Passes the Bechdel test
Les Misérables
2012. Directed by Tom Hooper, written by William Nicholson and Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg.
The Bechdel test
Bechdel score
3 / 3
Passes
-
Yes
1. At least two women
55 women characters. 16 of them speak. -
Yes
2. Who talk to each other
In 2 scenes out of 131. -
Yes
3. About something besides a man
In those scenes, our script parser found no man named. See the scene.
Second opinion
Agree bechdeltest.com readers give it 3 out of 3.
The film
Jean Valjean, known as Prisoner 24601, is released from prison and breaks parole to create a new life for himself while evading the grip of the persistent Inspector Javert. Set in post-revolutionary France, the story reaches resolution against the background of the June Rebellion.
- Released
- 25 Dec 2012
- Genres
- Drama, Musical, Romance
- Rated
- PG-13
- IMDb
- 7.5 / 10
- Metascore
- 63 / 100
- Awards
- Won 3 Oscars. 85 wins & 177 nominations total
- Elsewhere
- View on IMDb
Starring, by lines spoken
- Women
- Men
- Not in the cast list
- Bigger name, more lines
- Valjean 132 lines, man
- Marius 73 lines, man
- Javert 62 lines, man
- Thenardier 53 lines, man
- Fantine 41 lines, woman
- Enjolras 40 lines, man
- Eponine 37 lines, woman
- Cosette 33 lines, woman
- Madame Thenardier 24 lines, woman
- Gavroche 18 lines, man
Full cast, 211 people
- Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean
- Russell Crowe as Javert
- Amanda Seyfried as Cosette
- Anne Hathaway as Fantine
- Eddie Redmayne as Marius Pontmercy
- Sacha Baron Cohen as Monsieur Thénardier
- Helena Bonham Carter as Madame Thénardier
- Aaron Tveit as Enjolras
- Samantha Barks as Éponine Thénardier
- Daniel Huttlestone as Gavroche
- Fra Fee as Courfeyrac
- Hugh Skinner as Joly
- Alistair Brammer as Prouvaire
- Killian Donnelly as Combeferre
- Adam Pearce as Brujon
- Ian Pirie as Babet
- Tim Downie as Brevet
- Bertie Carvel as Bamatabois
- Colm Wilkinson as Bishop
- Michael Jibson as Foreman
- Isabelle Allen as Young Cosette
- Natalya Wallace as Young Éponine
- Tony Rohr as Overseer
- Richard Dixon as Mairie Officer
- Andy Beckwith as Innkeeper
- Stephen Bent as Jailer
- Heather Chasen as Madame Magloire
- Georgie Glen as Madame Baptistine
- Andrew Havill as Cochepaille
- Stephen Tate as Fauchelevent
- Nicola Sloane as Hair Crone
- Daniel Evans as Pimp
- Adrian Scarborough as Toothman
- David Cann as Magistrate
- Dick Ward as Bamatabois' Valet
- Keith Dunphy as Client
- Ashley Artus as Pawn Broker
- Cavin Cornwall as Convict 1
- Josef Altin as Convict 2
- David Hawley as Convict 3
- Adam Jones as Convict 4
- John Barr as Convict 5
- Paul Thornley as Constable 1
- Paul Howell as Constable 2
- Kate Fleetwood as Factory Woman 1
- Hannah Waddingham as Factory Woman 2
- Clare Foster as Factory Woman 3
- Kirsty Hoiles as Factory Woman 4
- Jenna Boyd as Factory Woman 5
- Alice Fearn as Factory Woman 6
- Alison Tennant as Factory Woman 7
- Marilyn Cutts as Factory Woman 8
- Cathy Breeze as Factory Woman 9
- John Albasiny as Factory Onlooker
- David Stoller as Sailor 1
- Ross McCormack as Sailor 2
- Jaygann Ayeh as Sailor 3
- Julia Worsley as Head Whore
- Frances Ruffelle as Whore 1
- Lynne Wilmot as Whore 2
- Charlotte Spencer as Whore 3
- John Surman as Organ Grinder
- James Simmons as Champmathieu
- Polly Kemp as Nursing Sister
- Julian Bleach as Claquesous
- Marc Pickering as Montparnasse
- Phil Snowden as Customer 1
- Hadrian Delacey as Customer 2
- Lottie Steer as Baby
- Sam Parks as Tall Customer
- Mark Donovan as Portly Customer
- Lewis Kirk as Handsome Soldier 1
- Leighton Rafferty as Handsome Soldier 2
- Peter Mair as Father Christmas 1
- Jack Chissick as Father Christmas 2
- Norma Atallah as Mother Whore
- Dianne Pilkington as Inn Whore 1
- Robyn North as Inn Whore 2
- Patrick Godfrey as Gillenormand
- Mark Roper as Citizen
- Paul Leonard as Citizen
- Miles Roughley as Gavroche's Urchin
- Cameron Strefford as Gavroche's Urchin
- Alfie Davis as Gavroche's Urchin
- Joseph West as Gavroche's Urchin
- Joel Phillimore as Beggar 1
- Jacqueline Dankworth as Beggar 2
- Amelia Jefford as Beggar 3
- Chris Barnes as Beggar 4
- Richard Cordery as Duc De Raguse
- Gabriel Vick as Feuilly
- George Blagden as Grantaire
- Stuart Neal as Lesgles
- Iwan Lewis as Bahorel
- Katy Secombe as Madame Hucheloup
- Michael Sarne as Father Mabeuf
- John Warnaby as Majordomo
- Freya Parks as Café Barmaid
- Hadley Fraser as Army Officer
- Linzi Hateley as Turning Woman 1
- Gemma Wardle as Turning Woman 2
- Gina Beck as Turning Woman 3
- Katie Hall as Turning Woman 4
- Lisa Hull as Turning Woman 5
- Andrea Deck as Turning Woman 6
- Jessica Duncan as Turning Woman 7
- Kerry Ingram as Turning Woman 8
- Richard Bremmer as Ensemble 'At the End of the Day'
- Leslie Csuth as Ensemble 'At the End of the Day'
- Eleanor Bruce as Ensemble 'At the End of the Day'
- Emma Dukes as Ensemble 'At the End of the Day'
- Stephen Matthews as Ensemble 'At the End of the Day'
- Peter Saracen as Ensemble 'At the End of the Day'
- Sebastian Sykes as Ensemble 'At the End of the Day'
- Phil Zimmerman as Ensemble 'At the End of the Day'
- Bessie Carter as Ensemble Factory Women
- Helen Cotterill as Ensemble Factory Women
- Tricia Deighton as Ensemble Factory Women
- Mandy Holliday as Ensemble Factory Women
- Charlotte Hope as Ensemble Factory Women
- Jackie Marks as Ensemble Factory Women
- Sara Pelosi as Ensemble Factory Women
- Mary Roscoe as Ensemble Factory Women
- Amelia Scaramucci as Ensemble Factory Women
- Caroline Sheen as Ensemble Factory Women
- Rachael Archer as Ensemble 'Lovely Ladies'
- Lorna Brown as Ensemble 'Lovely Ladies'
- Antonia Clarke as Ensemble 'Lovely Ladies'
- Mary Cormack as Ensemble 'Lovely Ladies'
- Sonya Cullingford as Ensemble 'Lovely Ladies'
- Holly Dale Spencer as Ensemble 'Lovely Ladies'
- Amy Griffiths as Ensemble 'Lovely Ladies'
- Fania Grigoriou as Ensemble 'Lovely Ladies'
- Amanda Henderson as Ensemble 'Lovely Ladies'
- Alexia Khadime as Ensemble 'Lovely Ladies'
- Luisa Lazzaro as Ensemble 'Lovely Ladies'
- Gemma O'Duffy as Ensemble 'Lovely Ladies'
- Amy Ellen Richardson as Ensemble 'Lovely Ladies'
- Olivia Rose-Aaron as Ensemble 'Lovely Ladies'
- Robyn Miranda Simpson as Ensemble 'Lovely Ladies'
- Rachel Stanley as Ensemble 'Lovely Ladies' / Ensemble Wedding Dancer
- Nancy Sullivan as Ensemble 'Lovely Ladies'
- Rebecca Sutherland as Ensemble 'Lovely Ladies'
- Tabitha Webb as Ensemble 'Lovely Ladies'
- Gerard Bentall as Ensemble 'Master of the House'
- Tony Bignell as Ensemble 'Master of the House'
- Michael Cahill as Ensemble 'Master of the House'
- Richard Colson as Ensemble 'Master of the House'
- Kerry Ellis as Ensemble 'Master of the House'
- Simon Fisher-Becker as Ensemble 'Master of the House'
- Sarah Flind as Ensemble 'Master of the House'
- Kelly-Anne Gower as Ensemble 'Master of the House'
- James Greene as Ensemble 'Master of the House'
- Nick Holder as Ensemble 'Master of the House'
- Chris Howell as Ensemble 'Master of the House'
- Alison Jiear as Ensemble 'Master of the House'
- Terence Keely as Ensemble 'Master of the House'
- Martin Marquez as Ensemble 'Master of the House'
- Sally Mates as Ensemble 'Master of the House'
- Jeff Nicholson as Ensemble 'Master of the House'
- Adam Searles as Ensemble 'Master of the House'
- Simon Shorten as Ensemble 'Master of the House'
- Juliet Alderice as Ensemble Paris Beggars
- Sean Buckley as Ensemble Paris Beggars
- Valerie Cutko as Ensemble Paris Beggars
- Spike Grimsey as Ensemble Paris Beggars
- Matt Harrop as Ensemble Paris Beggars
- Georgina Jackson as Ensemble Paris Beggars
- Perry Millward as Ensemble Paris Beggars
- Phil Philmar as Ensemble Paris Beggars
- Joyce Springer as Ensemble Paris Beggars
- Julie Stark as Ensemble Paris Beggars
- Dominic Applewhite as Ensemble Student
- Matthew Corner as Ensemble Student
- Andy Coxon as Ensemble Student
- Jonathan Dudley as Ensemble Student
- Rhidian Marc as Ensemble Student
- Chris Milford as Ensemble Student
- Jamie Muscato as Ensemble Student
- Joseph Peters as Ensemble Student
- David Roberts as Ensemble Student
- Stevee Davies as Ensemble Student
- Jonny Purchase as Ensemble Student
- Matt Seadon Young as Ensemble Student
- Jos Slovick as Ensemble Student
- Matthew Seadon-Young as Ensemble student
- Samuel J. Weir as Ensemble Student
- Sophie Huchinson as Ensemble Turning Women
- Ella Hunt as Ensemble Turning Women
- Claire Machin as Ensemble Turning Women
- Brenda Moore as Ensemble Turning Women
- Mischa Purnell as Ensemble Turning Women
- Annette Yeo as Ensemble Turning Women
- Josephine Darvill-Mills as Ensemble Wedding Dancer
- Jennifer Essex as Ensemble Wedding Dancer
- Vicky Evans as Ensemble Wedding Dancer
- Edward Lewis French as Ensemble Wedding Dancer
- Nigel Garton as Ensemble Wedding Dancer
- Lynn Jezzard as Ensemble Wedding Dancer
- Nicholas Keegan as Ensemble Wedding Dancer
- Steve Kirkham as Ensemble Wedding Dancer
- Vanessa Lee Hicks as Ensemble Wedding Dancer
- Ian Parsons as Ensemble Wedding Dancer
- Gemma Payne as Ensemble Wedding Dancer
- Clinten Pearce as Ensemble Wedding Dancer
- Claire Piquemal as Ensemble Wedding Dancer
- Aaron Sillis as Ensemble Wedding Dancer
- Ian Waller as Ensemble Wedding Dancer
- Joshua Wichard as French Grenadier Undercover Policeman (uncredited)
- Kevin Hudson as Convict (uncredited)
- Nathanjohn Carter as French Grenadier (uncredited)
Who talks, scene by scene
Lines of dialogue in every 3 scenes, start to finish. Women above the line, men below. 12% of lines come from characters we couldn't match to the cast list and aren't shown.
Women
Men
Scene 1 Scene 131
Hover, tap or tab to a bar to see those scenes: where they happen and who's talking.
Show the numbers
| Scenes | Women's lines | Men's lines |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | 0 | 17 |
| 4 to 6 | 0 | 4 |
| 7 to 9 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 to 12 | 0 | 2 |
| 13 to 15 | 0 | 9 |
| 16 to 18 | 0 | 8 |
| 19 to 21 | 0 | 4 |
| 22 to 24 | 0 | 1 |
| 25 to 27 | 29 | 24 |
| 28 to 30 | 15 | 10 |
| 31 to 33 | 14 | 4 |
| 34 to 36 | 12 | 35 |
| 37 to 39 | 0 | 1 |
| 40 to 42 | 0 | 5 |
| 43 to 45 | 9 | 20 |
| 46 to 48 | 6 | 10 |
| 49 to 51 | 0 | 1 |
| 52 to 54 | 0 | 5 |
| 55 to 57 | 0 | 4 |
| 58 to 60 | 9 | 15 |
| 61 to 63 | 6 | 7 |
| 64 to 66 | 0 | 0 |
| 67 to 69 | 0 | 9 |
| 70 to 72 | 0 | 19 |
| 73 to 75 | 11 | 23 |
| 76 to 78 | 4 | 32 |
| 79 to 81 | 17 | 30 |
| 82 to 84 | 8 | 8 |
| 85 to 87 | 2 | 2 |
| 88 to 90 | 5 | 2 |
| 91 to 93 | 0 | 9 |
| 94 to 96 | 1 | 13 |
| 97 to 99 | 9 | 48 |
| 100 to 102 | 0 | 8 |
| 103 to 105 | 0 | 39 |
| 106 to 108 | 0 | 20 |
| 109 to 111 | 0 | 0 |
| 112 to 114 | 0 | 1 |
| 115 to 117 | 0 | 19 |
| 118 to 120 | 10 | 7 |
| 121 to 123 | 5 | 16 |
| 124 to 126 | 12 | 21 |
| 127 to 129 | 4 | 4 |
| 130 to 131 | 5 | 9 |
The evidence
- Straight from the script
- Counted from the script and the credits
Tap an exhibit to open it.
Exhibit A: the passing scenes
The scene our parser counted as passing, word for word.
COSETTE: There is a castle on a cloud I like to go there in my sleep. Aren’t any floors for me to sweep, Not in my castle on a cloud. MADAME THENARDIER: Now look who’s here! The little madam herself, Pretending once again She’s been so awfully good! Better not let me catch you slacking! Bette… MADAME THENARDIER: Eponine, come my dear. Eponine, let me see you. You look very well in that little blue hat! There’s some little girls who know how to behave… MADAME THENARDIER: Still there, Cosette? Your tears will do you no good! I told you to fetch some water from the well in the wood.
MADAME THENARDIER: Watch’em till they drop! THENARDIER/MADAME THENARDIER: Keep your wits about you And you stand on top!
MADAME THENARDIER: Always get our share THENARDIER/MADAME THENARDIER: Clear away the barricades And we’re still there! We know where the wind is blowing Money is the stuff we smell - And when we’re rich as Croe…
Exhibit B: every 100 lines
Out of every 100 lines with a known speaker, 27 are women's.
193 lines from women, 526 from men.
- Women
- Men
Exhibit C: who's in it
55 women and 74 men in the cast. 16 women and 49 men from it get lines.
Characters
With lines
- Women
- Men
Exhibit D: who gets heard
The first woman speaks at line 63 of 819.
The longest stretch with no woman speaking runs 99 lines.
Every line of dialogue, first to last
- First line by a woman
- Longest stretch with no woman speaking
Words spoken
Women speak 25% of the words (2,588), men 75% (7,798). Women have 27% of the lines, so their lines run shorter than men's.
Exhibit E: the test the other way
Two named men talk to each other about something besides a woman. It passes the reverse test.
Conversations between two named characters
Two women
6
Two men
52
Exhibit F: behind the camera
4 of the 16 people in these jobs are women.
Across the whole crew, 25% of the people whose gender is listed are women.
- Directed by
- Tom Hooper (man)
- Written by
- William Nicholson (man), Herbert Kretzmer (man), Alain Boublil (man)
- From the novel by
- Victor Hugo (man)
- Produced by
- Tim Bevan (man), Eric Fellner (man), Cameron Mackintosh (man), Debra Hayward (woman)
- Shot by
- Danny Cohen (man)
- Edited by
- Melanie Oliver (woman), Chris Dickens (man)
- Music by
- Claude-Michel Schönberg (man)
- Production design by
- Eve Stewart (woman)
- Costumes by
- Paco Delgado (man)
- Cast by
- Nina Gold (woman)
The crew, department by department
-
Sound
3 women, 15 men, 5 not listed
-
Art
3 women, 3 men, 9 not listed
-
Production
4 women, 7 men, 3 not listed
-
Costume & Make-Up
6 women, 3 men, 3 not listed
-
Other crew
0 women, 8 men, 1 not listed
-
Visual Effects
0 women, 2 men, 6 not listed
-
Camera
0 women, 5 men, 2 not listed
-
Writing
0 women, 7 men
- Women
- Men
- Gender not listed on TMDB
Exhibit G: how old the stars were
Women: 31 on average. Men: 34 on average.
The top-billed cast, at the film's release.
Women
Samantha Barks 22, Amanda Seyfried 27, Anne Hathaway 30, Helena Bonham Carter 46
Men
Daniel Huttlestone 13, Aaron Tveit 29, Eddie Redmayne 30, Sacha Baron Cohen 41, Hugh Jackman 44, Russell Crowe 48
Exhibit H: the money
It made 7.3 times what it cost.
- Budget
- $61 million
- Box office
- $443 million
From TMDB, not adjusted for inflation.
About this analysis
Our parser read the script: 131 scenes and 819 lines of dialogue. The bechdeltest.com rating comes from that site’s readers. How the test works
