Lee (2024)

Lee is a movie about the combat photographer Elizabeth Lee Miller a fashion model who became an acclaimed war correspondent for Vogue magazine during World War II.  It's a fascinating journey told in flashback as she is interviewed by someone about her career and her times in Europe.  It's an extremely interesting journey and one that you'll find fascinating.  How Lee dealt with sexism, and being a women n a male dominated profession.  The film is shot as though it were shot during the late 40's in color using the stocks they had in the 40"s.  The Germans shot in Agfa color while the American's shot in Kodachrome, but in the film Lee is shooting Black and white stills since that was the prevalent stock of the day. Yet the photography of the film feels like post war Agfa film stock   The film was directed by Ellen Kuras who is a cinematographer of some noted films such as "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", my favorite "Summer of Sam", and "Coffee and Cigarettes".  There are countless others but this is her directorial debut and Ms Kuras hits it out of the park.  The performances by Kate Winslet and cast is stunning and memorable.  

Lee Miller's career as a photo journalist was not as known, and after the war she put her photographs and writings in a big chest and put them away in the attic.  It was her son that found them and eventually he and her grand-daughter started the Lee Miller Archives.  

At the end during the end credits one can see a small sample of Lee's work, so stick around.  Kate Winslet performance is outstanding and she is also listed as a producer of the film.  It is her passion for this film that makes this film.  Along with the exquisite directing Lee is a master class in how to make a compelling film.  The whole is cast is also so good.  Adam Sandberg, and Alexander Skarsgard stand out too.

It is also about a boy and his mother and how she tried to be a good parent.  It is only at the end do we find this out, but it frames the movie.  Lee is a hard hitting, feminist in a time where being one of the boys was what it took to get the job done.  I really enjoyed the film.  Lee was not given her due during her time, but her photographs of the holocaust are eye opening and amazing.  Her reporting of the death camps were not seen until 1944 or 45 and was published in Vogue in the United States version. 

She shot on 2 1/4 format no easy task, yet her photos are detailed and flawless.  Most shot on 35mm but her larger format gave us more detail, and her photos are excruciating painful to see.  The camera doesn't blink, and Lee's expertise brought the horror to war to the masses, but it was forgotten soon after and she became bitter at her photos not being published.

I highly recommend the film and to also to seek out more of Lee's photos.  Those photos speak volumes.