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Since cartoonist Alison Bechdel’s introduction of “The Rule,” in her famous comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For, the Bechdel Test has served as a subject of debate in film since the 1980’s. Suggesting heavy gender-bias in cinema, a film must fulfill three pillars in order to pass:
1. The film must have two named female characters
2. Who talk to each other
3. About anything other than a man
It may seem like common sense, especially if there are two or more women featured in a film, to have them chat about something that doesn’t have to do with men, yet the majority of films in contemporary cinema still fail. There are two clear sides to the debate, however: on the one hand, crappy films that don’t accurately represent women pass the test (like The Other Woman), while some of the greatest, most beloved films featuring a female lead don’t pass (Breakfast at Tiffany’s being one of the more famous surprise failures). In hopes to finally put that debate to rest, let it be known the test is NOT an indicator of the quality of a film, but serves as a way to analyze the depths of female roles in film. Here are ten quality female-centric films that pass without question.
How it Passes: When Dorothy (Judy Garland) lands in Munchkin Land, she’s greeted by the Good Witch of the North (Billie Burke) who’s overjoyed that Dorothy’s house has just killed the Wicked Witch of the East. From there, they chat about good witches and bad witches just in time for the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) to show up. The only male discussed in this scene is little Toto, if he even counts. See where you can stream The Wizard of Oz on GoWatchIt.
How it Passes: As Margo Channing’s (Bette Davis) understudy, Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter) has to stand her own ground in the ruthlessly competitive world of Broadway theater. This film set a Bechdel standard decades before analyzing cinema from a Bechdel angle was fashionable by featuring women discussing their careers and the pressures of staying young. See where you can stream All About Eve on GoWatchIt.
Secrets & Lies (1996)
How it Passes: When Hortense (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), an upper-class black woman, discovers that her biological mother, Cynthia (Brenda Blethyn), is a lower-class white woman, the two have a lot of catching up to do. This mother-daughter tale is just about as honest and uninhibited as a female-centric film can get.
Citizen Ruth (1996)
How it Passes: Ruth Stoops (Laura Dern) is torn between both sides of the abortion debate, both of which are using her for their own political advantages. Diane Siegler (Swoosie Kurtz) and her girlfriend try to sway Ruth to stay with them when they talk to her about what it really means to be a woman. See where you can stream Citizen Ruth on GoWatchIt.
How it Passes: The Lisbon sisters certainly talked about boys in Sofia Coppola’s debut, but they also banded together to figure out a way to escape their overbearing parents. In addition, the nosey housewives who lived next door to the Lisbons couldn’t stop chatting about how the youngest and the first to go, Cecilia, didn’t just want out of that house, she “wanted out of that color scheme.” See where you can stream The Virgin Suicides on GoWatchIt.
How it Passes: While Betty and Rita try to figure out what the heck the mysterious blue box is all about, the two become close friends (later, with benefits) as Rita helps Betty further her acting career. This is a clear and easy pass thanks to director David Lynch, who always makes sure his female characters are as fully realized as can be (even if they do get it on). See where you can stream Mulholland Drive on GoWatchIt.
Chicago (2002)
How it Passes: Roxie (Renée Zellweger) and Velma (Catherine Zeta-Jones) banter plenty throughout the entire movie, but both share the same dream of performing — Velma wants back on the stage and Roxie wants in to fulfill her lifelong passion. Velma’s swing number, “I Can’t Do It Alone,” is basically an ode to Roxie and about how much she needs her to get her career back on track. See where you can stream Chicago on GoWatchIt.
The Hours (2002)
How it Passes: Almost all of the conversations in this film are between two or more women, so no questions about passing here. Perhaps one of the most memorable exchanges is between Laura (Julianne Moore) and Kitty (Toni Collette) when Kitty confesses to Laura that she can do everything right except get pregnant. Her line, “I don’t think you can call yourself a woman until you’re a mother,” shows her character’s suburban sense of womanhood in post-war America. See where you can stream The Hours on GoWatchIt.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
How it Passes: Also a clear pass thanks to Quentin Tarantino, another director who prefers strong female characters. Even though a man’s name is in the title, The Bride (Uma Thurman) has plenty of conversations with the gals she fights along the way — from duking it out in Vernita Green’s (Vivica A. Fox) house to talking smack to O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu) right before putting an end to the ultimate cat fight. See where you can stream Kill Bill: Vol. 1 on GoWatchIt.
Frances Ha (2012)
How it Passes: Best friends Frances (Greta Gerwig) and Sophie (Mickey Sumner) discuss everything from politics to literature to dancing and their love for the city of New York (even though it’s the same place that eventually tears them apart). When they tell each other “the story of us,” the film captures their sisterly love for each other perfectly. See where you can stream Frances Ha on GoWatchIt.
Photos: Everett Collection
