AllMovie

Entry to the world of beauty pageants can begin at an alarmingly young age. The competitors of these contests are the subject of American Girls - Identity and Adolescence: Smile Pretty, filmed by Carol Cassidy and an all-woman crew. Dressed in gowns normally seen on older girls, and expertly made up, the girls parade across stages throughout the U.S. in pursuit of trophies, scholarships, and the answer to the question, "Am I the prettiest?" As they endure the taping of breasts and the gluing of swimsuits, the viewer is left to ponder the more complex questions regarding the quest for a beauty crown.