. Directed by Louis Malle in his American debut, the film stars 12-year-old Brooke Shields
But the camera loves Shields in a way that feels uncomfortable. Malle frames her not as a victim, but as an eerie, knowing presence. She is preternaturally beautiful, with a stillness that feels otherworldly. In one scene, she applies lipstick while staring at her reflection; in another, she poses nude for Bellocq’s camera (using a body double for the most explicit shots, though the psychological implication remains). pretty baby 1978 starring brooke shields portable