146. Misbehaviour; movie review

MISBEHAVIOUR
Cert 12A
106 mins
BBFC advice: Contains infrequent strong language

The Chanel model, Keira Knightley, playing one of Britain's leading feminists? Isn't that slightly ironic?
Knightley earned a million dollars for taking over from Kate Moss as the face of Coco Mademoiselle.
And yet here she is as Sally Alexander, one of the architects of the Women's liberation movement which made the perfectly justifiable point that females should not be judged on their looks.
Knightley looks much more out of place in the role that the feisty Jessie Buckley who stars as her fellow campaigner Jo Robinson.
Initially, the latter is the more militant - living in a commune with those who are determined to wrestle power away from the patriarchy.
Alexander was different - a mother of a young child with first husband, John Thaw, she is trying to make her mark as a mature history student.
However, they find common ground in a potential demonstration against the 1970 Miss World contest which is already under pressure from anti-apartheid protestors and the Angry Brigade.
The targets are its organiser, Eric Morley (Rhys Ifans), who in common with his special guest, Bob Hope (Greg Kinnear), is blatantly sexist.
Philippa Lowthorpe's film also concentrates on a couple of the competitors who hope Miss World will be a springboard to a better life.
Gugu Mbatha-Raw plays Miss Greneda, the small Caribbean country's first entry to the 20-year-old contest and Loreece Harrison is Miss Africa South, whose appearance was initially a sop to the anti-apartheid movement.
Their ambitions clash with those of the liberation movement despite it not aiming its guns at the women.
Misbehaviour comes from a bygone age but it is to our shame that its messages are still valid 50 years later.
I was not particularly bedazzled by its performances but I was put in my place by Mrs W who emphasised its historical importance and was rather more taken with its presentation.
And, while nobody on TV nowadays, outside of Donald Trump. is quite as obviously sexist as Morley and Hope, women are still having to show their top halves in movies to be noticed and are still encouraged to project their bodies to earn big bucks.
Keira Knightley included.

Reasons to watch: An important moment in history
Reasons to avoid: Its best bits are all in the trailer

Laughs: Two
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7.5/10

Did you know? More than one million women apply every year to take part in the national competitions, in the hope of becoming Miss World.


Final word. Gugu Mbatha Raw: "True equality is being able to do anything and everything. There are many different ways to resist." Independent

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