Bechdel Test Movie List

I've never seen a movie fail the Bechdel Test so spectacularly before. Not only was there not a single named female character, I can't even remember a female character talking, ever. Very much a movie focused on male society. That doesn't make it a bad movie, but the total lack of women is a bit jarring.

True, but interestingly, it is based on a novel by a female author, Rosemary Sutcliff.

I'm not surprised that this movie fails the test since the original novel had no significant female characters. So, not an excuse per se, but no base to develop from.

Interestingly enough, the movie actually cut out a fairly main female character from the book. The lead male in this movie becomes friends with his neighbor in the book, who is a girl, and it also involves the girl's nanny. Had this been kept in, the movie could have at least gotten a 1/3 rating.

True, no female character in this film, but I think it's justified. Not all stories should automatically involve women, it's a historical(-ish) movie about the Roman Empire! I mean, it is a story about two particular men, none of which could have been replaced by a female character, at a time when women were not much except mothers, lovers or goddesses. And actually I was pretty relieved to see that FOR ONCE there were no female love interest that would have been just hanging there for the purpose of satisfying romance-seekers and make sure every one knows the main character is interested in straight sex.

Come now, Mark. Haven't you seen "Master and Commander"? Pretty much the same story. ;)