loreece Harrison – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

MOVIE OF THE WEEK October 2, 2020: MISBEHAVIOUR

September 30, 2020October 11, 2020 Jennifer Merin 0 Comments betsy bozdech, dandie angulo chen, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, jennifer merin, kathis wood, keira Knightly, leslie combemale, leslie manville, liz whittemore, loreece Harrison, loren king, maryann johanson, misbehavior, miss world 1970, motw, Movie of the Week, nell minow, nikki baughan, Pam Grady, susan wloszczyna, truth-based

Activism and intersectionality are at the heart of Philippa Lowthorpe’s fact-based dramedy Misbehaviour, which follows the tumultuous events surrounding the 1970 Miss World pageant in London and their impact on the women’s liberation movement. While always firmly on the side of the feminists who disrupted the event to protest its objectification of women, the film also makes sure to include other important perspectives on women’s roles and representations — which ultimately makes its message all the more effective.

Reviews

MISBEHAVIOUR – Review by Loren King

September 24, 2020September 27, 2020 Loren King 0 Comments Gugu Mbatha-Raw, keira Knightly, leslie manville, loreece Harrison, misbehavior, miss world 1970, motw, Movie of the Week, truth-based

Taking factual, electrifying social/political historical events and turning them into engaging human dramas is something British filmmakers are particularly good at. Two obvious recent examples are Made in Dagenham (2010) about women workers who fought for equal pay at the Ford Motor company’s Dagenham factory; and Pride (2014) about the alliance between striking Welsh miners and London’s young LGBT community in 1984. Misbehaviour is a welcome and rousing feminist addition to this genre.

Reviews

MISBEHAVIOUR – Review by Leslie Combemale

September 24, 2020September 26, 2020 Leslie Combemale 0 Comments Gugu Mbatha-Raw, keira Knightly, leslie manville, loreece Harrison, misbehavior, miss world 1970, motw, Movie of the Week, truth-based

At its core, Misbehaviour is a crowd pleaser, and that’s a good thing. All over the world, things have been especially tough on women lately. The film also has strong, inspiring messages, mostly based in the idea that ‘well-behaved women rarely make history’, and that it is essential to upend the status quo if it keeps members of society down.

Reviews

MISBEHAVIOUR – Review by Susan Wloszczyna

September 24, 2020September 27, 2020 Susan Wloszczyna 0 Comments Gugu Mbatha-Raw, keira Knightly, leslie manville, loreece Harrison, misbehavior, miss world 1970, motw, Movie of the Week, truth-based

The focus isn’t on nostalgia but feminist fury. There are two especially galling scenes that are staged for maximum effect. The first is when the contestants walk on stage in swimsuits while their measurements are duly noted, smiling all the while. But then the male announcer on stage says, “There are two sides to everything.” That’s the cue for the women show off their backsides to the crowd for what seems like an eternity. If it sounds demeaning, it is.