A preteen girl lives as a prostitute in New Orleans in 1917.A preteen girl lives as a prostitute in New Orleans in 1917.A preteen girl lives as a prostitute in New Orleans in 1917.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 2 wins & 6 nominations total
Pat Pierre Perkins
- Ola Mae
- (as Pat Perkins)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaYears after Brooke Shields starred in the film, she studied French Literature at Princeton University. Her 1987 senior thesis, written during her final year, was entitled "The Initiation: From Innocence to Experience: The Pre-Adolescent/Adolescent Journey in the Films of Louis Malle, Pretty Baby (1978) and Lacombe, Lucien (1974)," meaning she wrote about a film in which she starred.
- GoofsIn one scene, Violet holds a plastic doll as opposed to a composite one. Plastic dolls weren't available until the late 1940s.
- Crazy creditsThe closing credits include a card that states, "With our gratitude for the priceless music of FERDINAND "JELLY ROLL" MORTON."
- Alternate versionsAgainst his own wishes UK censor James Ferman was forced to make minor edits to the original cinema version under the 1978 Protection of Children Act, and pubic hair was optically airbrushed onto a scene where Brooke Shields is sitting with her legs slightly spread so that 'the actual cleft was not visible'. A further cut was also made to remove a very brief shot of her standing up in a bath. The edits were fully waived for the 1987 video release.
- ConnectionsEdited into Chop Suey (2001)
- SoundtracksTiger Rag
(uncredited)
Written by Edwin B. Edwards, Nick LaRocca, Tony Sbarbaro, Henry Ragas and Larry Shields
Performed by Antonio Fargas
Featured review
Very pretty and very solid
At the time of its release, PRETTY BABY attracted a lot of controversy for its subject matter and matter-of-fact nudity of pre-teen Brook Shields (Violet).
Now it would probably not get made at all -- which is a shame, because it's a solidly written and directed drama.
The late Louis Malle, who also directed the amazing BLACK MOON, approaches the subject of child prostitution without judgement or moralizing.
The film's effectiveness comes from a script that does not burden any of its characters with explanatory dialog. Most of the dialog heard is of the incidental kind. Characters do not pause to explain situations or pontificate. Malle captures glances, body language, reflections and uses the non-verbal to tell his very human story of a New Orleans cathouse.
Susan Sarandon, as Violet's prostitute mother, turns in a fine performance as a woman in denial of her reality. Keith Carradine, who plays a photographer who falls in love with Violet, delivers a perfectly tuned performance with little more than than a dozen lines of dialogue. Also worth nothing is the beautiful performance of Francis Faye as Nell, the cathouse madam. She brings a sharp gift for irony to her role.
Brooke is very, very good, too, and this was the performance of her career.
Now it would probably not get made at all -- which is a shame, because it's a solidly written and directed drama.
The late Louis Malle, who also directed the amazing BLACK MOON, approaches the subject of child prostitution without judgement or moralizing.
The film's effectiveness comes from a script that does not burden any of its characters with explanatory dialog. Most of the dialog heard is of the incidental kind. Characters do not pause to explain situations or pontificate. Malle captures glances, body language, reflections and uses the non-verbal to tell his very human story of a New Orleans cathouse.
Susan Sarandon, as Violet's prostitute mother, turns in a fine performance as a woman in denial of her reality. Keith Carradine, who plays a photographer who falls in love with Violet, delivers a perfectly tuned performance with little more than than a dozen lines of dialogue. Also worth nothing is the beautiful performance of Francis Faye as Nell, the cathouse madam. She brings a sharp gift for irony to her role.
Brooke is very, very good, too, and this was the performance of her career.
helpful•7120
- fertilecelluloid
- Jan 18, 2004
Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $5,786,368
- Gross worldwide
- $5,786,368
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