Films that do pass the Bechdel test?

what's the reverse test?

The Secret Life of Bees passes and might even pass the reverse test.

Made in Dagenham passes with flying colours.

Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion passes, I think its a really lovely film about female friendship although it probably not everyone's cup of tea.

House of Mirth passes. I watched it a few weeks ago and can't get it out of my mind.

Since I learned of the Bechdel test, I haven't watched film or tv in the same way. Or read books.

Lilo and Stitch - the two sisters in that talk about a lot of things, and shout at each other about a lot of things, too.

Agree with Elephants - the problem is not just women talking about men as love interests, but female characters basically only existing and being allowed to speak as a device for telling us more about the Very Important male character, rather than really being proper characters in their own right.

Stewie - have just said this on another thread but half the Disney films pass - they have, shockingly, quite a good success rate for the test.

9 to 5 (love this film) I think they start off talking about work, although later it is mostly about how to get revenge on the male boss etc.

I don't think that "talking about the plot" counts as an excuse for women talking about men - these films shouldn't pass IMO. I mean, they are usually talking about a man for some plotworthy reason, and the rules don't say "not talking about a man as a love interest" or whatever. There are a hell of a lot of things to talk about in the world and lots of them don't involve discussing men.

What about Alice in Wonderland? The Duchess and Alice have quite a chat.

God I Love Little Women. And the later ones...which was the one where Jo's professor stands up for God in an intellectual argument where she was begining to doubt her religion?

Aside from the sexism that made it necassary for a man to save her tiny mind from being "raped" by the atheists...it struck me as the most wonderful form of chivalry when I was a tween.

Something so kind about him...or is that an example of the Patricarhy in action?

Also Sense & Sensibility...

Little Women

Legally Blonde

Speaking of Mike Leigh, let's not forget Made in Dagenham.

Mean girls definitely passes - they have conversations about jeans, about foot-face cream, all sorts.

It does't matter what the film is mainly about or whether it's the most sexist claptrap in the world

1. It has to have at least two women in it
2. Who talk to each other
3. About something besides a man

Well....mean girls have conversations about make up as well as boys....does that pass out of interest?

Ah, but Mumbling, there's at least one conversation about stuffing chickens...(!)

Surely Letter to Brezhnev doesn't pass..it's mainly about them meeting men and trying to be with them.

Just want to mark my place here

It's an interesting site, but what's depressing about the films that do pass is the sound of barrels being scraped (ie, one conversation, woohoo)

I think the Bechdel test is very important because it makes people that burble on about equality being achieved, really think

But it's interesting that on the site Alice linked to, there's a discussion about one of the later Harry Potter films that argues it should pass because women talking about characters like Voldemort etc. aren't talking about men, they're talking about the plot. Which is true ... but then (as someone points out on the site), the men must be pretty integral to the plot!

I do think it's fascinating how often films don't pass such a basic test.

Yes, quite a lot of Mike Leigh's films are very female-centric:

Life Is Sweet
Secrets And Lies

They're both pretty enjoyable movies, too.

Times Square is one I loved when I was a teenager.

Letter To Brezhnev (showing my age, here)

It is depressing that none of my personal fave films pass the Bechdel test, though.

I agree, it's no indication that a film is worth watching, or that it is feminist, but it is an interesting way to take a step back and look at fims from a different angle.

Trying to think of an examlple from each Harry Potter but I don't remember tham all that well, I'm sure we have some Hermione talking to female teachers in the early ones, then maybe Hermione/Luna or Hermione/Ginny, and of course plenty of Bellatrix telling other women that she's going to kill them.

Agree, it is not really a marker for whether a film carries a good positive, feminist message or not.

As a basic measure of how much women are sidelined/viewed in the media, it is FASCINATING (and a bit depressing). Remember the Bechdel test is reeeeeeally basic

1. It has to have at least two women in it
2. Who talk to each other
3. About something besides a man

Like, that's got to be super easy to fulfill, right..?