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Summary

Hattie, a New Orleans prostitute, meets a photographer named Bellocq at her brothel one night and, after he photographs her, he befriends her 12-year-old daughter, Violet. When Violet is brought on as a working girl by her mother's madam and Hattie skips town to get married, Violet quickly loses her innocence and focuses on reuniting with Bellocq. But a life with Bellocq is compromised for Violet after her mother returns to town.

Cast

Brooke Shields

Violet

Keith Carradine

Bellocq

Susan Sarandon

Hattie

Frances Faye

Nell

Antonio Fargas

Professor

Matthew Anton

Red Top

Diana Scarwid

Frieda

Barbara Steele

Josephine

Gerrit Graham

Highpockets

Don Hood

Alfred Fuller

Seret Scott

Flora

Cheryl Markowitz

Gussie

Susan Manskey

Fanny

Laura Zimmerman

Agnes

Miz Mary

Odette

Mae Mercer

Mama Mosebery

Pat Perkins

Ola Mae

Von Eric Thomas

Nonny

Sasha Holliday

Justine

Lisa Shames

Antonia

Henry Braden

Harry

Patrick M. Burke

Fanny's Customer

C.C. Courtney

Naval Officer

Joe Catalanotto

Hattie's Customer

Philip H. Sizeler

Senator

Don Lutenbacher

Violet's First Customer

Hobe May

Farmer

Stocker Fontelieu

Brothel Patron (uncredited)

Bill Holliday

Gussie's Client (uncredited)

Crew

Director, Story

Louis Malle

Screenplay, Story

Polly Platt

Reviews

GenerationofSwine

January 12, 2023

1

So.... why one star? Because, honestly, it's boring. It kind of does to New Orleans' red-light district what Reds did to John Reed.... sucked all the excitement out of the story in an effort to make it artistic.

It's well acted, but it's weak on plot, weak on story, weak on entertainment.... but, like Reds, it's one of those movies that you have to watch because 41 years after the fact it is still being talked about.

But, to be fair, I guess it's hard to make a movie about someone that takes pictures and make it riveting. After all, E. J. Bellocq wasn't exactly Robert Capa