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Show By Jean Piatt Louis Malle's Pretty Baby studies the story of a child prostitute in New Orlean's Storyville district around 1917. This district was the only area in the country set aside for legal prostitution, and children born to the prostitutes rarely grew up and left the district. Malle's child, played by Brooks Shields, follows the routine of a child in this area. She plays with the prostitutes in the afternoon, and watches them play with men in the evening. Her innocence is in stark constrast with the milieu around her. But rather than telling a sordid tale of child abuse and degradation, Malle's film flows with a touching lyrical quality that makes it intriguing and beautiful to behold. Brooks Shields is a child of such adult beauty that she mesmerizes , the audience from the first scene on. Watching a child emerge into a half woman, half child is fascinating viewing, especially with Malle's taste and vision. But without Brooks Shields as the adolscent girl, the film could never succeed. Watching her move and seeing her face before the camera makes it easy to understand ; the fascination the photographer (played by Keith Carradine) has for her in the film. One never tires of her presence. : The characters in the film are distinct and realistic. Susan Sarradon's portrayal of the girl's mother in search of a legitimate husband and life is excellent. We can feel her yearning even while f feeling the child's perplexity at her mother's desire to leave the district. Keith Carradine .puts in a strangely distracted performance, t remaining aloof throughout most of the film. We begin to realize that his artistic attraction becomes a driving passion. In a role that t could easily be overplayed, Carradine's uninvolvement makes an interesting interpretation of his character. Here is a man whose art r is his life, who merges his fascination with the child with his art and his love until he cannot separate the two and must take her for his 1 bride. The film is rich in color and texture. We feel the drenching, lazy humidity in each shot as the camera lazily pans or focuses. Malle ; chose Sven Nykvist as his cinematographer, aptly understanding that only such an artist's eye could convey the atmosphere so necessary to the film. It is a joy to behold, watching each scene virtually dripping in color and light. The only fault in the film is its pace, which tends to be a bit too slow for the average American audience. The timing of the film conveys the slow moving pace of its characters living in the south, but does tend to tire the audience. Malle understands this easy flow, while most viewers do not. Pretty Baby is not unlike a small jewel. It's radiance and craftsmanship belies its true worth in comparison to flashier, gaudier films. For an evening of startling lyricism, the film should not be missed. And the performance of Brooks Shields blended with her fellow actors and director makes the film stand as one that will endure the ravages of time and popularity. |