Pretty Baby (1978)

Director:

Louis Malle

Writers:

Polly Platt (story)
Polly Platt (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

5 April 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

In 1917, in the red-light district of New Orleans, they called her "Pretty Baby"

Plot:

A teenage girl lives as a prostitute in the early decades of America, only to know her body is for bounty.

Plot Keywords:

Prostitution | Auction | Prostitute | Photographer | Virginity

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Brooke Shields	...	Violet
Keith Carradine	...	Bellocq
Susan Sarandon	...	Hattie
Frances Faye	...	Nell
Antonio Fargas	...	Professor
Matthew Anton	...	Red Top
Diana Scarwid	...	Frieda
Barbara Steele	...	Josephine
Seret Scott	...	Flora
Cheryl Markowitz	...	Gussie
Susan Manskey	...	Fanny
Laura Zimmerman	...	Agnes
Miz Mary	...	Odette
Gerrit Graham	...	Highpockets
Mae Mercer	...	Mama Mosebery
Don Hood	...	Alfred Fuller
Pat Perkins	...	Ola Mae
Von Eric Thomas	...	Nonny
Sasha Holliday	...	Justine
Lisa Shames	...	Antonia
Henry Braden	...	Harry
Patrick M. Burke	...	Fanny's Customer
C.C. Courtney	...	Naval Officer
Joe Catalanotto	...	Hattie's Customer
Philip H. Sizeler	...	Senator
Don Lutenbacher	...	Violet's First Customer
Hobe May	...	Farmer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stocker Fontelieu	...	Brothel Patron (uncredited)
Bill Holliday	...	Gussie's client (uncredited)

Directed by
Louis Malle

Writing credits
Polly Platt		(story)
Polly Platt		(screenplay)
Louis Malle		story

Produced by
Louis Malle	....	producer
Polly Platt	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Gerald Wexler

Cinematography by
Sven Nykvist

Film Editing by
Suzanne Fenn

Casting by
Gary Chason
Juliet Taylor

Production Design by
Trevor Williams

Set Decoration by
James L. Berkey		(as Jim Berkey)

Makeup Department
Dave Grayson	....	makeup artist
Charlene Johnson	....	hair stylist
Charlene Roberson	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Tony Wade	....	unit production manager
Lindsley Parsons Jr.	....	executive production manager: Paramount (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Donald Heitzer	....	assistant director (as Don Heitzer)
Toby Lovallo	....	second assistant director
John M. Poer	....	assistant director

Art Department
Mark Wade	....	property master
Richard Speed	....	carpenter's apprentice (uncredited)

Sound Department
Donald F. Johnson	....	sound mixer (as Don Johnson)
Dick Vorisek	....	sound re-recordist
Skip Godwin	....	sound engineer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Maureen Lambray	....	special photography
Michael McGowan	....	camera operator (as Mike McGowan)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mina Mittelman	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Suzanne Baron	....	supervising editor
Ruth Blakeslee	....	assistant editor
Mateel Hoppe	....	assistant editor
Alice Miller	....	assistant editor
Donald Freeman	....	final colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Raymond Burke	....	musician: clarinet
Louis Cottrell	....	musician: clarinet
Bob Greene	....	musician: piano solo
Ferdinand 'Jelly Roll' Morton	....	composer: additional music
Kid Thomas	....	musician: trumpet
Jerry Wexler	....	music adaptor
Jerry Wexler	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Greg Van Dyke	....	transportation coordinator (uncredited)

Other crew
Alan Greedy	....	script supervisor
Al Rose	....	researcher
Karen Moore	....	assistant to director (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1978) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corp. (197?) (UK) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1978) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Fotomat (Drive-Thru Movies) Video (1979) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• New Orleans Film Commission, The  film commission
• The New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra  additional music

Also Known As:

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Germany:16 | Australia:M | Netherlands:12 | Netherlands:16 | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Finland:K-16 (1988) | Finland:K-18 (1978) | Argentina:18 | Canada:R | Chile:18 | France:-16 | Norway:18 (1978) | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Singapore:M18

Filming Locations:

Hattiesburg, Mississippi, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Jodie Foster was initially considered for the role of Violet, but declined due to her commitment with Walt Disney Pictures, because she was starring in Candleshoe (1977). When interviewed with Rolling Stone magazine in 1991, Jodie said that she disliked to play that role, because she didn't want to be typecast as the underage prostitute she played in Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver (1976).

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: After Violet stands up from trying to have her nude picture taken a man can be seen in the reflective part of the camera.

Quotes:

Bellocq:[about Violet] What will become of her now?
Nell:What's going on with you? You don't have to worry about her. She's made a lot of money. She can do as she likes.
Bellocq:She's only twelve. She's completely alone.
Nell:Bellocq, you're in love with her.
Bellocq:Don't be absurd.
Nell:I've seen it a thousand times. I am old, and I know one thing - life is very long.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Geburtstagskinder der Nouvelle Vague (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Creole Belles

Nicely photographed period piece

Beautifully photographed and sumptuous to watch. Brooke Shields, with that famous saucy and spirited personality, is gorgeous. I wasn't bothered by the nudity. I wasn't bothered by the story either and I feel the movie accurately portrayed a different time with a quite different moral tone than the one we live with today. But, hey, stories are just stories. Actually, I think the main reason this movie works is because it comes across as honest, it feels like being in another place and another time, and it's lovely to see.