Misbehaviour *** (2020, Keira Knightley, Jessie Buckley, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Rhys Ifans, Greg Kinnear, Lesley Manville, Keeley Hawes) – Movie Review

MISBEHAVIOUR is enjoyable and good. Keira Knightley is well employed as Sally Alexander and Rhys Ifans is very funny as Eric Morley.

Director Philippa Lowthorpe’s historical drama Misbehaviour is enjoyable and good. It tells the interesting story of a group of feminists deciding to disrupt the 1970 Miss World beauty competition in London. The film is celebrating the 50th anniversary of this notable occasion, televised across the world, giving rise to the feminist movement in the UK, and a battle that still goes on. Historical it may be, but timely it is also.

Keira Knightley is well employed and fired up as Sally Alexander, the posh woman who joins the fight, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw makes a strong impression as one of the contestants, Jennifer Hosten. Rhys Ifans is very funny as the contest’s promoter Eric Morley, portrayed as a seedy wide-boy, and Keeley Hawes is excellent as his down-trodden wife, Julia. Phyllis Logan has her moments too as Sally’s mum, Evelyn Alexander.

It is a pity that Bob Hope is demonised so badly, and that Greg Kinnear is no good at playing him. Where is Kelsey Grammer when we need him? Lesley Manville has a rather poor role as Hope’s down-trodden wife Dolores Hope. Remember how brilliant Manville was in Phantom Thread and Ordinary Love? She has no room to shine here at all. And Jessie Buckley’s abrasive working-class heroine Jo Robinson gives her no room to shine either.

The screenplay is written by Rebecca Frayn and Gaby Chiappe, from a story by Rebecca Frayn. The screenplay makes its points strongly, with men not in the frame anywhere as the good guys, but mostly it sticks to telling an entertaining story, and mostly telling it well.

Rebecca Frayn is the daughter of writer Michael Frayn.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Movie Review

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