Lolita Page #9

They want me for the lead

in the school play.

Isn't that fantastic?

I have to have a letter from you,

giving your permission.

Who wants you?

Well, Edusa Gold, the drama teacher,

Clare Quilty and Vivian Darkbloom.

And who might they be?

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.

And I suppose that 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. It's out of the question.

- Out of the question!

- I don't want you in that atmosphere.

What atmosphere? It's a school play!

I've told you, I don't want you mixing

with those boys.

It's just another excuse to make dates

with them, and to get 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

with you in this filthy house.

Now, dear, go and wash your face.

I'll go downstairs and start the roast.

Someday you'll regret this.

- I'll go downstairs and start the roast.

- You'll be sorry you won't...

And don't smudge your toenails.

Lo?

Good evening, Dr. Humbert.

Who are you?

I am Dr. Zemph.

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.

So here I am.

Sit down. Make yourself at home.

I sat in the dark so as to save you

the expense of the electricity.

That was very considerate of you.

A great pleasure.

What can I do for you, Dr. Zemph?

Dr. Humbert, would you mind

if I am putting to you the 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. Humbert, to you she is still

the little girl that is cradled in the arms...

...but to those boys over there

at the Beardsley High...

She is a lovely girl, you know...

...with the swing, you know, and the jazz...

...and she has got the curvatures

which they take a lot of notice of.

You and I, what are we?

We are symbols of power,

sitting in our offices.

We are making the signatures,

writing the contracts...

...and decisions all the time.

But if we cast our minds back...

Just think, what were we only yesterday?

Yesterday, Dr. Humbert...

...you and I were little High School Jim...

...and we were carrying

High School Jane's schoolbooks.

You remember those days?

In point of fact, Dr. Zemph,

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. Humbert.

"She is defiant and rude.

Sighs a good deal in the class. "

She sighs, makes the sound of...

"Chews gum vehemently. "

All the time she is chewing this gum.

"Handles books gracefully. "

That 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 she 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. Humbert...

...she wrote a most obscene word

with the lipstick, if you please...

...on the health pamphlet.

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. Zemph.

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.

What do you suggest?

I am suggesting...

...that Dr. Cudler, who is the district

psychologist to the Board of Education...

...should visit you in the home with

his three member board of psychologists...

...and once they are in the home

they can investigate thoroughly...

...in the home situation,

with all four of them.

The home situation?

So that they can get straight

at the source of the repression.

But she's not being repressed, Dr. Zemph.

Do I take it then that

you are refusing to cooperate...

...with Dr. Cudler and his men?

I am not refusing anything at all,

but please understand me.

- No, I don't want to...

- What? What are you saying then?

I absolutely refuse...

...to have a quartet

of strange psychologists...

...nosing around my house.

Dr. Humbert...

...I'm afraid that...

...you may have no choice.

Cigarette?

No choice?

No choice.

Keep the pack.

Look, Dr. Humbert...

...I don't wish to take this

to a higher level of authority...

...if I can possibly help it. Understand?

- I should hope not.

So you must help me.

What can I do?

I don't know, but perhaps there is

another approach that we can take...

...something new altogether,

some new approach. What would you say?

Would you like that?

Some new area of adjustment

that Lolita could find...

...perhaps by taking a larger share

of the extracurricular school activities?

I have never objected to her taking part

in the extracurricular...

- School activities.

- Pardon me.

You see, we have questioned Lolita

on the home situation...

...but she says not a word,

stays with her lips buttoned up.

So we are speaking with her friends,

and they are saying things...

...which I wouldn't repeat to you here.

But there is one thing which has arisen

from this which is quite clear:

That you, Dr. Humbert,

should definitely un-veto that girl's...

...nonparticipation in the school play.

Perhaps I was wrong in the attitude

that I took about the school play.

That's very big of you to admit that.

While you're at it...

...why don't you also loosen up

a bit more on the other two D's...

...the "dating" and the "dance"?

Do you think that those are

equally important?

Dr. Humbert, I tell you what I do think.

I feel that you and I should do all

in our power to stop that old Dr. Cudler...

...and his quartet of psychologists

from fiddling around...

...in the home situation. That's what I feel.

Don't you agree with me?

I stand before you,

Rate this script:4.5 / 2 votes