These Famous Movies Don’t Pass the Bechdel Test

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If you know what the Bechdel Test is, then you probably already know that the majority of films produced don’t even remotely come close to passing it. If you don’t know what it is, the Bechdel test is a litmus test for the presence of women in film. There’s more to it than that, and it is a little controversial among film critics, but nonetheless, it’s an interesting concept. As with everything, it isn’t perfect, and it may have even strayed from its original purpose, but it has continued the conversation of the representation of women in film.

What is the Bechdel Test?

The test was first formed in 1985 in a comic from Alison Bechdel. The Bechdel Test is extremely straightforward and asks 3 questions:

1. Are there two named female characters?
2. Do they have a conversation?
3. Is the conversation about something other than men?

That’s it. Those are the 3 questions the test asks— and you would be surprised at how many movies fail it. Most people don’t notice it, but after learning about the Bechdel Test, they suddenly realize how most movies fail to satisfy all three requirements. There are some additional rules people have added over time, such as that the women must not be related and that conversations about men are okay if they aren’t love interests. Still, these are the rules as set forth in the 1985 comic, so they are the rules we will use in this article.

Does the Bechdel Test have limitations?

As you can imagine from the questions, it’s a very simple test and doesn’t tell a lot about the movie or show itself. There are plenty of films directed by women or starring women in strong roles that do not pass it. There are also a number of films that pass it but just barely or are extremely sexist. There is nothing inherently wrong with a movie that fails the test, and there is nothing inherently good in a movie that passes it. 

Take the film Mulan for example. The film itself is about a woman persevering against all odds in a sexist world surrounded by men. It doesn’t pass the test but is arguably very empowering for the young girls the movie is aimed at. The movie Showgirls, on the other hand, passes the test but is fairly degrading to women and is probably one of the farthest things from a “woman power” film.

In short, the Bechdel Test is not exactly a good way to analyze the quality of female representation in film, nor is it a feminist propaganda tool. Instead, it was originally a comment from a lesbian woman about how hard it is to find women in films that aren’t just talking about their love for a man. It has strayed far from that original idea, and some people have taken their own interpretation of the test and run with it.

That said, it still is interesting to apply the Bechdel Test to films and see which ones pass and which ones don’t. It can point out some dubious choices by directors or writers from time to time. If you’re interested in looking at a list of movies that do and don’t pass, BechdelTest has a list of almost 10,000 films, along with a community discussion about if they meet the requirements. If you’re interested in a list of famous films that don’t pass, here are 10 famous films that fail the Bechdel Test. 

A Quick List of Famous Films That Don’t Pass the Bechdel Test

1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001, 2002, 2003)

You might be surprised to hear that a movie with an almost exclusively all-male cast of heroes, except for an elf and a few humans, doesn’t pass the test. 

Okay, maybe it’s not that surprising, but still. The trilogy does feature two strong female characters, such as Galadriel and Éowyn, but they never talk to each other. Aragorn’s elven love interest also doesn’t pass the 3rd requirement. There is one case in the 2nd movie where a daughter and mother talk briefly, but the mother isn’t exactly a named character. 

2. The Avengers (2013)

There are 3 female named characters in The Avengers: Black Widow, Pepper Potts, and Maria Hill. While these characters do have some badass moments, they never talk about anything that doesn’t revolve around any of the other men in the movie. The rest of The Avengers movies pass it, but this one misses the mark.

3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

This film has two named female characters, the computer-hacking Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist’s assistant, Erika Berger. Neither of the women talks to each other, or any women they talk to are unnamed/isn’t a conversation.

4. Nope (2022)

There are a few named female characters in Jordan Peele’s 2022 horror Nope: Keke Palmer plays Emerald Haywood, Barbie Ferreira is Nessie, a worker at the electronics store, and there are a few other female characters playing minor roles. None of them talk to each other, however. 

5. Star Wars: The Original Trilogy (1977, 1980, 1983)

Princess Leia is essentially the only named female character in all three movies of the original trilogy. There is Luke’s Aunt Beru in the first part of the trilogy, but she plays a very small role and has minimal screen time. She also never talks to Leia, failing the test. In the third part, there is Mon Mothma, the leader of the rebel alliance, but she is never mentioned by name and doesn’t talk to Leia on screen. 

6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

There is only one Harry Potter movie that fails the Bechdel Test, and it is the fourth one. It just barely fails, though. Fleur talks to her sister, who doesn’t respond, so that doesn’t count as a conversation. Madame Maxime doesn’t talk to Fleur during the movie. Ginny and Hermione don’t have a conversation together. All-in-all a bit of a surprise since there are a bunch of new female characters in this movie.

7. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

An excellent example of Jim Carrey in a serious role, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, does feature named female characters. Still, any conversations they have are about men or with unnamed female characters.

8. Fight Club (1999)

Fight Club has exactly one female named character— Marla, played by Helena Bonham Carter. While she does an amazing job playing her character, there is no other name female character for her to talk to.  It isn’t really too surprising since Fight Club is a comment on toxic and fragile masculinity.

9. Toy Story (1995)

The first Toy Story from Pixar only meets one of the three requirements. There are multiple named female characters. They do not have conversations with each other. Toy Story 3 & 4 do pass the test, but the first film and the second do not. 

10. Indiana Jones (1984, 1989, 2008)

There is only one film from the Indiana Jones series that passes the Bechdel Test, and it is Raiders of the Lost Ark. In that film, two named female characters have a brief line of dialogue about keeping a monkey. Beyond that, there are no other examples of named female characters having a conversation about something other than a man. In Temple of Doom, there’s not even a second named female character.

Wrap Up

Look, the Bechdel Test isn’t some hallmark of feminism of female representation in film and TV. It has its limitations and drawbacks that prevent it from truly analyzing the quality of female representation in a movie. It shouldn’t be used as an end-all test or be taken too seriously. Still, it does help viewers look at the film in a different way than they may have otherwise by putting the idea of female representation in your mind.