Keira Knightley explores politics of beauty pageants in Misbehaviour

Director Philippa Lowthorpe's new movie Misbehaviour portrays the events of the 1970 Miss World final. Keira Knightley who stars as Sally Alexander said that the film shows how pageants can be both sexist and empowering – especially considering how the 1970 final challenged established Western standards of beauty.

London: The 1970 Miss World final was a dramatic affair. Director Philippa Lowthorpe's new movie Misbehaviour dramatizes the events of the 1970 Miss World final, taking a look at both sides of the story – from the perspective of the feminist activists and the competition winner Jennifer Hosten.

At the time, the world-famous beauty pageant was the most-watched show in the U.K., with viewing figures eclipsing even the moon landing.

But the competition also attracted the attention of the Women's Liberation Movement who – during the show's live broadcast from London – invaded the stage and disrupted transmission.

When the show resumed, it had another shock in store: the winner was named as Miss Grenada, the first black woman in the history of the competition to be crowned Miss World.

Keira Knightley stars as Sally Alexander – real-life historian and one of the protestors who stormed the stage.

"These women kind of went in, stormed it and stopped it in front of that global audience and kind of started a conversation," says Knightley. "OK, most people would just be like, 'This is really annoying.' But there would have been some people that saw it that went, 'What's this about?' And, 'Wait a minute. Let's think about this in a different way.' And I think that's extraordinary."

Knightley says the film shows how pageants can be both sexist and empowering – especially considering how the 1970 final challenged established Western standards of beauty.

"It was the first time that a woman of color had won Miss World. So the fact that little girls around the world who looked the same way that she did would suddenly see her smashing this Western very thin view of beauty was really important."

The actor says it's a conversation that's still ongoing.

"It's that intersection between feminism and racism. And we haven't figured out an answer to it. And I just felt like it was a really, a really important part of that conversation."

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But, says Knightley, don't be fooled into thinking Misbehaviour is all about politics. It's "a film that essentially is really fun."

"It's also so silly. I mean, it's funny. It's like, it's the campest show in the entire world and they stormed it with flour bombs and water pistols. The humor in it is sort of inherent."

Misbehaviour is out in the U.K. on 13 March.

From APTN inputs.