Bechdel Test Movie List

Princess Leia and Aunt Beru are the only named female characters in the movie, but they never meet.

Even though there's no way this movie passes the test, at least Leia has some political and moral concerns that don't specifically have to do with men and/or romance, and doesn't always defer to her male companions in decision-making. Not too bad for a '70's movie, even if (despite the presence of Aunt Beru) she is kind of a "Smurfette" character.

Can someone please change the title to Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope?

Thanks!
bjc

Agreed on 1 out of 3.

It's a shame that all the various cuts and extended footage don't impact this either.

what about mon mothma?
Doesn't leia and mon mothma interact regarding the plans to destroy the death star? Or am i remembering wrong?

Agree with the rating.

In regards to the character of Mon Mothma, she was in Return of the Jedi, but did not appear in the 1977 film. So yes, there was a scene with her discussing destroying the death star, but not in this movie.

I agree in practical terms but as the Mon Motha comments indicate there's a bit of a grey area here. Mon Motha and Leia clearly do speak in the context of the story, they just don't do it on screen. There are at least two events we see which demonstrate they have spoken: 1.) Leia gets the plans and delivers them to the rebel commander --> Mon Motha briefs the fighters on the plans and stresses that people have died getting them. 2.) Leia is on the dais at the end with Mon Motha distributing medals to those who fought at the battle of the Death Star.

I think it's also worth mentioning that while the story starts out as "rescuing the princess from the castle" once she is rescued her branch of it turns into a "wise ruler" story (one who disguises herself and goes to work on the front lines.) This doesn't diminish the fact that this film is about Luke's hero journey, but I think it is the kind of film we want more of, not less.

Well, there's always a bit of a gray area but "female characters most likely having had a conversation inbetween scenes" is definitely not a reason to give any movie a pass.

@bjc:
No, because this film is simply called "Star Wars" :P

Wasn't the movie revised/reedited somewhat in the 1980s or 1990? I don;t remember the original version having another woman show up at the fighter base or on the dias.

Funny thing is that a 40 minutes kids show parody passes the test. Phineas and Ferb - star wars special totally passes. Isabella and the fireside girls have a real conversation that's not about men and there are five named female characters. sorry Gorge :)

Part of the problem with Star Wars and The Test is that it doesn't really have THAT many characters in it, with the exception of the two major military organizations, and this was made at a time when including women in the military probably would have come across as artificial and forced (though it would have been pretty visionary).

Luckily Princess Leia makes up for this being a 1/3 all on her own. "Somebody has to save our skins!"

Agree with the rating.

Several people have asked about Mon Mothma. While she may have been written into the back story, she does not appear anywhere on the screen is Star Wars Episode IV. Her only appearance in the original trilogy is in Episode VI. She also appears in Episode III and the Clone Wars.

@Serenity you're muddling up 2 films. Leia gets the plans for the first Death Star, not the second. An unnamed woman (later named Mon Mothma) in RotJ tells us of the second Death Stars plans. Leia is the only female handing out medals after the Battle of Yavin (first Death Star), no medals are awarded after the Battle of Endor (second Death Star)

Sadly it doesn't pass by any means. On the plus Princess Leia is the leading force in the second half of this movie and directs the 2 main male leads into the path for the rest of the film.

No conversations appear in the film and therefore it cannot pass the test.

It is my favourite movie BTW!

PEOPLE!
Mon Mothma was not in Star Wars. She was in Return of the Jedi. C'mon that's like basic geek trivia.

Also I agree the movie was overall very male-centric, which is a shame because George Lucas also made American Graffiti which is a lot better in terms of representation. Having said that there is one very strong capable female character who clearly handles herself well and is an excellent representation of early movie feminism that's not a joke, like Barbarella or Myra Breckinridge.