The entire film is set in a brothel run by Nell (Frances Faye). The brothel is full of girls, mostly aged in their twenties and thirties, who spend their days sleeping, and their nights entertaining men of all ages, mostly military men in town for only a short time.
Given the time period, and considering there were not a lot of options available for birth control, it is reasonably commonplace for a lot of the girls to fall pregnant. Hence, there is a whole bedroom of the enormous house set aside for all the children.
One of these children, who is growing up faster than her mother would care to think about, is Violet (Brooke Shields). Approaching puberty as the film begins, she has lived in this environment her entire life, with her mother Hattie (Susan Sarandon), and brand new baby brother Will (born in the film’s opening scene).
Naturally, being surrounded by the things she has been surrounded by her whole life, Violet has not had much opportunity for a proper childhood, and this is the great tragedy of this film.
When a young photographer named Bellocq (Keith Carradine) arrives, asking to photograph some of the girls to help build his portfolio of work, Violet takes to him very strongly, desperate for someone, anyone, to notice her for once.
I won’t say anything more about the plot, other than to say that it doesn’t end well for anyone, really. The film is a tragedy throughout, and to describe it at length here would not do it justice.
Cinematographer Sven Nykvist has shot this film beautifully. Most of the scenes take place in very low light, and not just because we are in only the early days of electricity. The darkness of the scenes serves perfectly to highlight the darkness of the subject matter. The scenes which are lighter, therefore, are also lighter in tone and content; it is handled so delicately and deftly, however, it isn’t always easy to notice, it tends to be something you observe more subconsciously (unless, of course, you’re looking for it, as I was!).
The script (by Polly Platt) is likewise dark in parts (and only occasionally light in others). The entire film from beginning to end is observed through Violet’s eyes, which I think only heightens the tragic nature of her upbringing. There are some things she knows (that she shouldn’t), but also a lot she doesn’t know (that she should), and we as the audience are much more aware of these things than she is.
The production design by Trevor Williams and costume design by Mina Mittelman are both superb, displaying for us seamlessly a glimpse at life at the turn of the twentieth century. Not for a moment do we doubt or misunderstand where (and when) we are. The sets are absolutely gorgeous, as are all the costumes, and these two elements together really bring the characters and locations to life.
The cast are amazing also, particularly young Shields, who at the time of shooting, was only eleven years old. Of course, she has gone on to bigger and better things as she has continued to work in both film and television, but even at this early stage of her career, she was showing incredible talent and promise. In fact, if you close your eyes, it is easy to forget that she is so young, given her apparently innate ability to hold a scene.
Carradine also shines as Bellocq, who was apparently a real photographer at the time, who built a career photographing young women, particularly prostitutes. As far as I am aware, the rest of the film is fictitious, but it has at least this small basis in reality. His ability to change his demeanour at the drop of a hat is often terrifying, and certainly unsettling.
Director Louis Malle has made a beautifully-shot and wonderfully acted film here, even though the plot and characters are sometimes difficult to watch. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this film on the basis of its plot, but in terms of its look and feel it is amazing.
7 out of 10.
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