Misbehaviour Film Review: ‘We’re not beautiful, we’re not ugly, we’re angry.’
Misbehaviour, directed by the talented Philippa Lowthorpe, tells the story of the 1970 Miss World Women’s Liberation protest at the Royal Albert Hall, depicting the various actions and perspectives of those involved and highlighting the important reasons and motivations behind the feminist protest.
I’ve long anticipated the release of this film, ever since hearing that they were filming a scene near my Mum’s work, who of course tried her very hardest to peak through the railings for a glimpse of Keira Knightly. I’d independently studied the 1970 Miss World protest for my final assignment in my Feminist Writing module at university, so I understood the significance of this event for the women’s movement, encouraging more women to stand up for their rights. Unfortunately, the release of this brilliant film, March 13 2020, couldn’t have been set for a worse time; during a pandemic, the likelihood of lots of people seeing Misbehaviour is very slim, however, I decided to brave the cinema, clutching my hand sanitiser close, and am here to tell you that it is definitely worth seeing.
Firstly, I just want to draw attention to the brilliant cast; I have long admired Keira Knightly, Jessie Buckley, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Keeley Hawes, and they are all truly phenomenal in this film. Sally Alexander is played by Keira Knightly, a vocal feminist who has starred in numerous films, such as Bend It Like Beckham, Pride and Prejudice, Atonement, Begin Again, The Imitation Game, and the completely underrated Official Secrets, where the women characters are developed, intelligent, and memorable, not simply a cheerleader for a male protagonist. Jessie Buckley is perfect as Jo Robinson, and in every role she takes on, from Beast to Wild Rose to Chernobyl, she never disappoints and needs to be talked about more! Gugu Mbatha-Raw gives a beautiful and heartfelt performance as Jennifer Hosten, aka Miss Greneda, and proves she deserves far more roles than she is getting currently.
My major concern before seeing Misbehaviour was that it would focus solely on the white feminist narrative that ‘Second-Wave Feminism’ has often been critiqued for over the years. Although some have commented that the film needed to narrow in on one perspective, I completely disagree; feminism isn’t about telling one story, but the stories of all women who were involved, it’s not something that can be simplified, though it has been for so long now, proven by our need to have the metaphoric ‘Waves of Feminism’. The film does well at breaking down the stereotypes and assumptions many still hold of what a Feminist is, most likely a hairy, scary, bra-burning woman who rejects all femininity and instead adopts the attributes of a man. This image was created by the media during the 1970s as a way of deterring people from joining the movement and is an image that still lives on in our societal consciousness, is still connotated with the word ‘Feminist’, and which still needs to be challenged. The broad range of perspectives in the film crumbles this assumed image of the Feminist; Sally is a divorced woman with a young daughter who we first meet being interviewed to study at University College of London, believing that the best way to eradicate the patriarchy is by achieving a ‘seat at the table’, until she realises that she has only been given a ‘high chair’. Jo is part of the Women’s Liberation Movement, determined to bring down the patriarchy with her bare hands, and invites Sally to do the same, a catalyst for the planning of the protest. However, I found the scenes featuring Jennifer to be the most impactful and significantly highlights intersectional feminism; she is shown in dialogue with Miss Sweden, the favourite to win but resenting her part in the contest, shrugging it off while Jennifer longs more than anything to win, for herself, for her career, for her country, and to inspire and represent those like her. Her conversations with Miss Africa South, competing alongside the white Miss South Africa, highlight the struggles of women around the world, to be seen, to be heard, to have any freedom or options, to simply live their lives, never mind protest. The film does not shy away from the fact that the Women’s Liberation protest overshadowed the historic achievement of Jennifer’s win, depicted brilliantly in the bathroom scene with Sally and Jennifer after her crowning; for Sally the competition signifies patriarchal misogyny and the objectification of women, their anger not targeted at the women participating but the parading of women like cattle and sexist message the competition enforces. However, for Jennifer this is her chance to achieve her dream and pursue her ambitions, she doesn’t have the same freedoms as Sally, faced not only with prejudice and discrimination for her gender, but also her race.
Misbehaviour does well not to turn men into unrealistic villains, but displays the common misogyny ingrained into our societal consciousness, evident in many of the female characters too, such as Julia Morley played by Keeley Hawes; patronizing tones and interruptions, constant objectification and stereotyping, vile jokes and sexist generalisations. Greg Kinnear is a brilliant Bob Hope, making us all writhe in our seats as he jokes about ‘feeling women’, reminding us too much of a certain Mr President before being pelted with flower bombs by protesters. The infamous 1970s event comes to life again on screen, making a different generation reflect on the prejudices that still linger today, the film’s instances of sexism that have built up to the climax still all too familiar to many viewers. Many of the arguments presented in Misbehaviour are still very much valid today, especially in terms of intersectional feminism; programmes like Love Island present women being targeted far more than the men for their looks, constantly scrutinized, and bullied online for not having surgery and for having surgery, for sleeping with a guy or being too picky, for everything.
The ending of the film reveals the real female activists as they are today and what they have accomplished; my heart swelled and my eyes began to fog seeing these inspiring women, their true story finally depicted on screen for future generations, no longer manipulated by the media painting them as something they are not. Women, all women, have struggled and are still struggling against discrimination, but we are also fighting and need to keep fighting, for each other and for those of the future who shouldn't have to grow up oppressed by patriarchal institutions and harmful societal norms. I understand that many of us can’t venture out to see this film at the moment, but when it becomes readily available at home, I really urge you, whoever you are, to see it and continue the conversation. Below are some websites if you would like to find out more information, as well as an actual clip of the 1970 Miss World protest:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/nov/19/feminists-disrupted-miss-world-tv
https://inews.co.uk/culture/miss-world-1970-bbc2-documentary-misbehaviour-true-story-2450482
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/09/miss-world-contest-1970-new-film-misbehaviour-jennifer-hosten-first-black-winner
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/politics/many-women-became-feminists-miss-world-protest-50-years-ago/