Widely regarded as one of the greatest war correspondents of all time, famed photographer Lee Miller captured imagery during World War II that still provides us with an up close and personal picture of the concentration camps. A trio of writers (Marion Hume, John Collee, Liz Hannah) bring Lee’s story to life with the help of a wonderful ensemble of actors, led by a nuanced, tender-hearted turn from the always-reliable Kate Winslet. Certainly, Lee fits right in among some of Winslet’s greatest works, from pink-haired Clementine in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to her Academy Award-winning performance as German illiterate Hanna in The Reader. My personal favorite will always be Rose in 1997’s Titanic, which notably netted Winslet with her second of thus far seven Oscar nominations. Here, Winslet channels the strength and compassion of a woman highly committed to photographing the truth, no matter how ugly it may become.
Structured as a back-and-forth interview between late-in-life Lee and journalist Anthony (Josh O’Connor, Challengers, The Crown), we follow Lee as she recalls intimate details about her love life and eventual career path. Beginning in 1977 England allows ample distance between the Lee of legend to the one speaking with Anthony, carrying the weight of her various accomplishments but also of the horrors she has seen. There was a time when Lee was carefree, relishing in the three things she knew she excelled at: drinking, having sex, and taking pictures. After meeting suave artist Roland (Alexander Skarsgård, True Blood, The Northman) in 1939 France, Lee finds a soulmate that understands her on a spiritual level. Then, everything changes—Hitler’s power begins to overtake the UK, seemingly overnight.
Roland has been hired to develop camouflage techniques as the Nazi occupation spreads across Paris. Lee manages to snag a job at the Vogue offices in London while living with Roland, striking up a connection with Audrey (Andrea Riseborough, To Leslie, Possessor) her new boss. Going out on assignments with fellow “Yank photographer” Davey (Andy Samberg, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping) allows them time to team up and become a proper unit. Lee notices that Davey gets special treatment just because he possesses a certain appendage that she lacks. Making matters more complicated, the British have rules about sending female corespondents into war, but the Americans have no such qualms. Lee is forced to navigate the murky gender politics, whilst a war rages, claiming innumerable casualties along the way.
Winslet gets to truly dig into Lee‘s complex emotions and unwavering commitment to aiding the war efforts. The atrocities committed during World War II are too dreadful to even think about at times, but Lee reminds us that it is still important to acknowledge their impact. So many innocent souls were lost—with folks such as Lee fighting to expose the horrors, the veil on Hitler’s evil was slowly lifted to expose its disgusting underbelly. Winslet, who also produces, sinks her teeth into the character without a shred of pomposity. Acting opposite her for the majority of the intense scenarios, Samberg delivers one of his most assured performances yet. O’Connor also receives a meatier role than expected as the journalist, eventually directly involved in an inspired twist tied into Lee’s life.
While I probably won’t be the first or last person to make the connection, a definite synergy between A24’s Civil War and Lee releasing the same year creates a neat throughline of its two central figures. Though Civil War‘s Lee is fictional, she takes great inspiration from Lee Miller, mentioning her by name several times throughout. That just proves the type of reach Miller had, particularly amongst the photography community. Lee may not be an earth-shattering biopic by any means, but it does serve as a masterclass for Kate Winslet lovers. Few working actresses today can selflessly disappear into another person. Winslet’s ease on screen pays off years of hard work both in front of and behind the camera. What director Ellen Kuras lacks in stylish flourishes she makes up by focusing primarily on her star performer. The end credits pay great tribute to Lee Miller through use of her photographs, so be sure to stick around for those. Essentially a loving recounting of tragedy surrounding Nazi concentration camps, Lee presents a snapshot into the illustrious photographer like never before.
Look back at the legacy of a legend with Lee, exclusively in theaters on Friday, September 27th.
