Bechdel Test Movie List

Molly Ringwald (Claire) does Ally Sheedy's (Allison) make up at the end.

While I love the movie and would like this to pass the test, I disagree. They're teenage girls and it seems the point of the makeup is to attract more men, which works.

I disagree with Fritters. While makeup has its own outside connotations, one teenage girl putting makeup on another teenage girl and the interactions and discussions that occur during that time are important social bonding exercises between young women. One might argue it's somewhat similar to grooming exercises among gorillas/other animals.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"
"Because you're letting me"

substantive, profound, and I don't think it's about men - it' about their relationship to each other.

Completely agree with Riled.

I agree with Sarah and Riled, and I have to add that if a movie that otherwise features women in strong, generally male-dominated roles (Santos from Battle:LA comes to mind) doesn't pass simply because the women don't talk to each other, then a movie doesn't earn a fail just because some action could be construed as 'attempting to attract men', either.

Feminist frequency brought up a good point about the bechdel test: if it were only about passing on a technicality, then directors and writers could throw in the most banal and dull dialogues into a movie just to satisfy the requirement. It's not about passing, it's about cinematic representations of women and their relationships with one another. she says if, in a 1-2 hour movie, there is less than 60 seconds of verbal communication between women, it shouldn't count as communication. I completely agree with her.

Does it matter if the reason for the make up thing is to impress a guy? It's the conversation that matters, and I think the reason for the makeover is to make Allison feel more comfortable with herself and see how pretty she actually is behind all that "black shit".

Everyone, then end isn't even the only place where the two interact. Remember when all 6 of them were making conversation nearer to the beginning of the movie, and Clarie's virginity comes up? I don't want to give any spoilers away, but there's a clip of this scene on Hulu's website.

Allison doesn't even really realize that the jock likes her. When Claire goes off with her to do her make-up, it is to build Allison's self-confidence and to bond. As two women. Claire wants Allison to *feel* differently about herself (which is basically the point of the character changes for each person in the movie) not just to attract guys. What Alison does after Claire helps her feel differently about herself is up to her.

Also, Claire and Allison do talk about sex, the stigma of virginity and respect. The guys mostly just stare at them and listen while they are talking about it.

Agree with Rilead - their relationship to one another, social stigma, and their struggles as an adolescent definitely trumps their connection with the boys in the room while they're having their conversations. As two women in the film, they're able to use make up as a prop to open up to one another - Alison allows Claire to be nice to her, and in return Claire compliments Alison and signals that they are friends.

When you view the confession scene prior and how they talk about not being friends on Monday the "make-up" scene makes a bold statement about becoming friends. Allison says she doesn't have any friends, Claire says come Monday I can't be friends because of the social stigma. When Allison asks why are you putting make-up on me it was not because I want you to look hot for Andrew it was because "you're letting me". What a way to say that no matter what happens Monday, they can't take today away from us and it will be locked in our hearts forever. Also it was Claire's persona and the only way she knows how to give, beauty. Allison came out of the room feeling pretty no matter what she looked like.

Here I thought this film was an easy 0/3 simply because one of the two girls doesn't have a name except in the credits.

I remember my friends who were fans of the film would refer to "Allison" as "Missy" because that's the closest thing in the script to a name.

This would go against the spirit of the test, of course (Allison is clearly a main character).

It would be a case of the test failing the movie rather than the other way around.

Allison is referred to by name a few times. Claire asks Bender if he would ever take Allison to one of his heavy metal vomit parties, and Brian calls her by name when they're talking about her running away.

claire functions as a stand in for patriarchy. it is a male power fantasy, john hughes is talking to all young women, using claire to initiate allison into an identity where social acceptance and appearance are more important than self expression and personal growth.

it is what john hughes think girls talk about and what he thinks about women who are on the outside. that all they need is a little bit of makeup then boys will like them. this is not a conversation about womanhood or about women. it is not even a conversation between two women when you consider it was written by one man.

there should be a special place for films like these that pass but only on a very unsatisfying technicality.

feminist limbo?