On Sunday, September 27, 2009 at 8:37:12 PM UTC-7, TT wrote:
> Rather interesting, and timely, movie. Based on a true story!
> Violet, 12 played by same age Brooke Shields is a 12 year old daughter
> of a prostitute at Storyville, New Orleans, early 20th century.
> Around midway to the film they sell her virginity in an auction after
> which...
> Susan Sarandon plays Violet's mother and Keith Carradine plays
> photographer E.J.Bellocq, a real life character.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._J._Bellocq
> I gave it 7/10, good movie, recommended.
> Some background for moralists here, a quote from imdb forum:
> "Just as in the case of the movie character, the real Violet was born in
> one of the brothels in 1904 the result of the union of her prostitute
> mother and an unknown �John.� She grew up in the brothel and nothing of
> the activities was hidden from her. At age 10 she started assisting her
> mother by cleaning the clients� private parts before or after the act.
> She soon moved to performing oral sex both working with her mother (as
> hinted at in the movie) and working alone. From the interview Violet
> seemed to have no qualms about taking care of the Johns needs and
> remembers, while still 10, earning $50 one night by doing a group of
> four men who were together. Her presence at the brothel was apparently a
> real advantage to the business as far as drawing customers as she would
> often team up with other girls by
> "warming up" their customers before the main act. While she admits her
> success at the brothel was due in part to the novelty of such a young
> girl, she was not the only one there. A girl of similar age, �Liz,� also
> lived with her at the brothel, and she also knew of other
> mother/daughter �teams� working in the district."

(2023 Youtube upload):

"Brooke Shields on "Pretty Baby" and the Transactional Nature of Beauty | Amanpour and Company"