This is a VERY unusual role for perennial movie tough-guy/vigilante Charles Bronson. He plays an American writer of pornographic novels living in Britain who gets involved with a teenage British girl (Susan George). Her parents are less than thrilled (although personally I'd be too scared to tell Bronson he couldn't date my teenage daughter). But the real trouble comes when he takes her back to America to meet his own judgmental family and where the disparity in their ages starts to take its toll.The American title of this "Lola" may suggest it was inspired by the notorious Vladimir Nabokov novel "Lolita", but the original British title was actually "Twinky", and it was allegedly based on an autobiographical(!) story by screenwriter Norman Thaddeus Vane (who might have been even more sex-crazed than Roman Polanski--at least Polasnski didn't make movies about his affairs with underage girls). The title "Lola" (without the diminutive "ita") is somewhat appropriate though because casting the then 19-year-old Susan George in the role takes away the seriously perverse elements of the story (you'd have to be a sick pervert to NOT be attracted to her). So this becomes more of just an absurd comedy about an older guy trying to carry on an affair with a much younger girl who he is really more of a father figure to.This is probably not a favorite of Bronson fans, but he was such a rigidly typecast actor (kind of like John Wayne) that its nice to see him play a different role (He's miscast, but not nearly as much as Wayne was playing Genghis Khan). Susan George doesn't really have much to do but ride around on a bike in her schoolgirl outfit (but, believe me, that's plenty). Director Richard Donner seems a little embarrassed by this (he took his name off the print I saw), but this is the same guy that made those stupid "Lethal Weapon" movies with that douche-bag Mel Gibson. . . This isn't great, but you just can't go totally wrong with an oddball, off-beat movie like this.

**SPOILERS** Having fallen head over heels for American writer Scott Waldman, Charles Bronson, 16 year-old London school-girl Lola, Susan George,initiates a love affair with the much older man that goes from puppy love to a full-fledged affair to marriage and then finally to the sad realization that their relationship wasn't meant to be; and then have the two go their own separate ways as the movie ends.Charles Bronson in a role that you'd never expect him to be in is both sensitive and touching, which is a Herculean task on his part, as 39 year old writer Scott Wardman. And young and leggy Susan George, who was 18 at the time, is also both touching and delightful as Lola as the two turn heads every were they go in the movie from London to New York City. Scott who's really not at first in love with the very frisky and overbearing Lola falls for her more out of not wanting to hurt Lola feelings then anything else. Scott even leaves his what seems like fiancé Ursla,Sue Llyod,for the young and perky Lola without as much as a second thought. Lola's parents who at first are shocked with her relationship with an older man and writer of "Adult Novels" later give in and give the two their consent to marry. Before you know it the two lovebirds are married in Glasgow Scotland and off to New York City to meet Scott's parents, who are about to get the shock of their lives, and live together as man and wife.In the Big Apple things start to unwind when it becomes obvious that Lola isn't exactly the woman that Scott is willing to spend the rest of his life with. Lola soon also realizes that she's a burden on both Scott's work as a writer and his social life.Partying and attending high school is not exactly the life that Scott, who's very introverted, expected with his wife Lola and he's torn between breaking up and staying with her. Scott fears that a breakup would lead to her killing herself and staying married would have him, as well as Lola, be miserable for the rest of their lives. It's in the end that Lola is the one to end the relationship by leaving Scott a "Dear John" letter on her blackboard, as well as her pet black cat "Mouse" for him to take care of. As she left for London to get back to the life she left when she fell in love with him. Not as bad or corny as you might at first thought "Lola" treats the relationship between the much older Scott and the teeny bop-per Lola much better and honest than you would have expected from that kind of a movie. The movie does it with both sensitively and care not with sleaze and sensationalism. The movie also has, besides Charles Bronson and Susan George, an all star cast that you also wouldn't expect from a low-budget and unknown film like it with Honor Blackman and Michael Craig as well as Paul Ford and Key Medford as Lola's and Scott's parents. There's also the very talented but rarely seen in motion pictures Orsen Bean as Scott's best friend and family lawyer Hal and look for a very young Jill Ireland, who was later to become Mrs. Charles Bronson, as an extra at the airport in the movie.

This is a sensitive upbeat film with a surprise. In many jurisdictions, this film could not be played in the present atmosphere of political correctness. A middle aged writer falls in love with an English schoolgirl - and it actually is love. There is humor throughout to keep it from crashing; more than that, the film creates it's own considerable energy from many points. The surprise is the nature of the inevitable tradgedy that is sure to befall a romance of such spread in ages - but the one you think will be broken most turns out to be the survivor who is most intact. It is a serious comment on the beloved and the imagination. It's a pity if it has not been produced as a video. Bronson is excellently cast and has a chance to show something outside his usual role.

My grandparents were also 16 and 39 when they got married. I could just imagine Grandma acting like Lola--about 14 years BEFORE her wedding day, that is!. To me, Lola acts more like, Macie Ann, my goddaughter's extremely-active two-year-old, than a bride (even a teenage one). To this day, I wonder what the point of this film is--and I don't think it HAS one.