The Bechdel Test is a popular tool used to assess gender representation in fiction such as films and other forms of media. The test, created by cartoonist Alison Bechdel in 1985, is a metric used to evaluate gender representation in films. It asks if a movie features, on at least one occasion, a minimum of two women who talk to each other about something other than a man.
It’s important to note that a movie or book can pass the Bechdel Test and still perpetuate harmful stereotypes. There are some people and theorists that suggest that the Bechdel Test should be scrapped because it has limited and reductive criteria. Essentially, they believe that true feminist narratives don’t need to tick boxes.
Considering the test isn’t a perfect measure of feminist representation in the media, it still serves as a valuable tool to showc gender dynamics. However, the test should not and is not the only criteria used to determine if a work of fiction is feminist or not.
Here are five films that don’t pass the Bechdel Test, according to the Bechdel Test Movie List:
A Star is Born (2018)
(Recovered from Pinterest)
This remake of a remake of a remake shows the love story between famous country singer Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) and singer-songwriter Ally Campana (Lady Gaga). This heart wrenching movie (if you know, you know) showcases the deep ties between fame and addiction with the music industry. The film primarily revolves around Ally’s trials and tribulations in her relationship with Jack. There are moments where women interact with each other, but their conversations center around their relationships with men. So, although a story uplifting a female musician, A Star is Born does not pass the Bechdel Test. The official test’s website may say that it does pass, many disagree with the rating and argue that the only conversation between women revolve around Jackson which is why I decided to include this movie in the list.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)
(Recovered from The New Yorker)
The brothers Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) are transported to the magical Mushroom Kingdom through an underground sewer. Separated from his sibling, Mario must team up with Princess Peach (Anya-Taylor Joy), Toad (Teegan-Michael Key), and Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen) to save Luigi from Bowser (Jack Black), the villain who seeks to forcibly marry Peach and conquer the kingdom.
This stellar, animated adventure brings Mario and Luigi from the Mario Bros. game franchise to the big screen, but, just like in the games, its lack of female dialogue is evident. Princess Peach is one of the few women in the movie and has no interactions with other women. The conversations that do occur between her and others revolve around Mario and his quest. Therefore, this movie failed to meet the test’s requirements.
Challengers (2024)
(Recovered from Pinterest)
Tashi (Zendaya), a former tennis prodigy turned coach, transformed her husband, Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) into a tennis champion. However, to overcome a recent losing streak and redeem himself, he’ll need to face off against his former best friend and Tashi’s ex-boyfriend, Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor). I would like to note that I love this movie so much. Though Tashi is a powerful character and central to the plot, the film doesn’t feature conversations between women. Even with this in mind, the film isn’t necessarily a bad representation of women, some argue for and against this.
Shrek (2001)
(Recovered from MovieWeb)
Yes, even Shrek, a beloved animated classic, doesn’t pass the Bechdel Test.
Lord Farquad (John Lithgow) exiles all fairytale creatures to the swamp of a grumpy ogre, Shrek (Mike Myers). The grumpy creature then must embark on a quest, commissioned by Farquad, to rescue princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) in order to get his land back. While Fiona is a strong and independent character, arguably a fan favorite, the repertoire of her interactions revolve around her love story with Shrek and features no interactions with other women.
Even though all of these films have achieved success, gained awards, and are loved by audiences, they show that the film industry still struggles with creating meaningful woman-to-woman interactions that are not focused on men or romance. Although the Bechdel Test isn’t and shouldn’t be the definitive metric for considering a movie feminist, I think it still reveals gaps in gender representation in media.