A film review: Misbehaviour (2020)
Misbehaviour is a film about a group of feminists who pitch a stage invasion of the 1970 Miss World competition in London. Whilst the protest itself is a significant moment in the equality movement, making front page headlines in most the world’s press, the film itself is a chocolate Aero bar; it appears solid and interesting on the outside, and despite being a easy treat, it lacks substance, and once consumed leaves you feeling a little underwhelmed and deflated.
Keira Knightley, as Sally Alexander, stars in what is an auto-pilot role for her; Atonement (2007) and A Dangerous Method (2011) are better indicators of her talent. There are good performances from Greg Kinnear as Bob Hope, and the wonderful Lesley Manville as his long suffering, but devoted wife; brilliant in The Phantom Thread (2017). Also Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who plays the Miss World winner, Miss Grenada, was excellent, worth watching in Belle (2013).
Gugu appears in one of the most interesting scenes of the film. Sally and Miss Grenada, Jennifer, meet in the ladies room, just after Sally had been arrested and Jennifer had won. In an emotional scene Jennifer makes the point that her win has been overshadowed. What a difference, as a role model, she could have made. Not as the winner of a beauty contest, or a ‘cattle market’, as Sally put it on live BBC television, but as a role model to black girls everywhere; of what one can achieve. It’s a poignant moment, and a reminder that there were, and still are, many different people, fighting for many different beliefs. And yet, understandably, they all believe that theirs is the most important.
In fact, in 1970, apartheid was dividing South Africa. In an attempt at political correctness the South African government sent two candidates; one white—Miss South Africa—and one black—Miss Africa South. Seriously! In one scene Miss Africa South told another contestant that if she were to tell the press about her life in South Africa she would not be allowed home.
Watching the film from the vantage point of 2021 some of the beauty pageant scenes, and the male discussions around them, make for cringing viewing. The scene, in particular, at the Miss World final, when fifteen women are asked to turn around, in order that tens of millions of people on live television can ogle their backsides for a few minutes, was nauseating.
But the contest still goes on, although much has changed. For example, according to Wikipedia, in the 1980s the ‘pageant’ added, patronisingly, intelligence and personality tests. The competition, though, is no longer broadcast in the UK.
Eric Morley, the creator of the contest, who died in 2000, is played very well and enthusiastically by Rhys Ifans. He comes across in the film as genuinely excited and pleased for the ladies taking part, he sees the contest, it seemed to me, as a good thing,. However, as his wife commented, ‘he still thinks he’s in the 1950s’. I think, though, that the character that comes out of the film with his legacy in tatters is Bob Hope. He is portrayed as a sad, pathetic, insecure, philanderer.
All films that are based on true stories are able get away with more than fiction films. We feel more connected, perhaps, to history — we bond with the ‘real’ people — but overall, whilst Misbehaviour is entertaining enough, there are better films to fill your evening, and more moving true stories. Walk the Line (2005), the Jonny Cash biopic, for example, is on a different planet to this. Or, for another feminist viewpoint film, Made in Dagenham (2010), starring the very talented and diverse Sally Hawkins, whilst a bit cheesy at times, is worth a watch.
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