Bechdel Test - Perfume

Name of film
Perfume; the story of a murderer

Were there two or more named women in the film?
No

Did the women talk to each other?
No

... about something other than a man?
No

Was the director male or female?
Male

Where are the women in politics

Last night i was watching Dispatches, about the 1st year of the coalition.

Although women's rep in parliament DID go up in last year's election, from 19 to 22%, we are still lagging behind when it comes to women's voices being heard in government, and the cabinet only has FOUR women in it, one of whom (Baroness Warsi) is not elected. Theresa May, who splits her time between home secretary and equalities officer recently said in response to 'winnergate' that the left should really get a sense of humour.

So, on Dispatches it was hardly surprising that only 4 women were interviewed in the whole hour long show.

No BME people at all were represented.

In some ways this isn't entirely Dispatches fault. After all, if you want to interview cabinet ministers, women are very very absent.

This comes in the week that the representation of women in Bristol City Council went down.

Bechdel Test on four films

So, over a long break i have watched a fair few movies.

Here's the Bechdel Test round up.

Knocked Up
Pass! Two named women characters who talk about something other than the male character. However, they were talking about worrying about aging. This isn't a feminist film but it did have a funny, smart and interesting main female character.

Salt
FAIL! Only one named female character (Salt). However, she is bad-ass, strong, smart, and certainly not a damsel in distress.

Blood Diamond
FAIL! Two named women characters, but they don't talk to each other. However, Maggie is a strong, intelligent, principled woman who is fighting for a better world. So at least she was three dimensional.

Eagle vs Shark
FAIL! Two named female characters but they don't really talk to each other about anything much. However, Lily is a rocking character who is sweet, funny and far more sensible and caring than Jarrod.

So, apart from Knocked Up, which wasn't a particularly pro woman film (as Katherine Heigl famously said) it was a mixed bag of women's rep over Easter.

Also, saw HIGNFY. 4 men, 1 woman. Quelle surprise.