Misbehaviour Parent Guide

Sally Alexander (Keira Knightley) has finally had enough. She has endured a humiliating interview before being accepted to university as a mature student, she is sick of having male students talk over and interrupt her, and she’s been told that studying women’s history is a “minority perspective”. When she meets a group of feminist activists, Sally joins forces to protest at the 1970 Miss World competition, which they see as “one big fat celebration of oppression”.

The women are soon printing handbills and get enough attention that Sally appears on television. “The only other forum in which participants are weighed, measured and publicly examined before being assigned their value is a cattle market,” she points out. The comparison is apt. Twenty-first century viewers will cringe as the film unsparingly reveals the casual sexism of a pre-feminist world. Pageant contestants are measured (and have their breasts patted to make sure they aren’t padded) and their measurements are read out during the show. They parade across the stage in their swimwear and then they are told to turn around and the camera slowly pans across their backsides as they are exposed to the audience. This is definitely a movie that can lead to conversations about the objectification of women’s bodies.

Although it does a fine job of telling its story, what makes Misbehaviour stand out is its respect for the breadth of women’s experience. Issue-based films tend to be single-minded, often casting their chosen topic in black and white terms. Misbehaviour avoids this trap. While it clearly supports the actions of Sally, Jo, and the other feminists, it also validates the aspirations of Miss Grenada, Jennifer Hosten (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and Miss Africa South, Pearl Jansen (Loreece Harrison). Controversial though the pageant might be, it is still a potential road map out of poverty and racial segregation for Pearl. And for Jennifer, it’s a way of reaching her career goals and broadening the dreams of young girls of color. Their character arcs provide a striking illustration of intersectional feminist theory and can be used as a catalyst for discussion with teens about recognizing different types of oppression.

The movie also deserves credit for honestly showing cultural divisions between women: Sally is determined to be free of feminine roles that she sees as restrictive while her mother feels defined by them. As Sally struggles against cultural norms, her mother feels devalued and unappreciated. There’s what can almost be described as humility in the movie’s outlook as it makes an effort to understand and accept the validity of diverse perspectives. Holding to one’s principles while still acknowledging the value of other people’s beliefs is a critical feature of civil society and it’s refreshing to see it on screen. Now, if only we could see it in real life….

Not only is the story compelling, it’s filmed with a realism and dry humor that will hit home for most female viewers. After another futile exchange in her university class, Sally stares into the camera with a look of weary, incredulous anger that women will feel in their bones. This is what makes Misbehaviour such a good historical film – it feels incredibly relevant. Despite the enormous progress women have made in the past 50 years, some things have still not changed.

The movie’s themes of dignity, equality, courage, self-respect, civil engagement, and sacrificing for your beliefs, do come with some negative content. The biggest issue is profanity with 18 swear words, including three sexual expletives. There are also frequent scenes involving sexist dialogue and comments about women’s bodies. None of these take away from the film’s overarching theme – that women are more than objects of sexual desire and deserve to be respected and valued for their minds and contributions. That’s a message that should win the prize.