Pretty Baby (1978) · Pro

: Some critics see the film as a study of the artist (Bellocq) who mistakenly falls in love with his subject, a "creature who is his own creation".

: Others argue the film aestheticizes a sordid reality, potentially suggesting that life in a bordello is "indolent" or "carefree". The Sexualization of Brooke Shields Pretty Baby (1978)

The film is frequently characterized as a "Rorschach test". While screenwriter Polly Platt intended for the script to critique the sexual exploitation of the 1970s film industry, Malle adopted a detached, observational style. This refusal to overtly judge the characters—ranging from Violet’s mother, Hattie (Susan Sarandon), to the obsessive photographer Bellocq (Keith Carradine)—leads to conflicting interpretations: : Some critics see the film as a

The primary source of the film’s controversy was the casting of Shields and her appearing in nude scenes. While screenwriter Polly Platt intended for the script