There are so few movies that appeal to our age group these days that when one does come along I immediately rush off to see it at my local movie theatre. Sci-fi, action flicks, superheroes, and movies with excessive violence are not my cup of tea. It’s also a legitimate excuse to load up on warm movie popcorn and an icy fountain Diet Coke, treats I rarely allow myself.

A couple of weeks ago I visited an exhibit in The Image Centre at Toronto Metropolitan University (Ryerson to me) of photography by famous photographer Lee Miller so the timing of “Lee” starring Kate Winslet could have not been more perfect.

Lee Miller’s real-life story is too vast and complicated to be adequately covered in a two-hour movie but this version does an excellent job of describing a particularly crucial slice of a period in her life and her career—World War 2.

Miller was born in the United States and was gifted with great beauty and intelligence. She modelled for Vogue magazine and her interest in photography took her to Paris in the twenties where she apprenticed with and became the lover of the great Man Ray.

Miller moved with a fast, hedonistic, and bohemian crowd. By the late thirties, with her youthful beauty fading and her serious interest and skill in photography growing, she landed a job as a photojournalist for Vogue. At the start of the war, she was embedded with troops at the front lines and was among the first group of allies to enter the Dachau and Buchenwald concentration camps when they were liberated. Her pictures have become historical artifacts.

The movie omits her fascinating earlier life and doesn’t touch on her self-destructive post-war life, but does an excellent job of depicting her war experience on the front lines and the challenges she encountered as a woman. Kate Winslet does an excellent job of portraying Miller’s strong and unusual character. The plot follows the true story very accurately although I do feel the writing was weak in a couple of places. I appreciate it can be difficult to find new words to describe gender bias and sexism without sounding cliché.

I think that once you have seen this movie, you will be doing yourself a favour by reading the complete story of her life—which is fascinating. The Age of Light by Whitney Scharer will give you a far better understanding of Lee Miller’s life and work. Here’s a link to my review from April 2019, Who Was the Woman In Hitler’s Bathtub and How Did She Get There?  The name Lee Miller is one everyone should be familiar with. At the very least, see the movie Lee. You will be glad you did.