Bechdel Test Movie List

There are some instances in this film where the characters discuss each other.

Characters also talk about the nature of their beauty treatments at the beginning of the film.

Norma Shearer and her mother discuss Norma Shearer's daughter.

However, I agree with the rating since the film was designed (and marketed) as "all about men."

PS I'm very interested in other comments and interpretation.

The thing is, though, when the women talk about each other, it tends to be about how they should be conducting themselves relative to the men in their lives. The primary reason that they're having their beauty treatments is to maintain themselves in the interest of attracting/keeping men. In the ladies' room scene, secondary characters do talk about things other than men, but only in passing, because the (consistently unseen) men that they're at the club with are waiting back in the main room.

There are many, many scenes in which women talk about other women as well as about men. The maids discuss losing their jobs. Wonderful mother/daughter scenes - the first scene has Mary and Little Mary taking videos about how they're riding horses. After a few moments, talk turns to daddy. Much talk about babies and pregnancy. Funny bits about writing with the one "career woman." I think this deserves all three points, even though men and marriage and social standing and love are the topics.

The movie and the conversation in the movie is as much about the relationships between the women as it is their relationships to men. I wholeheartedly second Cavenoid's points.

This movie is all about women talking about men. Even when older Mary is talking to younger Mary you get the feeling that her mind is always on Steven. I guess the maid and cook are talking about whether they will lose their jobs or not, but it still includes Steven.

I don't whole heartedly disagree with the rating, but there is one caveat that actually passes all three tests. Right after Mary returns from Bermuda with her mother, there is a scene where the grandmother and Mary are showing Little Mary movies from Bermuda. During the film, they are only talking about the images (specifically the Mrs. Moorehead's inability to ride a bike and Mary pretending to catch a fish, then Mrs. Moorehead falling overboard.) It's not until Mary has finished showing the film and the conversation has definitely finished that Little Mary mentions she wants to show the film to her father, starting a new conversation about Mary having already showed the film to him and then a conversation between her and Mrs. Moorehead about whether or not Mary is really happy. So while they occur in the same scene, it feels like there's a break and and end to one conversation before the man is interjected again. So TECHNICALLY, yeah, this would past the test. On the other hand, it really is a movie all about women discussing the men in their lives.

Although the overall theme of the movie is women talking about men, it is undeniable that the women also talk to each other about other things. Considering how many films are rated as passing on this site because a few sentences about clothes or food or survival are exchanged between women in one or two scenes, this should be a clear and easy pass. Don't even get me started on the ridiculous and offensive idea that when women talk about their own heterosexuality and or reproductive lives they are really talking about men!

I've updated the rating from 2/3 to 3/3.

According to IMDb, this film is one of the rare ones (a total of four are listed) that fails the reverse Bechdel test. There are no scenes where two men talk to each other about something other than women.