FED: Defending Lolita to the end Jeremy Irons

AAP General News (Australia)
02-17-1999
FED: Defending Lolita to the end Jeremy Irons

EDS: Attention language in fifth last par



By Jo Dougherty, Showbiz Reporter

SYDNEY, Feb 17 AAP - Oscar-winning British actor Jeremy Irons has thrown down the challenge
to opponents of his controversial new film Lolita - see it before you condemn it.

Based on Vladimir Nabokov's 1955 novel, Lolita depicts the sexual relationship between a
middle-aged man and his young, flirtatious stepdaughter.

It was directed by Adrian Lyne, who also made Fatal Attraction, 91/2 Weeks and Indecent
Proposal, and co-stars newcomer Dominique Swain.

Lolita was first filmed by Stanley Kubrick in black and white in 1962 and, as was the case
then, its sensitive subject matter has been the cause of much debate worldwide.

But contrary to popular belief, it has never been banned.

Due for release in Australia on April 15, the Office of Film and Literature Classification
is yet to give this latest version a rating, although it will probably be stamped R18.

Forced to justify the film wherever he goes, Irons says it is a misconception that if
people are encouraged to see it, they have immoral predilections.

"I don't mind defending it but what I'm tired of with Lolita is that one is defending it to
people who haven't seen it," Irons told AAP during a promotional visit to Sydney.

"Lolita has a reputation as a story and a film, and Adrian Lyne has a reputation. I think
they (the critics) feared the worst.

"They feared it was going to be an apologia or a titillating film encouraging that (kind of)
behaviour, if not condoning it.

"They jumped in really before they should have done in many cases and then of course you've
got politicians who will jump on any bandwagon but we ignore that."

Irons, who won the 1990 Academy Award for his role as accused wife murderer Claus von Bulow
in Reversal of Fortune, says paedophilia is a subject that should be talked about.

He also says 14 or 15-year-olds should be able to see it with their parents because it's at
that age when they are faced with the issue.

Sentiments echoed by director Lyne, who last week said he hoped Lolita prompted debate and
led to solutions to the problem.

Irons concedes he thought twice about taking on the role of tortured school teacher Humbert
Humbert but not because of the film's delicate plot.

"I turned it down for a while because I felt I'd played enough oddball characters in my
career and I wanted to play somebody who was more upright, more acceptable," he said.

"But Adrian was so persuasive ... he really felt that he couldn't do it unless I did.

"Eventually he said, 'I think you're turning it down because you're being politically
correct' which sparked it all for me.

"I think the arts, one of its functions, is to work against political correctness, to stir
up shit so to speak.

"I also felt it is one of the greatest novels of the century, it's a very complicated role,
a very good director, what more do I want from a film?"

Lyne baulked at suggestions Lolita promoted sexual abuse of children.

"It's like saying if you make a movie about a murderer or a gangster, you're promoting
gangsterism or murder - it doesn't make a word of sense," he said.

"The idea that you're condoning or endorsing something just because you're making a film
about it is just ridiculous."

AAP jd/sb/pa

KEYWORD: LOLITA (WITH PIX)

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