Pretty Baby

1978
R
1h 50m

IMDb RATING

6.5/10

13K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

Play trailer2:27

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.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.5/10

13K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

561

2,131

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 2 wins & 6 nominations total

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The screenplay was based on the first-hand recollections of the operations of New Orleans' "Red Light" prostitution district published in the book "Storyville, New Orleans: Being an Authentic, Illustrated Account of the Notorious Red Light District" by Al Rose. The book contains many of photos of New Orleans prostitutes taken by E.J. Bellocq, the character played by Keith Carradine in the movie.

Goofs
In one scene, Violet holds a plastic doll as opposed to a composite one. Plastic dolls weren't available until the late 1940s.

Quotes
Bellocq: Her father unknown, and her mother deserted the child.
Violet: My mother's name was Hildegarde. Hildegarde Marr. M-A-R-R.
Priest: And she was Caucasian, or other?
Violet: She was a whore, Father.

Crazy credits
The closing credits include a card that states, "With our gratitude for the priceless music of FERDINAND "JELLY ROLL" MORTON."

Alternate versions
Against 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.

Connections
Edited into Chop Suey (2001)

Soundtracks
Tiger Rag
(uncredited)
Written by Edwin B. Edwards, Nick LaRocca, Tony Sbarbaro, Henry Ragas and Larry Shields
Performed by Antonio Fargas

I really liked this film for what it is. I also think that it is undoubtedly the most eye-opening film I ever saw in terms of the reality of the daily life of some people. Violet grew up in this house full of prostitutes, without a childhood, never knowing how to behave as a child. She grew up knowing how to behave in order to promote business in their 'house'. The deflowering ritual that Violet had to undergo would have scared me senseless, and it is pitifully sad to think that she looked forward to it, only because then the other women in the house would really take her seriously. The fact of the matter is, this is a true story and people should watch it, even if only to realise how grateful we should be for not living in times like that, for growing up in times where we are actually given a choice.