Misbehaviour

It's 1970 and Miss World is being hosted in the UK where anti-apartheid and women's liberation movements are becoming active. Most of the setting is seen through the experiences of Sally Alexander who is juggling parenting, a university place and liberation activities. It does effectively also cover racism, gives an acturate portrait of life in 70's UK, sympathises with everyone's point of view and all the while entertains. It's funny, instructive and dramatic just where it needs to be; really good show. Gender equality has come a long way since 1649 when a group of Leveller women, 'equally created in the image of God,' first petitioned Parliament for the vote. Every generation gets it a bit closer but the 1970's were the last time the issue had to be forced. I liked, 'my place at the table was in a high chair.'

No one remembers this event because it had no impact. Are stupid pageants gone? No. This is yet another attempt at studios to pander to a demographic to cash in on woke points. It's a shame that talented actors and actresses have to stop so low in an attempt to remain relevant.

Glad to agree with the media reviews in praising a great film from a brilliant female creative team. Really enjoyable on many levels, especially by taking multiple viewpoints and avoiding a partisan telling of what is an astonishing story. The period feel was spot on and the performances exceptional. As someone who was a child at the time I remember watching but cannot believe quite what an outrageous spectacle the pageant was. All the more powerful by being fair. The Morleys were likeable and an equal partnership despite their fixed viewpoints. The Women's Libbers were a mixed group with differing viewpoints and approaches, their conflicts not overlooked (as with Sally's husband and mother's positions). The portrayal of Bob Hope was a treat, especially now I have looked at original footage on You-Tube. Lesley Manville stands out as his long-suffering wife. The double story line of women's libbers and the Apartheid controversy was deftly handled. It was REALLY entertaining, achieving a difficult balance of presenting a complicated issue with enough toe-curling moments to make you wince but ultimately uplifting and positive. Highly recommended

'Misbehaviour' tells an important story well; it's fairly fast-moving, has some great performances and is always engaging. While there's nothing outstanding in the filmmaking department, it's all well-done and supports its narrative by letting the characters and messages lead the way. Speaking of its messages, it has a great overall pro-equality stance that goes deeper than its feminist roots, covering issues like social class and racism. In that regard, it's a very important film for today as it's sadly all too relatable to current affairs. The flick does have a slight issue with the story it wants to tell, though. It focuses on both the liberation group and the 'Miss World competitors', especially Mbatha-Raw's Jennifer Hosten. While this does give the chance to view things from different perspectives and allows for the exploration of more themes, it makes things feel slightly muddled. Perhaps it would've benefited from choosing one perspective to focus the story through to make things a little more streamlined. Still, both storylines are effective and the thing works as a whole, but it just feels like something which could have improved the proceedings slightly. Overall, though, it's certainly worth the watch. 7/10

A dull and rather silly film, and trying to denigrate the great Bob Hope put me right off it. Silly women taking everything out of context just adding to this 'politically correct' agenda that has no basis and ruined life as we used to know it, and people swallow it hook line & sinker!

Entertaining yet authentic, this film takes us to the heart of the feminist spirit of the 1970s, with all its raw nerve, passion and idealism. Like all the best of British productions, it combines humour with insight and shows what a bizaare and often contrary world it was for young women. The 1970 Miss World contest became a test bed for how women could begin to make their voices heard in a misogynistic society. Judging by interviews with the original women whose stories inspired the film, Misbehaviour captures the essence of their experience, the warmth of friendship between women, and the often hilariously chaotic moments that helped define the British feminist movement.