| Actor | Role | Description | |--------|------|-------------| | | Violet | A 12-year-old girl navigating the only world she knows—a brothel. | | Keith Carradine | E.J. Bellocq | A real-life photographer, reimagined as a gentle, socially awkward artist who marries Violet. | | Susan Sarandon | Hattie | Violet’s mother, a beautiful but detached prostitute who longs for respectability. | | Frances Faye | Madame Nell | The sharp-tongued, pragmatic owner of the brothel. |
: The movie's themes led to various ratings and restrictions internationally, reflecting the different cultural perspectives on the subject matter at the time.
How Brooke Shields views the film today in her Share public link Pretty Baby - 1978 - Starring Brooke Shields - ...
Set during the final weeks of legal prostitution in Storyville, the film follows Violet (Brooke Shields), a 12-year-old girl born and raised inside a high-class brothel managed by Madame Nell (Frances Faye). Violet’s world is one where sexuality is a trade and childhood is a brief, transactional period. Her mother, Hattie (Susan Sarandon), is a prostitute who eventually leaves the brothel for a "respectable" marriage, leaving Violet behind.
Information regarding viewer reviews and ratings can be found on websites such as Rotten Tomatoes or IMDb. | | Susan Sarandon | Hattie | Violet’s
The film's plot is deceptively simple, yet profoundly disturbing. Set against the backdrop of a beautifully decaying, elegant brothel, it follows Violet (Brooke Shields), a beautiful, solemn 12-year-old girl. She lives with her mother, Hattie (Susan Sarandon), a prostitute in the house, and observes the day-to-day life of the brothel with a child's detached curiosity.
The film was a landmark project for many involved. It marked Louis Malle's first American feature film, following his acclaimed French works. To ensure a sensitive handling of the material, Malle hired production designer Polly Platt to write the screenplay, based on a story by Platt and Malle himself. Platt was reportedly inspired by Lee Friedlander's book of E.J. Bellocq's Storyville portraits. The film was gorgeously photographed by legendary Swedish cinematographer Sven Nykvist, best known for his long collaboration with Ingmar Bergman. How Brooke Shields views the film today in
: Sarandon portrays Violet’s mother, a woman seeking a path out of her current life while raising her daughter in a difficult setting. Keith Carradine