'Pretty Baby' chronicles Brooke Shields' career and the ... - NPR

Directed by Louis Malle , this period drama was set in 1917 New Orleans.

The film was highly controversial for its depiction of a child in a sexualized environment, including nude scenes of Shields.

: The story follows Violet (played by an 11-year-old Brooke Shields), a girl living in a brothel in the Storyville red-light district. The film explores her childhood in this environment and her relationship with a photographer named Bellocq. Critical Reception & Controversy :