Bechdel Test Movie List

I disagree with the rating. Amelie has a few brief dialogues with other named women that aren't about men. So I'd say this film passes all three tests -- but barely.

Right at the start, there is a brief scene where Amelie is being taught how to read by her mother.

There is a very brief dialogue between two named women when Amelie is looking for the wrong Bretodeau. She briefly interacts with the female Bretodeau, the one who offers her a cup of tea. Amelie only responds with "No, I've got work to do."

Her discussion with her landlady Madeleine Wallace touches upon more than Madeleine's failed marriage: Amelie asks her about who lived in her apartment in the 60s.

Then there's a brief dialogue between Georgette and the newspaper lady, about improved health. Small talk, and I'm not sure the newspaper lady has a name.

Amelie also has a brief conversation with her air hostess friend (whose name me escapes me), where they discuss the consequences that the garden gnome plan has had in the hostess's workplace ("Did it work?" -- "Perfectly, you couldn't have done a better job"-- "If you need me to do this again, just say so. The harm's done anyway: They call me Snow-White").

In all, I'd say 3/3, but dubious (i.e. very brief interactions, usually small talk).

I mostly agree with the rating. Amelie talks about men with all of the other named women in the movie. However, yes, Amandine, the mother, teaches her some reading for a moment.

I agree that that scene probably gives it a dubious pass rating.

That said, the other scenes Bpetroglyph mentions don't really pass, I'd say.

When she briefly interacts with the female Bretodeau, they're talking about the male Bretodeau... a man.

The person of interest who lived in the aparment in the 60s... is a man, he has a name... Bretodeau.

The newspaper lady has no name.

I agree that Amelie and the air-hostess Philomene have a conversation, but it's effectively about Amelie's dad, a man. The gnome plot which they discuss revolved entirely around him.

In addition to what Bpetroglyph said, it's interesting to note that the movie also has a dubious pass for the reverse Bechdel test.

I think i would disagree with this rating, whilst there are perhaps only snippets of conversation that isn't about men, there are after all only snippets of conversation in the film. I also think that it depends on what you feel the spirit of the bechdel test is? do we take amilee talking about her good deeds to other women as a failure simply because the two she happens to talk about happen to involve a man? even though its not in any romantic capacity and the man isn't the necessarily even mentioned in the conversation.

The examples taken show only conversations that involves Amélie, but not all female- fremale conversations must involve her. Actually, Gina, Suzanne and Georgette would often talk in the Café. For instance, Georgette talks to both Gina and Suzanne about her imaginary health problems.

Also, Amélie and Suzanne were talking about the weather.

I wouldn't know how to put the conversation Amélie had with Madame Collignon. We don't know her first name, but I think it is still a name.

Georgette and Suzanne talk about the little boy who went to see the stars in Germany.

Amelie features a strong young woman as the main character and the film delves deep into her mind...

There are MANY interesting women characters (yes, they do talk about men, but they talk about other things too). Amelie's a bit of a reclusive misanthrope, so she doesn't talk to people a lot, otherwise she would have more conversations with other women about lots of topics. All in all, Amelie is a mysterious, intriguing, smart, funny, clever female lead, which is exceptionally rare, so it deserves a positive rating on here.

Repeating what Breeze said about the conversations in the cafe. Suzanne and Georgette talk about horse meat.

Call it dubious if you like, but this film absolutely passes all three conditions. The rating should be corrected to show this.

Breeze's comment about the cafe are correct. In no where does the test say it must be the female lead (usually not the case anyway) having the non-male conversations.

Mandy pointed out that Amelie rarely talks - the only real reason she does speak in this film is because she's falling in love with a man, and wants to spread that love to others. And in doing so, she deals with men a lot.

The conversations in the cafe about the hypochondria totally count. And besides, a lot of the conversations weren't explicitly about men. Bretodeau, for example, was a man, yes, but the conversation was "who lived in my apartment," not "who was the man who lived in my apartment." A few other conversations are like that - like Madame Suzanne's story of her shortened leg - it just happened to be because of her ex lover, but the conversation was about her leg.

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

I think it passes. The only conversations I think work are:

1) Amelie's coworker asking the manager about au gratin sauce
2) Amelie's other coworker asking about the same manager falling off a horse
3) Amelie's discussion (the first half) with the news lady about Mother Theresa/ a plane crash, before they bring up love interests
4) Amelie discussing the garden gnome with the stewardess

Literally every other interaction deals with either Dominic Bretoudeaux, the creepy guy at the bar, or Nino.

I dont think the student lesson at the beginning counts because they are NOT having a conversation. They are reciting a sentence...

One thing I don't think anyone has mentioned: Amelie and a shopkeeper (I forgot her name) talk about Princess Diana, Mother Teresa and a bag of mails and letters being found in the Alps decades after a plane crash.