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Misbehaviour
Movie

Misbehaviour

2020 • Unknown

Woke Score
8
out of 10

Plot

A group of women involved in the Women's Liberation Movement hatched a plan to invade the stage and disrupt the live broadcast at the 1970 Miss World competition in London, resulting in overnight fame for the newly-formed organization. When the show resumed, the results caused an uproar and turned the Western ideal of beauty on its head.

Overall Series Review

The movie is a dramatization of the 1970 Miss World protest by the Women's Liberation Movement, blending the story of the feminist activists with the experience of the beauty contestants, particularly the first woman of color to win. The narrative is heavily framed by modern identity politics, positioning the contest as a symbol of the oppressive, white male-dominated patriarchy. The core conflict is established between women fighting for a radical overhaul of the system and the largely white male establishment, who are nearly all depicted as sexist and contemptible, or in the one case of a "nice guy," relegated to performing domestic duties. The film explicitly explores "intersectional feminism" by contrasting the motivations of the white, middle-class protesters—who see the pageant as pure objectification—with the Black contestants who view it as one of the few avenues for class mobility and international recognition. The female characters are the sole drivers of intellect and moral purpose, from the radical activists who execute a successful disruption to the pageant winner who achieves an accidental victory for representation. The film’s focus is almost entirely on the socio-political struggle for female and racial equality, with no significant exploration of transcendent morality, alternative sexualities, or gender ideology.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics9/10

The narrative is deliberately constructed around the concept of intersectionality, centering the experiences of women based on race, class, and gender in opposition to a white patriarchal system. The movie explicitly makes racial oppression and systemic racism central to the plot through the stories of Miss Grenada and Miss Africa South. The white male establishment figures are overwhelmingly characterized as chauvinistic, incompetent, or 'hiss-able' villains representing the oppressive status quo.

Oikophobia7/10

The film functions as a critique of mid-century British culture and institutions, framing the popular Miss World pageant as a vile ritual of female objectification that needs to be torn down. The core Western home culture is presented as fundamentally sexist, though the protest is ultimately about changing that culture rather than complete civilizational rejection. Key British figures like the host Bob Hope are satirized as embarrassing and corrupt symbols of the system.

Feminism9/10

The plot's entire engine is the Women's Liberation Movement's protest against the pageant. Female leads are presented as morally and intellectually superior to the male characters who are consistently portrayed as bumbling idiots, sexist pigs, or passive figures. One male character is praised only for 'doing childcare without complaint.' The plot champions the rejection of traditional female roles in favor of career and radical political action.

LGBTQ+1/10

The narrative's focus remains squarely on gender roles and racial issues within a heterosexual framework. The film does not incorporate queer theory, non-traditional sexual or gender identities, or a critique of the nuclear family beyond the generalized feminist rejection of patriarchal structure. Sexual identity politics are absent from the core themes.

Anti-Theism1/10

There is no significant religious theme in the film. The conflict is secular, social, and political, centered on feminism, sexism, and racism. The movie does not criticize Christianity or promote moral relativism over objective moral law; the moral law is assumed to be the equality championed by the activists.