Kubrick's Lolita:
Renssalaer, New York, Partition Street Location in Shot 467
Kubrick's Lolita:
Go to TOC for this film ( (which has also a statement on purpose and manner of analysis and a disclaimer as to caveat emptor and my knowing anything authoritatively, which I do not, but I do try to not know earnestly, with some discretion, and considerable thought).
Toward the end of Lolita, Humbert hears from Lo, and sets out on a drive to see her in person, also hoping to have revenge on the individual who he believes spirited her away from him.
Part of the drive to the Schiller household takes us, in shot 467, to about 35 Partition Street in Rensselaer, New York, looking back over the Hudson River to the SUNY administration building in Albany. The SUNY administration building used to be the Delaware and Hudson Railroad building.
The second image above is how the location looks in the present. The location is easily identified by the first building on the left which is the Fort Cralo, Post 471, American Legion building which is located at 20 Partition Street. It is also the first building to the left in the shot from the film and as you can see the two story house beside it still stands.
Yes, knowing from IMDB that there had been shooting in Albany, New York, believing that probably involved this bridge shot, I had to go up and down looking for the right street in Rensselaer and the correct place on that street. I felt really lucky to find the American Legion building still there.
There is no longer a white picket fence separating the American Legion building from the house next door, but I wonder if the white picket fence was added for sake of the movie, as there are a number of shots showing white picket fences, all which would take us back to the white picket fence at the Haze household. In the movie the American legion building and the house next to it appear to be more separated than they actually are, for only about a foot of space stands between them. Of course, there could have been a fence there originally but it’d seem a waste of money and wood as there was no yard there at all.
Why Partition Street? How did location scouts find their way over here, to this American Legion Post?
March 2016 excerpted portion from analysis. Approx 500 words or 1 single-spaced pages. A 4 minute read at 130 wpm.
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