Passes the Bechdel test

Memoirs of a Geisha

Name: Memoirs of a Geisha
Released: 2005

2005. Directed by Rob Marshall, written by Robin Swicord and Arthur Golden.

The Bechdel test

Bechdel score

3 / 3

Passes

Yes 1. At least two women
38 women characters. 14 of them speak.
Yes 2. Who talk to each other
In 20 scenes out of 129.
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

In the 1920s, 9-year-old Chiyo Sakamoto is sold to a geisha house where she is forced into servitude, receiving nothing in return until the house's ruling hierarchy determines whether she is of high-enough quality to service the clientele--men who visit and pay for conversation, dance, and song. After rigorous years of training and with World War II imminent, Chiyo becomes Sayuri Nitta, a geisha of incredible beauty and influence.

Released: 23 Dec 2005
Genres: Drama, Romance
Rated: PG-13
IMDb: 7.3 / 10
Metascore: 54 / 100
Awards: Won 3 Oscars. 32 wins & 47 nominations total
Elsewhere: View on IMDb

Starring, by lines spoken

Women
Men
Not in the cast list
Bigger name, more lines

Sayuri 132 lines, woman
Mameha 107 lines, woman
Mother 66 lines, woman
Hatsumomo 56 lines, woman
Chairman 48 lines, man
Chiyo 48 lines, woman
Pumpkin 47 lines, woman
Nobu 37 lines, man
Auntie 29 lines, woman
Derricks 15 lines, man

Full cast, 132 people

Zhang Ziyi as Sayuri
Gong Li as Hatsumomo
Michelle Yeoh as Mameha
Ken Watanabe as Chairman
Suzuka Ohgo as Chiyo
Kaori Momoi as Mother
Koji Yakusho as Nobu
Youki Kudoh as Pumpkin
Togo Igawa as Tanaka
Mako as Sakamoto
Samantha Futerman as Satsu
Elizabeth Sung as Sakamoto's Wife
Thomas Ikeda as Mr. Bekku
Tsai Chin as Auntie
Zoe Weizenbaum as Young Pumpkin
David Okihiro as Shamisen Teacher
Miyako Tachibana as Dance Teacher
Kotoko Kawamura as Granny
Karl Yune as Koichi
Eugenia Yuan as Korin
Yoko Narahashi as Mameha's Maid
Kenneth Tsang as The General
Navia Nguyen as Izuko - Geisha in Green
Natsuo Tomita as Geisha in Lavender
Fumi Akutagawa as Yukimoto Teahouse Matron
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as The Baron
Koji Toyoda as Male Hairdresser
Rick Mali as Man in Grey Hat
Steve Terada as Boy on Bike
Laura Miro as Yukimoto Teahouse Geisha / Spring Festival Dancer
Diane Mizota as Yukimoto Teahouse Geisha / Spring Festival Dancer
Yasusuke Uike as Sumo Referee
Shûhei Mainoumi as Small Sumo Wrestler
Daisuke Dewaarashi as Large Sumo Wrestler
Ren Urano as Sumo Ring Announcer
Ace Yonamine as Sumo Wrestler
Anthony Begonia as Sumo Wrestler
Albert 'Sumo' Lee as Sumo Wrestler
Dino Rivera as Sumo Wrestler
Randall Duk Kim as Dr. Crab
Takayo Fischer as Tanizato Teahouse Owner
Asako Takasue as Tanizato Teahouse Matron
Clarissa Park as Dancer at Party
Nobu Matsuhisa as Kimono Artist
James Taku Leung as Kimono Factory Worker
Chad Cleven as Drunken G.I.
Richard J. Bell as Drunken G.I.
Cameron Duncan as Drunken G.I.
Faith Shin as Little Kiko
Brannon Bates as Military Police Officer
Ted Levine as Colonel Derricks
Paul Adelstein as Lieutenant Hutchins
Shizuko Hoshi as Sayuri Narration (voice)
Michelle Aguilar Camaya as Spring Festival Dancer
Janelle Dote as Spring Festival Dancer
Kim Hazel as Spring Festival Dancer
Ashia Meyers as Spring Festival Dancer
Hikari as Spring Festival Dancer
Shiho Miyazawa as Spring Festival Dancer
Minae Noji as Spring Festival Dancer
Mami Saito as Spring Festival Dancer
Shannon Abero as Festival Rehearsal Dancer
Kiyoko Ando as Festival Rehearsal Dancer
Miki Fujitani as Festival Rehearsal Dancer
Chieko Hidaka as Festival Rehearsal Dancer
Wendy Lam as Festival Rehearsal Dancer
Kana Miyamoto as Festival Rehearsal Dancer
Brooke Miyasaki as Festival Rehearsal Dancer
Nao Nojima as Festival Rehearsal Dancer
Shelly Oto as Festival Rehearsal Dancer
Nikki Tuazon as Festival Rehearsal Dancer
Addie Yungmee as Festival Rehearsal Dancer
Cassidy Adams as Student Dancer
Lena Ahn as Student Dancer
Allison Chan as Student Dancer
Deziree Del Rosario as Student Dancer
Emilie Endow as Student Dancer
Rosie Endow as Student Dancer
Hannah Hwang as Student Dancer
Emma Fusako Ishii as Student Dancer
Amy Saki Kawakami as Student Dancer
Stefani Lee as Student Dancer
Teanna Lee as Student Dancer
Melissa Morinishi as Student Dancer
Michelle Obi as Student Dancer
Kasey Okazaki as Student Dancer
Jacqueline Osaki as Student Dancer
Ayaka Oyama as Student Dancer
Jade Refuerzo as Student Dancer
La Na Shi as Student Dancer
Stacy Suzuki as Student Dancer
Miwa Tachibana as Student Dancer
Jordan Tambara as Student Dancer
Shaye Uyematsu as Student Dancer
Etsuo Hongo as Shamisen Musician
Tateo Takahashi as Shamisen Musician
Masakazu Yoshizawa as Shamisen Musician
Kazumi Aihara as The Baron's Guest (uncredited)
Jennie Baek as Geisha (uncredited)
Yuki Bird as Wealthy Guest (uncredited)
Michael Chen as Rickshaw Driver (uncredited)
Allen Dam as Spa Patron (uncredited)
Maggie Hai-Uyen as Guest of the Baron (uncredited)
James Huang as Spa Worker (uncredited)
Masa Kanome as Radio Caster (uncredited)
Branden Weslee Kong as Rickshaw Driver (uncredited)
Aurelie Kyinn as Wealthy Guest (uncredited)
Ruffy Landayan as Military Soldier (uncredited)
Teddy Lau as Noodle Chef (uncredited)
Stacey Lee as Maiko (uncredited)
Jon Liggett as Drunken G.I. (uncredited)
Julia Ling as Spring Festival Dancer (uncredited)
Jia Mae as Sexy Geisha (uncredited)
Tohoru Masamune as Radio Announcer (uncredited)
Danton Mew as Takamaya Towel Servant (uncredited)
Doug Ming as Fisherman (uncredited)
Ryan Moriarty as Teahouse Patron (uncredited)
Skye Nakamura as Teahouse Owner (uncredited)
Sophie Oda as Kimono Factory Worker (uncredited)
Ricky Pak as Spa Patron (uncredited)
Steffinnie Phrommany as Geisha (uncredited)
Catherine Kim Poon as Geisha (uncredited)
Osamu Saito as Chairman's servant Arima (uncredited)
Jasper Salon as Tea House Patron (uncredited)
Austin Michael Scott as Drunken G.I. (uncredited)
Cathy Shim as The Baron's Guest (uncredited)
Steve Sornbutnark as Attendee (uncredited)
Clara Soyoung as Hanamachi St. Geisha (uncredited)
Aaron Takahashi as Rickshaw Runner (uncredited)
Ray Tom as Spa Patron (uncredited)
Henry T. Yamada as Sumo Judge (uncredited)
Joseph Steven Yang as Spa Patron (uncredited)

Who talks, scene by scene

Lines of dialogue in every 3 scenes, start to finish. Women above the line, men below. 3% of lines come from characters we couldn't match to the cast list and aren't shown.

Women

Men

Scene 1 Scene 129

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	7
4 to 6	1	7
7 to 9	0	0
10 to 12	26	3
13 to 15	8	0
16 to 18	21	0
19 to 21	10	0
22 to 24	14	0
25 to 27	10	0
28 to 30	1	0
31 to 33	0	0
34 to 36	25	4
37 to 39	0	0
40 to 42	9	0
43 to 45	7	12
46 to 48	9	1
49 to 51	0	0
52 to 54	0	0
55 to 57	43	0
58 to 60	27	1
61 to 63	0	0
64 to 66	1	0
67 to 69	6	0
70 to 72	4	0
73 to 75	18	6
76 to 78	30	17
79 to 81	26	11
82 to 84	40	0
85 to 87	11	0
88 to 90	5	0
91 to 93	15	11
94 to 96	37	0
97 to 99	11	0
100 to 102	11	14
103 to 105	12	1
106 to 108	16	0
109 to 111	21	28
112 to 114	12	9
115 to 117	8	2
118 to 120	6	1
121 to 123	0	2
124 to 126	4	0
127 to 129	10	6

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.

CHIYO: Satsu! SATSU: Chiyo-chan!

CHIYO: Let me go! Let me go! YOUNG PUMPKIN: Shhh. Stop that. Mother will hear you; she's got a bamboo stick. CHIYO: I want my sister! YOUNG PUMPKIN: I cried, too, at first. You know, it 'is easier if you just forget everything that happened before you came to the okiya. If you impress Mot…

CHIYO: A what? HATSUMOMO: Why can't you be QUIET?

CHIYO: When can I go outside? YOUNG PUMPKIN: Outside the okiya? You can't. It's not allowed. YOUNG PUMPKIN: Look.

PUMPKIN: Hurry! CHIYO: Pumpkin! I'm sorry; I'm going to run-- I'm going to find Satsu-- YOUNG PUMPKIN: No! Chiyo, don't! You will ruin your own chances, and mine too! Please. Stay with me! PUMPKIN: Mite, mite!

Exhibit B: every 100 lines

Out of every 100 lines with a known speaker, 78 are women's.

515 lines from women, 143 from men.

Women
Men

Exhibit C: who's in it

38 women and 29 men in the cast. 14 women and 13 men from it get lines.

Characters

With lines

Women
Men

Exhibit D: who gets heard

The first woman speaks at line 18 of 677. The longest stretch with no woman speaking runs 17 lines.

Every line of dialogue, first to last

First line by a woman
Longest stretch with no woman speaking

Words spoken

Women speak 74% of the words (5,325), men 26% (1,844). Women have 78% 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

Two men

Exhibit F: behind the camera

5 of the 13 people in these jobs are women. Across the whole crew, 30% of the people whose gender is listed are women.

Directed by: Rob Marshall (man)
Written by: Robin Swicord (woman)
From the novel by: Arthur Golden (man)
Produced by: Steven Spielberg (man), Lucy Fisher (woman), Douglas Wick (man)
Shot by: Dion Beebe (man)
Edited by: Pietro Scalia (man)
Music by: John Williams (man)
Production design by: John Myhre (man)
Costumes by: Colleen Atwood (woman)
Cast by: Nina Henninger (woman), Francine Maisler (woman)