There are some dramas that, no matter how hard they try, just don’t quite get the recognition they deserve, and Misbehaviour is a prime example. The underrated film, which first arrived in cinemas just before Covid hit in 2020, is a thoroughly enjoyable dramatisation of the infamous 1970 Miss World event that features a performance from Lesley Manville that everyone should see – and we’d highly recommend watching it on Netflix tonight.
The comedy-drama revisits the real-life beauty contest, which saw Women’s Liberation protesters invade the stage and stall proceedings in the process. It was arguably one of the most significant moments in the dawn of the Women’s Liberation Movement and it’s brought to life in a film that’s as charming and fun as it is empowering.
With just days left to watch it before it disappears from Netflix, here’s everything you need to know about Misbehaviour before you tune in, including the plot, cast, trailer and where to find it.
What is Misbehaviour about?
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The comedy-drama was first released in cinemas in 2020, but got a limited run in cinemas due to the pandemic, and is based on the true story of the 1970 Miss World competition in London, which was disrupted by the newly formed Women’s Liberation Movement. Partly based on Jennifer Hosten’s memoir, Miss World 1970, the drama takes us to London where the competition took place with comedy legend, Bob Hope (played by Greg Kinnear) serving as host.
Miss World was the most-watched TV show on the planet at the time, with over 100 million viewers, but not everyone was happy about it. The newly formed Women’s Liberation Movement claimed that beauty competitions demeaned women and decided to make a spectacle of their own by invading the stage (think flour bombs and water pistols) and disrupting the live broadcast of the competition.
Netflix
Throughout the film, we see the experiences of the contestants, including Miss Sweden, Maj Christel Johansson (Clara Rosager) who was the favourite to win, as well as the eventual winner Miss Grenada, Jennifer Hosten (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), who became the first Black woman to be crowned Miss World. It’s a fun, relevant film that despite not getting the recognition it deserved, is well worth a watch.
Who’s in the cast of Misbehaviour?
Netflix
The cast of Misbehaviour includes:
Lesley Manville (Magpie Murders, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris)Greg Kinnear (Little Miss Sunshine) Keeley Hawes (Bodyguard)Clara Rosager (The Kiss)Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill)Phyllis Logan (Downton Abbey) Keira Knightley (The Woman in Cabin 10)Gugu Mbatha Raw (Surface)Jessie Buckley (Hamnet) Is there a trailer for Misbehaviour?
Yes, you can watch the trailer for Misbehaviour below.
Is Misbehaviour any good?
Netflix
Yes – it’s a genuinely enjoyable film that’s been praised for giving a balanced view of the events in 1970. Viewers have said it “tells an important story well” and many have expressed their surprise that it hasn’t been given more praise (we agree with them!). If you’re enjoy a starry cast, brilliant one-liners and a bit of female rage, we’d urge you to watch it.
How can I watch Misbehaviour?
Misbehaviour will be available to watch on Netflix until Tuesday 24th March.
What other Lesley Manville dramas can I watch now?
BBC
If you’re in the mood for a good mystery series, we’d highly recommend Magpie Murders. Based on Anthony Horowitz’s 2016 novel, Lesley plays investigator Susan Ryeland who’s paired up with Atticus Pünd (Tim McMullan) to solve a “mystery within a mystery” – two baffling deaths: one in a book, and one in real life. You can watch Magpie Murders now on BBC iPlayer. For something a little darker, we’d suggest Monster: The Ed Gein Story. The series tells the terrifying true story of one of America’s most depraved killers and Lesley meets a terrible fate as one of his victims (we did say it was dark!). For more great Lesley Manville dramas you can watch now, check out our pick of her best performance here.
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