. We got a few back debts. We kinda over-extended ourselves. She's sure a swell kid, Professor Haze. She sure is, she's just nuts about dogs and kids. She's gonna make a swell mother too.

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A Plea for a New Approach

Dr. Zempf: Look, Dr. Hombards, I don't wish to take this to a higher level of authority if I can possibly help it - you understand?...So you must help me...Perhaps, I don't know, but perhaps dere is anoder approach dat we can take - something new altogether. Something new. Some new approach. Vat would you say? Do you like that? Some? Yah! Some new era of adjustment zat Lolita could find perhaps partake in the larger share of the extra-curricular school activities...You, Dr. Hombard, zhould devinitely unveto that girl's non-partizipazion in the school play!

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Modern Views on Education and Child Rearing

Dr. Zempf: Vee Amerikans, vee are progressive and modern. Vee believe that it is equally important to prepare the pupils for the mutually satisfactory mating and the successful child rearing - that is vhat we believe...I am suggesting that Dr. Cutler, who is the district psychologist vith the board of education should visit you in the home mit his three-member board of psychologists. And vonce they're in the home, they can investigate thoroughly in the home situation, with all four of them...So they can get straight at the sourze of the repression...I'm afraid that, uh, you may have no choice. Cigarette?

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Character Analysis of Defiance and Repression

Dr. Zempf: Dr. Hombards - here, she is defiant...she sighs a gud deal in the class. She sighs, makes the zounds of uh-UHHHH! Chews gum vehemently, alls the time is chewing dis gum, handles books gracefully, that's all right, doesn't really matter. Voice is pleasant. Giggles rathzer often and iz excitable. She giggles at things. A little dreamy. Conzentration is poor. She-she looks at a book for a while and then getza fed up with it. Has private jokes of her own which noone understands so they can't enjoy them mit her. She either has exceptional control or she has no control at all. We cannot decide which. Added to that - just yesterday, uh, Dr. Hombards, wrote a most obscene vord with her lipstick, if you please, on the health pamphlets. And so, in our opinion, she's suffering from acute repression of the libido of zee natural instincts.

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Questioning Lolita's Guidance and Maturity

Dr. Zempf: Dr. Hombards, would you mind if I am putting to you a blunt qvestion?...We are vundering if anybody instructed Lolita in the vacts of life?...You zee, Lolita is a sweet little child, but the onset of maturity seems to be giving her a certain amount of trouble...Dr. Hombards, to you she's still za liddle girl what is cradled in zee arms. But to dose boys over dare at Beardsley High she is a lovely girl, you know, mit mit mit mit mit de sving, you know, und zat jazz. She has got a curvature zat zat they take a lot of notice of. You and I - vat are we? Vee are the symbols of power sitting in our offices there. We are making za signatures, writing za contracts, the decisions all za time. What if we cast our minds back? Just zink, what were we only yesterday?...I have some other details which I should like to put to you.

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A Plea for Forgiveness and Understanding

Charlotte Haze: [to her husband Harold's ashes] Harold, look what happened! I was disloyal to you. I couldn't help it, though. Seven 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, I promise you that I'll know better next time. Next time, it's gonna be somebody you'll be very proud of.

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Rejection of Manipulation and Control

Charlotte Haze: [to Humbert, after reading his journal] The Haze woman...the cow...the obnoxious Mama...the brainless baba...Well, the stupid Haze is no longer your dupe....You're a monster. You're a disgusting, despicable, loathsome...fraud. Get out of my way...I'm leaving here today. You can have all of it. But you are never gonna see that miserable brat again!

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A Confession of Love and Dismissal

Charlotte Haze: [in a note to Humbert] 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 the 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 on like this, the fact of your remaining would only mean one thing. That you ... (He begins to hysterically and uncontrollably burst out laughing with a fiendish sound), that you want me as much as I do you, as a life-long mate. And you are ready to link up your life with mine forever and ever and be a father to my little girl. Goodbye, dear one, pray for me, if you've ever prayed.

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Charlotte's Warning to Respect Boundaries

Charlotte Haze: [to Lolita] I forbid you to disturb Professor Humbert again. He is a writer and he is not to be disturbed!

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Mother's Frustration with Her Daughter

Charlotte Haze: [to Humbert] That miserable little brat. She is becoming impossible. Simply impossible. The idea! The idea of her sneaking back here and spying on us...She's always been a spiteful little pest, since the age of one. Do you know, she kept throwing her toys, 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, 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 I'm just a foolish, romantic American girl?

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Understanding Adolescent Curiosity About Relationships

Charlotte Haze: [to Humbert, about Lolita] It's only natural and healthy that she should take an interest in those fascinating creatures known as the opposite sex.

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A Cozy Dinner Invitation

Charlotte Haze: [to Humbert] We can go home now and have a cozy little dinner partout, huh?

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Seeking Peace and Quiet

Charlotte Haze: [to Humbert] Oh M'sieur, if what you're needing is peace and quiet, I can assure you you couldn't get more peace anywhere, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha.

Excusing Appearance on an Ironing Day

Dolores Lolita Haze: [to Humbert] I'm afraid you'll have to excuse my appearance, but you caught me on ironing day. Do come in. Gee, you're looking marvelous...I wrote to you about a week ago. I was beginning to think maybe 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.

A Letter of Struggle and Desperation

Dolores Lolita Haze: [in a letter to Humbert] Dear Dad, How's everything? I have gone through much sadness and hardship. I'm married. I'm going to have a baby. I'm going nuts because we don't have enough to pay our debts and get out of here. Please send us a check.

Desire for Freedom and Change

Dolores Lolita Haze: [to Humbert] Listen, I've decided something...I want to leave school...I don't want you to be mad at me anymore. Everything's gonna be great from now on...I hate school and I hate the play. I really do. I never want to go back...Let's leave tomorrow. We can go for a long trip and we'll go wherever I want to, won't we?

Desire for Freedom and Independence

Dolores Lolita Haze: [to Humbert] Let go of me! You're hurting my arm! You let me go, you jerk! Let go of me!...You've got a big fat nerve dragging me away like that!...Who the heck do you think you are - not letting me go to my cast party? I wish the police do come in here. You creep!

Fear of Idea Theft in Hollywood

Dolores Lolita Haze: [to Humbert, about his locked journal] Fraid somebody's gonna steal your ideas and sell em to Hollywood, huh?

A Journey Marked by Uncertainty and Paranoia

Professor Humbert Humbert: [voiceover] The brakes were relined, the waterpipes 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. 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.

Evening Reflections on Excitement and Lessons

Professor Humbert Humbert: [to Lolita] Our little starlet has had enough excitement for one evening...I wouldn't want you to miss any more piano lessons! You know what I'm talking about!

A New Chapter in Lolita's Education

Professor Humbert Humbert: [voiceover] You must now forget Ramsdale and push our lot and poor Lolita and poor Humbert, and accompany us to Beardsley College where my lectureship in French poetry is in its second semester. Six months have passed and Lolita is attending an excellent school where it is my hope that she will be persuaded to read other things than comic books and movie romances.

Unexpected News of an Accident

Professor Humbert Humbert: Charlotte, there's a man on the line who says that you've been hit by a car.

Struggles of Desire and Restraint

Professor Humbert Humbert: [voiceover] 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 d'ya 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.

The Dynamics of Power in Relationships

Professor Humbert Humbert: [to Charlotte] Even in the most harmonious households 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 one afternoon sun-bathing by the lake, I was glad to become the bronze, glamor boy for your sake, instead of remaining the scholar. Even then, I'd scoot along after you like an obliging little lap dog—oh yes, I'm happy, I'm delighted to be bossed by you, but—every game has its rules.

Conflicted Emotions of a Dubious Love

Professor Humbert Humbert: [voiceover] 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.

The Dual Nature of Desire and Madness

Professor Humbert Humbert: [voiceover; [w:Nubile#Nymphet|nymphet] What drives me insane is the twofold nature of this ], a veteran 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.

A Summer in Ramsdale: New Beginnings

Professor Humbert Humbert: [voiceover; [w:New Hampshire|New Hampshire] Having recently arrived in America where so many Europeans have found a haven before, I decided to spend a peaceful summer in the attractive resort town of Ramsdale, ]. Some English translations I have made of French poetry had enjoyed some success, and I had been appointed to a lectureship at Beardsley College in the fall. Friends had given me several addresses in Ramsdale where lodgings were available for the summer.