Pretty — Baby 1978 Film

The film’s most infamous plot point is the auction of Violet’s virginity. After her mother marries a client and leaves for St. Louis—promising to return for her daughter—Madame Nell decides Violet is ready to “work”. In a grotesque and memorable scene, a barely-clad Violet is paraded around on a velvet platform as men bid for the right to deflower her. Fleeing the brothel, Violet soon seeks refuge with Bellocq, who takes her in and begins a sexual relationship with her. After a period of domestic strife and as social reformers begin to shutter Storyville’s brothels, Bellocq proposes marriage to Violet. After a brief celebration, Hattie returns with her new husband to reclaim her daughter, arguing that Violet's marriage is illegal without parental consent. The film ends ambiguously, with a stunned Violet forced to choose between her new husband and her mother.

The legacy of the is inseparable from the career of Brooke Shields. It launched her as a controversial icon, leading to her infamous Calvin Klein jeans ads ("Nothing comes between me and my Calvins") and films like The Blue Lagoon (1980) and Endless Love (1981). pretty baby 1978 film

: Due to its depiction of child prostitution and Brooke Shields' age (12) during filming, it was banned in several locations The film’s most infamous plot point is the

The film faced immediate legal hurdles. It was banned in several countries, including Canada and parts of Australia, and faced fierce opposition from censorship boards in the United States. In a grotesque and memorable scene, a barely-clad