Movies that do not pass the reverse Bechdel Test

Submitted by karliboyy t3_z8lud3 in movies

So yesterday I got to watch "All about my Mother" by Pedro Almodóvar at the cinema and kinda fell in love with it. After thinking about it, I realized that it probably wouldn't pass a reverse Bechdel Test. Because I am a Letterboxd Nerd and love listing things, I would like to make a list of movies that do the same thing.

For the ones who forgot or don't know, a movie only passes the Bechdel Test if it meets the following requirements:

  • The movie has to have at least two women in it
  • who talk to each other
  • about something other than a man

So again, what I am looking for are movies that DO NOT pass a reverse Bechdel Test. Thus, a movie which meets the following requirements:

  • The movie DOES NOT have at least two men in it
  • If it does have two men, they do NOT talk to each other
  • If they do talk to each other, it's ONLY about women

Thank you to everyone in advance :)

EDIT: Extra points for movies that are enjoyable ^^

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RyzenRaider t1_iyc7cs7 wrote

Everything Everywhere All at Once might fail it. Most of the characters only talk to Evelyn or Joy, so most male interactions don't pass the 2nd point. There's a dirty laundromat customer that talks about his wife's perfume. Waymond talks to Joy and Evelyn, but I don't think he exchanges dialogue (meaning each says something to the other in a conversation) with Gong Gong.

The other jumpers don't talk to each other either either. I might be missing a small moment, but I don't think the movie passes.

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karliboyy OP t1_iyc7oqj wrote

Wow good take. Thanks a lot! I have seen it a couple of month ago but never would have realized I guess!

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RyzenRaider t1_iycf48m wrote

It's a quirk of the Bechdel test. Great movies, even feminist films can fail the test. It's more a measure of the industry over time, and how much variety and depth exists within female roles.

I believe Aliens and T2 - both classic feminist films - fail the test. Aliens is debatable, based on how you define the dialog requirement (Ripley talks to the marines about aliens, Vasquez says she just needs to know where they are, but Ripley doesn't really respond to this. So Ripley was talking to the group and didn't reciprocate Vasquez). Newt doesn't count because she's considered a child rather than a woman).

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reatter t1_iycfmzl wrote

>Newt doesn't count because she's considered a child rather than a woman

Ha, ageist! /s

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karliboyy OP t1_iycg9ca wrote

Thanks again :) I dont believe any of the named criterias will lead to good or bad movies. I just think its an interesting thought experiment and as you said sometimes a good measure of variety and depth female roles in movies.

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Waste-Replacement232 t1_iycx7qr wrote

What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? There’s a scene in the second prologue with two men taking but only about Blanche and Jane’s careers.

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ManInBlack829 t1_iycbueh wrote

I would venture a few of the Hallmark Christmas movies do this.

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karliboyy OP t1_iycc7px wrote

A genre you can hunt me with, but you're probably right ^^

Thanks :)

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tregorman t1_iyd8hym wrote

Portrait of a lady on fire

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thedudeisalwayshere t1_iyd8w3m wrote

The Descent doesn't pass the reverse Bechdel Test.

There's only one man in it very briefly at the start. Other than that it's just woman.

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superpervert t1_iyc5shr wrote

Thelma and Louise And I think Steel Magnolias Probably lots of similar films like The Joy Luck Club.

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Nakajin13 t1_iycf2vv wrote

On the top of my head the last two Sciamma would pass it I think (Little Mother, Portait of a Lady on fire). Not sure about the one before that (Girlhood), but if it dosen't it's as close as you can get.

After Love of Aleem Khan would pass it too, altough most conversations are about men, it just has a single male side character.

Great movie in each case.

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DoopSlayer t1_iyd0vyg wrote

The Sweetest Things I think fails both Bechdel and reverse Bechdel test which is quite the accomplishment

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Ganglebot t1_iycqrqd wrote

I'm pretty sure most of those women-in-prison movies, like Chained Heat, wouldn't pass this test.

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LonePirate t1_iyde22y wrote

The two Sex and the City movies probably qualify but it has been several years since I have seen either one. The first one is far more enjoyable than the second one.

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yallscrazy t1_iyf1eqr wrote

Most Shakespeare plays, those damn Renaissance Europeans and their matriarchy!!!

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Novel-Various t1_iyfc1y1 wrote

I think Resurrection (2022) and Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) might fit the criteria. I can't remember if any men talk to each other in them. Also I don't get why you're being downvoted, this is a fun prompt I hadn't considered before!

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jaltsukoltsu t1_iyc6nsp wrote

Is there a movie that does pass it?

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karliboyy OP t1_iyc704m wrote

Yeah as I said I believe "All about my mother" does match the criteria. Is got a couple of male roles, like the son 3 doctors the theater director and actor and the father but they never talk to each other I think.

And I havent seen the movies u/superpervert talked about but they might pass it to :)

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Michael__Pemulis t1_iycqolw wrote

Speaking of Almodóvar, have you seen Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown?

I think that’s his masterpiece.

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karliboyy OP t1_iycrncy wrote

The only other movie Ive seen from him is "The skin I live in".

Thanks a lot! Went directly into my watchlist :)

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JugendWolf t1_iyfahvw wrote

Almodóvar's Volver probably also fails the reverse Bechdel.

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jaltsukoltsu t1_iyc7cei wrote

Ah I was confused because I thought that the reverse Bechdel test referred to movies that met the criteria you specified.

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karliboyy OP t1_iyc7ikx wrote

Oh I get your point ^^ Lots of reversing and twisting

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[deleted] t1_iyc79c6 wrote

[deleted]

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karliboyy OP t1_iyc7dx4 wrote

No urgent need just find it interesting. Can you explain me why you think this post is weird?

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Nacknack26 t1_iycc0k3 wrote

The woman (2008) doesn't pass the test, but the movie isn't really good. Man still have a prominent role in the plot and control the woman's life without being on screen. They about man a a lot. But it passes regular bechdel test and doesn't pass the reverse bechdel test.

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karliboyy OP t1_iycck9h wrote

Thanks :) I guess the challenge is to find movies that actually both meet the criteria and are enjoyable

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JugendWolf t1_iyf9yln wrote

The 2008 version is based on a stage play from 1936 and is actually the second adaptation. The 1939 original by George Cukor is VERY enjoyable. Over 130 female speaking roles, not one man.

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RagingAcid t1_iye0zxz wrote

Does taken technically pass?

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karliboyy OP t1_iye7kbf wrote

Thanks :) gotta check that

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RagingAcid t1_iye8dwy wrote

Yeah watch it and lemme know

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karliboyy OP t1_iyemlym wrote

Okay just started watching it and it fails the criteria within the second scene where he buys the gift ^^ maybe we had a miscommunication. I am looking for movies that don’t pass a reversed test

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RagingAcid t1_iyeo6k8 wrote

But its for his daughter no?

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karliboyy OP t1_iyeore9 wrote

Yeah but he’s not really saying that to the man. And when he takes the security job. He also talked a lot with his friends. Also about is daughter and the singer but not only. I’ll keep watching tho :D

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RagingAcid t1_iyepiun wrote

Fair enough, its been about a year sincs ive seen it

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karliboyy OP t1_iyetd03 wrote

Okay definitely not matching the criteria. Obviously the bigger cause is always the daughter but lots of talking about between men. But thanks tho 🙏 you gave me a pleasant movie night

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[deleted] t1_iyejr8y wrote

[deleted]

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karliboyy OP t1_iyel1zv wrote

Yes but I am looking for movies that don’t pass :)

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