It was so bad, it was hilarious. Humbert comes across as a ridiculous oaf, rather than a serious intellectual. James Mason was badly cast in the role.
It is now a cult classic. One you watch in order to laugh and satirize.
My wife had seen it and thought I was interested in Sue Lyon. She wouldn’t watch it with me. Sue Lyon was only 17 at the time and lived up to the billing, no doubt. But trying to recapture the narrative of the book was impossible. The opening scene, where James Mason (Humbert) kills Peter Sellers (Clare Quilty) is amusing.
The Kubrick holds up just fine. And it’s intentionally funny and satirical. Just nothing like that novel.