Review of Pretty Baby (1978) by Deanomite — 23 Jan 2020
As a fan of Louis Malle (Dinner with Andre) and Keith Carradine (The Duellists is my all time favorite movie), this movie is interesting. Set entirely in a brothel in New Orleans in 1917, it is designed to be from the perspective of a young innocent girl-Brooke Shields, who did an amazing job creating a very complicated character.
The plot is her mother-Susan Sarandon (topless and nice) auctions her daughter's virginity. That it could be portrayed as anything but disturbing is a testament to the time the movie was made. The child simply knows of no other life, is entirely unaware of any options and so is optimistic about the world she knows.
There is something arresting about this movie, the corruption of innocence through capitalism, it is definitely told through the child's perspective. Honestly I cannot imagine how this movie got made at all, much less with all the big name talent involved.
This review of Pretty Baby (1978) was written by Deanomite on 23 Jan 2020.
Pretty Baby has generally received positive reviews.
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