Misbehaviour 2020

Drama

History

Comedy

Rank

#34,279

Box Office

$1.9M

Runtime

106 min

Language

English

Directed by

Philippa Lowthorpe

Made by

Shout! Studios

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Misbehaviour Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Misbehaviour (2020). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.

Sally Alexander, Keira Knightley is a history student at University College London who is eager to understand how the past shapes the present. At a conference on women’s rights, she meets Jo Robinson, Jessie Buckley, a passionate feminist organizer who fights for visibility and change. After helping Jo dodge arrest for defacing a sexist billboard, Jo invites Sally to join her women’s group, where Sally helps shape the group’s messaging and media strategy for a planned protest at the 1970 Miss World pageant in London. The event is being presented by American comedian Bob Hope, Greg Kinnear, whose involvement is controversial inside his own household, particularly with Dolores, who disapproves of his affair with the pageant’s 1961 winner.

As the Miss World contestants arrive, the lineup includes Pearl Jansen (Miss Africa South) and Jennifer Hosten (Miss Grenada). Jennifer and Pearl connect over their shared experiences of racism, while Jennifer befriends Marjorie Johansson (Miss Sweden), the audience’s favorite who feels demeaned and exploited by the competition. Frustrated by the casual sexism she encounters at university, Sally devises a plan to disrupt the live television broadcast by mingling with the crowd. Several group members volunteer and purchase audience tickets. Pearl privately confides to Jennifer that apartheid-era South Africa warned her that she wouldn’t be allowed to return home if she spoke out about the treatment of Black South Africans. Sally’s personal life also comes under strain as her mother questions the toll activism takes on Sally’s daughter and her relationship with Gareth.

A car bomb, attributed to an anarchist group, explodes outside the theatre hosting the event. Despite Gareth’s pleas for Sally to abort the protest, she and Jo press ahead. The pageant proceeds with contestants, the audience, organizers, and Hope crossing a precarious picket line of protestors. Hope opens the show with a volley of sexist quips. The judging panel reduces the field to seven finalists, among them Pearl and Jennifer. Jo and Sally’s group noisily interrupts with heckling and a flour bomb aimed at the stage. The two women are arrested, the broadcast is briefly halted, and then resumes. In a turning moment, Jennifer is crowned Miss World, the first woman of color to win, while Pearl takes second place. Behind the scenes, Sally is taken away by police and has a tense exchange with Jennifer about the protests.

The film’s epilogue sketches the later paths of the key figures: Jennifer goes on to study Political Science and International Relations and becomes Grenada’s High Commissioner to Canada; Sally becomes Professor of Modern History at the University of London; Jo gives birth five months after the competition and later trains as a midwife; Pearl returns to South Africa and pursues a singing career after the fall of Apartheid. The protest is portrayed as a significant ripple that helped bring the women’s liberation movement into broader public view. The closing note emphasizes the ongoing struggle with the line: > “Attempts to bring down the patriarchy remain ongoing.”

Misbehaviour Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of Misbehaviour (2020) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

Sally applies to UCL

Sally Alexander successfully applies to study history at University College London, marking the start of her academic journey. This decision anchors her later activism in the context of her scholarly pursuits. The move sets the stage for her involvement with Jo and the women's movement.

University College London

Sally meets Jo at a women's rights conference

During a conference on women's rights, Sally meets Jo Robinson, a committed feminist activist. Their conversation sparks Sally's deeper engagement with the movement and ideas about protest. The encounter forms the catalyst for Sally's collaboration with Jo's group.

Conference on women's rights

Jo evades arrest after billboard protest

After Jo defaces a sexist billboard, Sally helps her evade arrest, demonstrating a willingness to take risks for the cause. This act cements their partnership and leads Jo to introduce Sally to her broader women's group. The trust established here sets the plan in motion for future collective action.

Outside a police station

Sally joins Jo's women's group

Jo introduces Sally to her women's group, inviting her to contribute to the group's messaging and media. Sally is welcomed to collaborate on the planned protest against Miss World. The arrangement signals Sally's transition from observer to active organizer.

Women's group meeting

Miss World contestants arrive in London

The Miss World contestants arrive in London, bringing international attention and controversy with them. Pearl Jansen and Jennifer Hosten stand out as central figures in the discussions of race and gender. The dynamic among contestants foreshadows the protest's focus on equality and representation.

London

Sally plans to disrupt the live broadcast

Sally hatches a plan to disrupt the live television broadcast by infiltrating the crowd. Several members of the group volunteer to participate and buy audience tickets, aligning personal risk with political statement. The plan signals a turning point from discussion to direct action.

Miss World venue, London

Pearl reveals apartheid regime warning

Pearl privately confesses to Jennifer that the apartheid regime warned her not to speak out about the treatment of black South Africans. The confession underscores the risks contestants faced and the global stakes of their participation. It also strengthens the bond between Pearl and Jennifer against external pressures.

Backstage

Car bomb outside the theatre

A car bomb explodes outside the theatre hosting the event, creating chaos and heightening the stakes for the protestors. The attack intensifies the moral dilemma faced by Sally and Jo about continuing the disruption. Gareth pleads with Sally to call off the protest, but their resolve remains.

Outside the Miss World theatre, London

Picket line crossing begins the show

The competition begins and everyone associated—contestants, audience, organizers, and even Bob Hope—must cross a picket line of protestors. Bob Hope introduces the event with a series of sexist jokes that reveal the show's entrenched attitudes. The moment marks the public clash between entertainment and feminist activism.

Miss World theatre, London

Protest escalates with heckling and flour-bombing

Jo and Sally's group start the protest by heckling Hope and flour-bombing the stage. The disruptive action is swift, visible, and broadcast to the audience, signaling a dramatic turn in the live event. Security and police intervene, leading to arrests.

The Miss World stage, London

Broadcast halt and resume amid chaos

The broadcast is temporarily halted by the disruption, then resumes despite the tension. The interruption amplifies the protest's message and keeps public attention on the women's movement. Sally and Jo's actions have successfully penetrated the televised spectacle.

Live Miss World broadcast

Jennifer crowned Miss World; backstage confrontation

Jennifer Hosten is announced Miss World, becoming the first woman of color to win the title. Pearl also places second, highlighting the complex results of the pageant amid political statements. Backstage, Sally argues with Jennifer about the protest and its consequences for Sally's personal life.

Backstage at Miss World

Post-script: futures and protest impact

The film closes with a post-script detailing the protagonists' futures: Jennifer's diplomatic career, Sally's professorship, Jo's family and midwifery, Pearl's return to South Africa and singing career after apartheid, and the protest's lasting impact on public awareness of feminism. It notes that attempts to dismantle patriarchy remain ongoing.

Misbehaviour Characters

Explore all characters from Misbehaviour (2020). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

Sally Alexander (Keira Knightley)

A history student at University College London who becomes a leading figure in the women's rights movement. She shifts from academic curiosity to organized activism, planning to disrupt the Miss World broadcast. By the end, she advances in academia, becoming Professor of Modern History at the University of London.

🎓 Academic ✊ Feminism

Jo Robinson (Jessie Buckley)

A determined feminist activist who introduces Sally to a women’s group and coordinates the protest. She remains committed to challenging sexism, even under arrest and public scrutiny. Off-screen, she starts a family and retrains as a midwife, reflecting personal evolution alongside activism.

🪧 Activist 👶 Motherhood

Jennifer Hosten

Miss Grenada and the first woman of color to win Miss World, who forms a mutual understanding with Pearl Jansen about racism. Her ascent in the pageant becomes a focal point around race, politics, and empowerment during a controversial event.

🏆 Contestant 🌍 Race & Politics

Pearl Jansen

Miss Africa South, whose involvement highlights the racial dynamics of the Miss World pageant and anti-apartheid sentiment. She shares concerns with Jennifer about the impact of racism and the consequences of speaking out against oppression.

🏆 Contestant 🌍 Anti-Racism

Bob Hope (Bob Hope)

American comedian hired to host the Miss World broadcast, whose jokes frame the event’s sexism and controversy. His collaboration with the pageant is critical to the protest’s disruption and the ensuing media consequences.

🎭 Host 🎤 Celebrity

Misbehaviour Settings

Learn where and when Misbehaviour (2020) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.

Time period

1970

The events unfold in 1970, a year marked by rising feminist activism and public demonstrations. London hosts the Miss World pageant, drawing global attention to gender politics and race. The narrative anchors its energy in the immediate social climate of the early 1970s.

Location

London, United Kingdom, University College London

Set in London, the story centers on the Miss World 1970 pageant held in the city and the surrounding protest movement. It also glimpses Sally's life at University College London, reflecting the era's feminist discourse within academia. The city backdrop highlights media attention, political tension, and the clash between celebrity spectacle and social change.

🏙️ Urban setting 🪧 protest culture 🎭 London theatre

Misbehaviour Themes

Discover the main themes in Misbehaviour (2020). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.

✊

Feminism

The film centers on women organizing, questioning sexist norms, and using public platforms to push for equality. Sally and Jo move from academic curiosity to active disruption, illustrating how feminist ideas translate into action. Their choices test personal relationships while advancing a broader movement.

🎤

Media & Protest

Misbehaviour explores how live television becomes a battleground for protest, with the group attempting to interrupt the broadcast. The host's persona and the crowd's reactions collide with political messaging, showing the power and limits of media-driven activism. The disruption garners wide attention and complicates the spectacle of Miss World.

🌍

Racial Equality

The presence of contestants like Jennifer Hosten and Pearl Jansen exposes the racial tensions within the pageant and society at large. The film highlights conversations about racism, anti-black sentiment, and the courage of those who challenge oppressive systems. Jennifer's victory becomes a symbolic milestone within a broader global struggle for equality.

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Misbehaviour Spoiler-Free Summary

Discover the spoiler-free summary of Misbehaviour (2020). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.

In the bustling heart of 1970 London, the Miss World competition shines like a glittering beacon of post‑war confidence, its live television splendor amplified by the wry repartee of Bob Hope. Beneath the sequins and polished stage lies a society still wrestling with rigid gender expectations, and the glitzy spectacle becomes a flashpoint for a growing cultural conversation. The film captures the era’s vibrant optimism while letting the undercurrents of sexism and commercial exploitation ripple just out of view, setting a tone that feels both celebratory and sharply observant.

Enter Sally Alexander, a sharp‑minded history student at University College London whose academic curiosity quickly collides with activism. At a women’s‑rights conference she encounters Jo Robinson, a charismatic feminist determined to give voice to the movement’s grievances. Drawn together by a mix of idealism and personal stakes—Sally’s strained relationship with her mother and the steady support of her partner Gareth—the duo finds themselves at the center of a daring plan to make the Miss World stage a platform for protest. Their preparation is as much about confronting internal doubts as it is about challenging the external status quo, creating a compelling personal dynamic that drives the story forward.

Amid the pageantry, the contestants themselves bring nuanced perspectives to the mix. Pearl Jansen, representing a contested region, navigates the political complexities of her appearance, while Jennifer Hosten, a poised representative from Grenada, confronts the weight of expectations placed upon her. Marjorie Johansson, the favourite from Sweden, quietly reveals the pressures of being the face of an idealized beauty. As the live broadcast looms, the film balances the dazzling allure of the competition with the simmering tension of a movement ready to speak out, leaving the audience poised on the edge of a historic showdown where glamour and rebellion intersect.

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