Pretty baby. USA, 1978.
Director: Louis Malle
Writer: Polly Platt
Cast: Keith Carradine, Brooke Shields, Susan Sarandon
Subjects of interest: prostitution, pedophilia
Synopsis:
Violet, twelve years old, born in a brothel in New Orleans in early twentieth century. The small waiting impatiently for the moment to follow the footsteps of his mother while she flirts with Bellocq, a bohemian photographer who likes to immortalize prostitutes. Following the initiation into prostitution when the madam sells her virginity, Violet stability is shattered when his mother receives a marriage proposal from one of its customers and leaves the girl in the whorehouse.
Comment:
do not know if a film like Little , curiously in his day went rather unnoticed, he could have shot today. 
In any case, not in a major Hollywood studio. First it addresses such a controversial issue such as child prostitution, and unlike other films that deal with sex with minors, as Lolita, not a teen actress used a nearly adult female, but a twelve year old girl that actually has a girl's body and seems to twelve years. But mostly, it speaks of the item without drama and without carrying out a moral. The film introduces us to the atmosphere of the brothel, which hardly leave only at the end of history, to understand that Violet, the baby daughter of a prostitute and that the world knows only that the brothel, sees consumers , the environment and the vocabulary of the brothel with a total everyday. At no time is conscious of being exploited and we can say he looks forward to the day that will be initiated to paid sex with adult men, which will make it a woman equal to all the women you know.
scenes that could be rough, like seeing the girl imitate
lewd gestures and movements of prostitutes and use their vocabulary rude, or auction of the virginity of the girl, which is a kind of initiation ritual or even a holiday for workers in the brothel, the show naturally and without any kind of moralism, also helped by a superb job in photography by the master Sven Nykvist . Nothing is described as monstrous nor is there a desire to amaze or shock. In fact, in the period in which the action, almost a hundred years in the southern United States and many other parts of the world were frequently arranged marriages of children, particularly girls, twelve, thirteen or fourteen . And of course there was not so clearly as now the idea of \u200b\u200bchild abuse. The film does not care about customers Violet among them may be pedophiles, but surely others that attract the curiosity of sleeping with a girl as a simple alternative without seeing in it a great moral transgression: the minds of the time like all the sex is a sin and socially frowned upon, do to a girl not too much worse things.
A film can be criticized for not developing too his main male character, the photographer Bellocq, or explain his relationship with the girl, Violet loves him the way he can be a girl her age. In principle it is not taken seriously until the small, after being abandoned by his mother, he leaves the brothel and welcomed her into her house, it is unknown whether out of compassion or because he feels desire for her. Initiate a curious relationship halfway between the sentimental and the parent-child couples whose ambiguity does not resolve the script. It is the spectator who, as usual in the Louis Malle film, you have to make their own discretion regarding the history and character.
In any case, not in a major Hollywood studio. First it addresses such a controversial issue such as child prostitution, and unlike other films that deal with sex with minors, as Lolita, not a teen actress used a nearly adult female, but a twelve year old girl that actually has a girl's body and seems to twelve years. But mostly, it speaks of the item without drama and without carrying out a moral. The film introduces us to the atmosphere of the brothel, which hardly leave only at the end of history, to understand that Violet, the baby daughter of a prostitute and that the world knows only that the brothel, sees consumers , the environment and the vocabulary of the brothel with a total everyday. At no time is conscious of being exploited and we can say he looks forward to the day that will be initiated to paid sex with adult men, which will make it a woman equal to all the women you know. scenes that could be rough, like seeing the girl imitate
lewd gestures and movements of prostitutes and use their vocabulary rude, or auction of the virginity of the girl, which is a kind of initiation ritual or even a holiday for workers in the brothel, the show naturally and without any kind of moralism, also helped by a superb job in photography by the master Sven Nykvist . Nothing is described as monstrous nor is there a desire to amaze or shock. In fact, in the period in which the action, almost a hundred years in the southern United States and many other parts of the world were frequently arranged marriages of children, particularly girls, twelve, thirteen or fourteen . And of course there was not so clearly as now the idea of \u200b\u200bchild abuse. The film does not care about customers Violet among them may be pedophiles, but surely others that attract the curiosity of sleeping with a girl as a simple alternative without seeing in it a great moral transgression: the minds of the time like all the sex is a sin and socially frowned upon, do to a girl not too much worse things. A film can be criticized for not developing too his main male character, the photographer Bellocq, or explain his relationship with the girl, Violet loves him the way he can be a girl her age. In principle it is not taken seriously until the small, after being abandoned by his mother, he leaves the brothel and welcomed her into her house, it is unknown whether out of compassion or because he feels desire for her. Initiate a curious relationship halfway between the sentimental and the parent-child couples whose ambiguity does not resolve the script. It is the spectator who, as usual in the Louis Malle film, you have to make their own discretion regarding the history and character.
Top Scenes:
- 's virginity is auctioned Violet small to clients of the brothel under the watchful direction of the madam and the presence of all prostitutes of the area, including the mother of the girl. Finally, the highest bidder up to the room with her
Anecdotes:
- The male character is inspired by EJ Bellocq, photographer actual photograph was engaged in settings that prostitutes themselves chose.
- was presented at the 1978 Cannes festival, which won a technical award. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for best original music. About
Louis Malle 
(Thumeries, France, 1932 - Los Angeles 1995) was one of the great innovators of French cinema in the late 50's and early 60's, though always considered outside the movement nouvelle vague. At the time, the amorality of his work and the absence of prosecutions and convictions to characters with free or unorthodox sexual behaviors caused much controversy, especially in titles like lovers or The heart murmur. The controversy, in this case for political reasons, Lacombe Lucien raised moves him to emigrate in the 70 United States, where it rolls and Little Atlantic city. Sexuality in his films is shown as a powerful force, amoral openly displayed or morbidity, with a large normal.
(Thumeries, France, 1932 - Los Angeles 1995) was one of the great innovators of French cinema in the late 50's and early 60's, though always considered outside the movement nouvelle vague. At the time, the amorality of his work and the absence of prosecutions and convictions to characters with free or unorthodox sexual behaviors caused much controversy, especially in titles like lovers or The heart murmur. The controversy, in this case for political reasons, Lacombe Lucien raised moves him to emigrate in the 70 United States, where it rolls and Little Atlantic city. Sexuality in his films is shown as a powerful force, amoral openly displayed or morbidity, with a large normal. Links: IMDB
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