30/10
Army guard should have granted her admission
Chronology
The story of American photographer Lee Miller, a fashion model who became a highly regarded war correspondent for Vogue magazine during World War II.. Based on “The Lives of Lee Miller”; the only authorized biography of Lee Miller’s life, written by her own son, Anthony Penrose, and published in 1985.. Miller is denied entry to Hitler’s apartment because it is “For Officers Only.” " War correspondents were given the rank of captain, so technically the U.S. Lee Miller: [Handing a knife to a girl he has just saved from rape] Next time, cut him off..
This is what makes the film so powerful
The closing credits have a “what happened to”; explanations; and some of Lee’s original photographs, often alongside those that were recreated for the film. "Lee" achieves her vision: To tell Lee Miller the truth and thus tell the truth about life, pain, joy, and death, embedded in her photographs. The way the audience gets to see everything through Kate Winslet’s eyes, as she uses every movement of her eyes, the wrinkles of her mouth/lips, her breathing, and more. I love that the film doesn’t have to show the already-known shocking scenes, but WE CAN SEE THEM just by looking at them through Kate’s eyes.
Lee is not about war
It’s about a beautiful woman who is also intelligent, authentic, and bold (so Kate is perfectly cast as Lee Miller). The immeasurable challenges she faced in seeking the truth, then telling the truth by recording these images. The well-known bathtub scene is magical. The careful build-up to one of the most iconic images is worth the price alone.
The effectiveness of 2 slamming doors
The film manages to include some conviviality, as if to give the audience a brief respite from this historical moment. Brilliant. There is also some funny “drunk actor”; which brings some levity to some of the most horrific circumstances of World War II. I saw this film 4 times at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival): 2 public screenings and 2 press & industry screenings, from 4 different seats in the theater, intentionally.