Lee
A great biopic on the life of photographer Lee Miller
Lee is the film biopic of Lee Miller, a female war photographer who worked as a photojournalist during World War 2. Kate Winslet does a fantastic job of portraying Lee as a woman who is intelligent and comfortable with her sexuality, using both to complete the work she deems important.
The film introduces us to Miller in pre-war France a perfect intersection for where her life has been and where it will ultimately. During her time in the French Riviera, she sits topless in the comfort of friends, a nod to her past life as a model. These early scenes also allow us to witness her and her friends watch news films on the creeping threat from Nazi Germany, and it’s also during this part of the story, that we are introduced to Roland who will become Miller’s husband.
As the story progresses, we see Miller move in with Roland in London during the Second World War, and her photography work for Vogue magazine. During the London Blitz, we get insight into Miller’s creativity and her ability to take unique photos that capture the city through this period. It’s this work and her learning that her husband and colleague from Life magazine David E.Sherman (Andy Samberg) are getting sent to the front line that sets the foundation for her to get into France and Germany to capture the damage and horrors done by the Nazis.
During this portion of the film, Lee Miller’s work as a World War Two photographer is brought to light, exposing the horrors and trauma that people witnessed and experienced. We see her document the horrific injuries and fates soldiers and civilians suffer, and her getting Sherman to take a photo of her in Hitler’s bath.
The flash-forwards to the 1970s, see Miller get interviewed by a young man, who is later revealed to be her son, Anthony Penrose. They do a great job of helping the audience understand her character and motives better as the story unfolds.
Anyone expecting a full-on war movie might be disappointed by the amount of action scenes in the film. They are there but they are selectively chosen, used to emphasise the intensity of Miller’s work environments and the consequences for those who get caught in the crossfire. We learn about her courage during these dramatic moments but it’s the scenes around these moments that we truly understand who she was as a human being.
Lee does a great job of capturing Miller’s character, the trials and tribulations she went through as a woman and as a war photographer for the Allies, to expose one of the most horrific moments in human history to the world.
Liam Donohoe