Picture of the actual Lee Miller.

Reviewed by Ken Carman

Once again back to The Strand in Old Forge. I had asked Bob if he was going to have Lee a week or two ago and he said he was. I must admit we were the only ones there, but he told me they had a few for a mid week showing.

Sad.

The movie didn’t seem to get much press, except the Colbert interview with Kate Winslet. That’s unfortunate: this is an important movie.

Lee Miller was a photographer who worked for Vogue Magazine. At first her rather artsy photos featured more mundane subjects, but being someone who constantly pushes themselves to be at the edge, and at the top of her field, that would never have stayed the same. She demanded that she cover the war: WWII. A lot of resistance followed because she was a woman. But she wasn’t satisfied with just that. Then the Brits refused to let her go to the front lines. Being an American working in England for Vogue that also had an American publication bearing the same name. So she appealed to the Americans. They allowed her to go to the front.

Still wanting more edge, and hearing about thousands of people were disappearing, she pushed even harder and ended up photographing the camps. Her photos were graphic, stark, dark: I’m sure you’re probably familiar with some.

British Vogue wouldn’t publish them, but American Vogue did.

There’s far more to this true story than I am telling you.

Kate Winslet did an excellent job. You could see her, and her determination, grow as her career developed. I understand being so driven. I admit: I found the historical Lee appealing as a person: while in no way what I did for a living match what she did. But I know a lot about the kind of drive that makes you feel like you’re never doing enough. The drive to do more, do better, and how sometimes that drives makes you arrive at dark, frightening, places and situations. But never did I go through, or get to, places as gut wrenching as where she went. Imagine seeing emaciated bodies piled one on top of another, the intense rotting smell, seeing and trying to help a very young girl who had been raped, having the raw cruelty of a defeated Empire presented to her through her camera lens.

Sad to say, especially in a small town like Old Forge, it’s not surprising so far it doesn’t have the attendance of say Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, or all the Despicable Me movies. It’s generally not a movie for kids, though older teens could use the history lesson. Some adults too. There is some nudity ad sex is suggested.

This could be viewed small of big screen. Personally I’d do big. Be aware at times in the beginning the sound is like they didn’t use the best mics, or the characters talk too fast, but after a while it gets much better.

In some ways it reminds me of Schindler’s List. And there is a surprise at the end.

I talked with Bob after. I love the fact in the past Bob and Helen have also offered such films, even thought surely any profit is limited at best. Maybe even a loss from time to time. We were both agreed we hope it will do better. I hope you’ll go. Lee is a historical film that should not be ignored, and Lee Miller should not be forgotten.

4.5

    Welcome to Our End of the New movie reviews. One poster: don’t bother. Two posters: eh, OK, but a lot of problems here. Three: Good movie, just at least one problem. Four: very good. Five: if you don’t go you’re missing out. Added comments at the end: “you could wait for it to come on TV,” “best seen on the big screen” and “good for all screens,” unless other comments are added, refer mainly to the nature of the movie such as special effects, incredible sound or scenery that might make it best seen in a movie theater depending on your set up at home.