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Lee… Lee Miller… war photographer.
With the renowned photographer and heavy smoker played by Kate Winslet (Titanic 3D 25th Anniversary), we first see her being interviewed about her life in her chosen – and very successful – career, him smirkingly claiming she’s an attention seeker, before we go back to the earliest point in this film, in France, 1938, where she’s enjoying a topless picnic.. and unlike most actresses, Ms Winslet is not afraid to show off her ample charms.
It’s there where she meets and starts a relationship with Roland (Alexander Skarsgård – Godzilla Vs Kong), but alas, World War II soon gets in the way, leading to our heroine taking photos during the blitz, leading to situations where she’s following the soldiers as they go into war.
However, as she’s a woman, she’s not allowed where the military men go, to see what the next bombing targets are, but you instantly know she’ll find a way round that, because she’s Kate Winslet and she’s headstrong! This even takes her as far as Dachau near Munich, on the day the camp was liberated in April 1945. Plus, together, they witnessed the aftermath of the holocaust at the Buchenwald concentration camp near Weimar, Germany.
Additionally, they went to Hitler’s house, while out and about with photojournalist David Scherman (Andy Samberg – Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse), and to the evil despot’s bathroom, where he takes the iconic picture of her in his bath (the original is below).
As a film, Lee covers very deep topics and has good acting when it counts, but it really falls flat in the second act, and starts to feel more like a Channel 5 afternoon TV movie. Hence, it’s a disappointment that for a life spent in such turbulent times, the film itself can get surprisingly dull.
However, she does occasionally come out with a corker like “People who ask which men I’m sleeping with, are the men I’m NOT sleeping with(!)”
As an aside, Lee Miller was 37 at the time of the war coming to an end, while Kate is 47 now, but lots of people seem to look younger at an older age, these days. Did you realise that Brad Pitt is almost 61?!
If this film does intrigue you, then you’ll be glad to know that even in its third weekend coming up, it’s being pushed into bigger screens by the distributor, and more cinemas are showing it.
Thanks also to the old couple, a few rows back, occasionally talking at normal volume during the film. You’re a real brick!
Something better to concern yourself with, is to check out the excellent Lee Miller Archives.
Lee is in cinemas now, but isn’t yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD. However, once announced, it will appear on the New DVD Blu-ray 3D and 4K releases UK list.
Check out the trailer below:
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 119 minutes
Release date: September 13th 2024
Studio: Sky
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
Cinema: Odeon Trafford Centre
Rating: 5/10
Director: Ellen Kuras
Producers: Lauren Hantz, Troy Lum, Andrew Mason, Erika Milutin, Marie Savare, Kate Solomon, Kate Winslet
Screenplay: Liz Hannah, Marion Hume, John Collee
Music: Alexandre Desplat
Biographer: Antony Penrose
Cast:
Lee Miller: Kate Winslet
Roland Penrose: Alexander Skarsgård
David E. Scherman: Andy Samberg
Audrey Withers: Andrea Riseborough
Antony: Josh O’Connor
Solange D’Ayen: Marion Cotillard
Nusch Eluard: Noémie Merlant
Colonel Spencer: James Murray
Cecil Beaton: Samuel Barnett
Ann Douglas: Harriet Leitch
Major Jonesy: Arinzé Kene
Pablo Picasso: Enrique Arce
Ady Fidelin: Zita Hanrot
Paul Eluard: Vincent Colombe
GI Drinks: Adam Boncz
Jean D’Ayen: Patrick Mille
Maud: Camilla Aiko
Man Ray: Sean Duggan
Kurt: Riley Neldam
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.