Pretty Baby (1978)
Over the black screen and opening credits of Pretty Baby are intentionally misleading moans from Susan Sarandon. It sounds like she’s in bed with someone, but as they continue and she starts to swear and act like she’s in pain, we realize she’s in labor. She’s a prostitute, and when she brings a baby girl into the world, she doesn’t put her in an orphanage. Instead, she raises her as the little mascot of the brothel. Obviously, Susan is supposed to be seen as a bad mother, but was this movie really necessary? Young Brooke Shields, at only eleven years old during filming, was emotionally abused by acting in this movie. What mother in real life would allow her daughter to act in this movie? It might have been more damaging than Taxi Driver. When she’s “of age”, Brooke’s virginity is actually auctioned off to the highest bidder. Though not shown in graphic detail, the scene is still shown – did no one care about Brooke’s emotional wellbeing? (Ryan O’Neal forced his daughter to turn the role down, just like John Mills forced Hayley to turn down Lolita.)
Pretty Baby was not relevant to modern times. It takes place in the 1910s. In 1978, those types of brothels didn’t exist anymore. There was no reason to create a “cautionary tale” about a prostitute showing her daughter the ropes of the family business. It felt like two hours of voyeurism provided for the male audience. I can’t imagine any woman enjoying this movie.
Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to nudity, sexual content, and disturbing scenes involving a child, I wouldn’t let my kids watch it.
More Susan Sarandon movies here!
Pretty Baby was not relevant to modern times. It takes place in the 1910s. In 1978, those types of brothels didn’t exist anymore. There was no reason to create a “cautionary tale” about a prostitute showing her daughter the ropes of the family business. It felt like two hours of voyeurism provided for the male audience. I can’t imagine any woman enjoying this movie.
Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to nudity, sexual content, and disturbing scenes involving a child, I wouldn’t let my kids watch it.
More Susan Sarandon movies here!