Bechdel Test Movie List

The film begins with a scene where the female protagonist (Milly Wetherby) talks about her work as a typist with her female friend (Liz Eckhart). They do mention men in the conversation (Milly uses the male pronoun "he" in reference to a client, and Liz mentions her brother), but if the third criterion of the Bechdel test only requires that the conversation is "about something besides a man," then Autumn Leaves clearly passes the test. About 29 minutes into the film, Milly and Liz also talk about whether Liz has seen anyone "come by" Milly's place while she was gone. Technically they do not speak about a man here, but it is implied that Milly is inquiring about a man (Burt, her love interest in the film). However, the following scene involves Milly and Liz engaged in small talk about groceries, so that scene too passes. These conversations are not very important for the plot, which concerns the relationship between Milly and Burt, but they nevertheless pass. The most important conversation between female characters that is important for the plot occurs between Milly and another female character (Virginia Hanson), but the conversation is about a man (Burt).