Pretty Baby - 1978 - Starring Brooke Shields - ... !free! -

Pretty Baby (1978), directed by Louis Malle in his American film debut, is a controversial historical drama set in 1917 New Orleans that explores the life of Violet, a child growing up in a brothel. Featuring Brooke Shields and Keith Carradine, the film is noted for its lush cinematography by Sven Nykvist and its examination of themes surrounding child prostitution. For more details, visit TCM .

The film ends with the U.S. Navy shutting down Storyville. Bellocq, unable to reconcile his feelings, gives Violet money for a train. She boards it, clutching a doll—a jarring reminder that for all her worldliness, she is still a child. Pretty Baby - 1978 - Starring Brooke Shields - ...

When Hattie marries a wealthy client and abandons New Orleans, Violet, in a calculated act of childish rebellion and survival, arranges for Madame Nell to sell her virginity to the highest bidder. After a grim, sterile deflowering, she becomes the house’s newest "star," eventually moving into Bellocq’s home in a strange, chaste arrangement that blurs the lines between father figure, lover, and artistic muse. Pretty Baby (1978), directed by Louis Malle in

At the heart of the film is as Violet, a young girl born and raised in the brothel who views the profession not as a tragedy, but as her inevitable birthright. The film ends with the U

: The production of the film has often been cited in discussions regarding the protection of child actors and the responsibilities of the industry.