Pretty Baby (1978)

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The year is 1917, during the last months of legal prostitution in New Orleans. Hattie (Susan Sarandon) is a prostitute at the home of Madame Nell. Hattie has just given birth to a boy, and already has a 12-year-old daughter Violet (Brooke Shields). Photographer Ernest Bellocq (Keith Carradine) visits them one day, takes pictures of Hattie and fascinates Violet. Nell arranges for Violet’s virgin... read more

Louis Malle was one of the best French directors that ever lived. At some point, he had the opportunity to expand his career in the US and this movie was therefore his first American production. He definitely took some risks with this project as it was dealing with a very controversial subject, the story of a 12 year old girl living in a brothel at the beginning of the 20th century in the USA and ... read more

1917, the last months of legal prostitution in Storyville - New Orleans' red-light district. Hattie, a prostitute at the elegant home of Madame Nell, and her 12-year-old daughter Violet are the only ones awake with photographer Ernest J. Bellocq comes by with his camera. He takes pictures of Hattie and he fascinates Violet. Over the next few months, Nell arranges for the auction of Violet's virginity, Hattie marries and goes to St. Louis leaving Violet behind, and Violet determines to marry Bellocq. Is this idyllic or is she just a girl wearing rouge, soon to return to childhood?