Fails the Bechdel test
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
1983. Directed by Richard Marquand, written by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas.
The Bechdel test
Bechdel score
1 / 3
Fails
-
Yes
1. At least two women
12 women characters. 3 of them speak. -
No
2. Who talk to each other
Our parser found no scene where two women talk to each other. -
No
3. About something besides a man
Not reached: the film fails an earlier rule.
Second opinion
Agree bechdeltest.com readers give it 1 out of 3.
The film
Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) battles horrible Jabba the Hut and cruel Darth Vader to save his comrades in the Rebel Alliance and triumph over the Galactic Empire. Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) reaffirm their love and team with Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), the Ewoks and the androids C-3PO and R2-D2 to aid in the disruption of the Dark Side and the defeat of the evil emperor.
- Released
- 25 May 1983
- Genres
- Action, Adventure, Fantasy
- Rated
- PG
- IMDb
- 8.3 / 10
- Metascore
- 58 / 100
- Awards
- Nominated for 4 Oscars. 25 wins & 23 nominations total
- Elsewhere
- View on IMDb
Starring, by lines spoken
- Women
- Men
- Not in the cast list
- Bigger name, more lines
- Han 127 lines, man
- Luke 110 lines, man
- Threepio 90 lines, man
- Leia 60 lines, woman
- Vader 43 lines, man
- Emperor 39 lines, man
- Lando 38 lines, man
- Jabba 20 lines, man
- Ben 18 lines, man
- Ackbar 14 lines, man
Full cast, 177 people
- Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker
- Harrison Ford as Han Solo
- Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia
- Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian
- Anthony Daniels as C-3PO
- Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca
- Sebastian Shaw as Anakin Skywalker
- Ian McDiarmid as The Emperor
- Frank Oz as Yoda (voice)
- James Earl Jones as Darth Vader (voice)
- David Prowse as Darth Vader
- Alec Guinness as Ben 'Obi-Wan' Kenobi
- Kenny Baker as R2-D2 / Paploo
- Michael Pennington as Moff Jerjerrod
- Kenneth Colley as Admiral Piett
- Michael Carter as Bib Fortuna
- Denis Lawson as Wedge
- Tim Rose as Admiral Ackbar
- Dermot Crowley as General Madine
- Caroline Blakiston as Mon Mothma
- Warwick Davis as Wicket
- Jeremy Bulloch as Boba Fett
- Femi Taylor as Oola
- Annie Arbogast as Sy Snootles
- Claire Davenport as Fat Dancer
- Jack Purvis as Teebo
- Mike Edmonds as Logray
- Jane Busby as Chief Chirpa
- Malcolm Dixon as Ewok Warrior
- Mike Cottrell as Ewok Warrior
- Nicki Reade as Nicki
- Adam Bareham as Jhoff, a traffic control officer on the Executor
- Jonathan Oliver as Stardestroyer Controller #2
- Pip Miller as Stardestroyer Captain #1
- Tom Mannion as Stardestroyer Captain #2
- Margo Apostolos as Ewok Tokkat
- Ray Armstrong as Ewok
- Eileen Baker as Ewok
- Michael Henbury Ballan as Ewok
- Bobby Bell as Ewok
- Patty Bell as Ewok
- Alan Bennett as Ewok
- Sarah Bennett as Ewok
- Pamela Betts as Ewok
- Danny Blackner as Ewok
- Linda Bowley as Ewok
- Peter Burroughs as Ewok
- Debbie Lee Carrington as Romba an Ewok
- Maureen Charlton as Ewok
- Willie Coppen as Ewok
- Sadie Corre as Ewok
- Tony Cox as Ewok Wicket's younger brother Widdle
- John Cumming as Ewok
- Jean D'Agostino as Ewok
- Luis De Jesus as Ewok
- Debbie Dixon as Ewok Wijunkee
- Margarita Fernández as Ewok
- Phil Fondacaro as Ewok
- Sal Fondacaro as Ewok
- Tony Friel as Ewok
- Daniel Frishman as Ewok
- John Ghavan as Ewok
- Michael Gilden as Ewok
- Paul Grant as Ewok
- Lydia Green as Ewok
- Lars Green as Ewok
- Pam Grizz as Ewok
- Andrew Herd as Ewok
- J.J. Jackson as Ewok
- Richard Jones as Ewok
- Trevor Jones as Ewok
- Glynn Jones as Ewok
- Karen Lay as Ewok
- John Lummiss as Ewok
- Nancy MacLean as Ewok
- Peter Mandell as Ewok
- Carole Morris as Ewok
- Stacie Nichols as Ewok
- Chris Nunn as Ewok
- Barbara O'Laughlin as Ewok
- Brian Orenstein as Ewok
- Harrell Parker Jr. as Ewok
- John Pedrick as Ewok
- April Perkins as Ewok
- Ronnie Phillips as Ewok
- Katie Purvis as Ewok
- Carol Read as Ewok
- Nicholas Read as Ewok
- Diana Reynolds as Ewok
- Daniel Rodgers as Ewok Graak
- Chris Romano as Ewok
- Dean Shackelford as Ewok
- Kiran Shah as Ewok
- Felix Silla as Ewok
- Linda Spriggs as Ewok
- Gerald Staddon as Ewok
- Josephine Staddon as Ewok
- Kevin Thompson as Ewok
- Kendra Wall as Ewok
- Brian Wheeler as Ewok
- Butch Wilhelm as Ewok
- Mark Dodson as Salacious B. Crumb
- Simon J. Williamson as Max Rebo
- Richard Bonehill as Nien Nunb
- David Gonzales as Ak-rev
- Peter Roy as Major Olander Brit - Rebel (uncredited)
- Erik Bauersfeld as Bib Fortuna (voice)
- Mike Quinn as Nein Nunb
- Bill Kipsang Rotich as Nein Numb (voice)
- Deep Roy as Droopy McCool
- Alisa Berk as Amanaman
- Hugh Spight as Gameorrean Guard/Elom/Mon Calamari
- Swee Lim as Attark the Hoover
- Richard Robinson as Yuzzum
- Gerald Home as Tessek
- Phil Herbert as Hermi Odle
- Tim Dry as Whiphid
- Sean Crawford as Whiphid
- Phil Tippett as Rancor
- Toby Philpott as Jabba the Hutt
- David Alan Barclay as Jabba the Hutt
- Jasper Jacob as Captain Yorr - Imperial Pilot of ST321
- Peter Allen as Geezum - Member of Jabba's Gang (uncredited)
- John Altman as Rebel Pilot (uncredited)
- Glyn Baker as Lieutenant Endicott - Imperial Officer (uncredited)
- Dickey Beer as Barada / Stormtrooper / Biker Scout (uncredited)
- Ailsa Berk as Amanaman - Jabba's Bounty Hunter (uncredited)
- Paul Brooke as Malakili - Rancor Keeper (uncredited)
- Ben Burtt as 'Freeze' Officer in Endor Bunker / Tortured Power Droid (voice)
- Maurice Bush as Dengar - The Bounty Hunter (uncredited)
- Trevor Butterfield as Lieutenant Blount - Rebel Soldier / Trandoshan - Member of Jabba's Gang / Stormtrooper / Calamari Warrior / Giran - Malakili's Assistant (uncredited)
- Vivienne Chandler as Dorovio Bold - Female X-Wing Fighter Pilot (uncredited)
- Tony Clarkin as Storm Trooper (uncredited)
- Kenneth Coombs as Imperial Officer (uncredited)
- Andy Cunningham as Ephant Mon (uncredited)
- Peter Diamond as Biker Scout Pushed Off Bike (uncredited)
- Richard Driscoll as X-Wing Fighter (uncredited)
- Douglas Farrell as Ewok (uncredited)
- Alan Flyng as Imperial Officer - Executor (uncredited)
- Ernie Fosselius as Giran - Rancor Keeper (voice) (uncredited)
- Stuart Fox as Death Star Trooper Jad Bean (uncredited)
- Isaac Grand as Gamorrean Guard (uncredited)
- Gordon Hann as Captain Yutani - Rebel Soldier (uncredited)
- Alan Harris as Stormtrooper (uncredited)
- Walter Henry as Council Member in Briefing Room (uncredited)
- Philip Herbert as Hermi Odle - Jabba's 2nd Servant (uncredited)
- Larry Holt as Taym Dren-garen / Biker Scout / Sergeant Bruckman (uncredited)
- William Hoyland as Imperial Commander (uncredited)
- Colin Hunt as Rancor Guard / Rebel Ranger (uncredited)
- Monty Jordan as Weequay Skiff Guard (uncredited)
- Michael Josephs as Janus Greejatus - Emperor Palpatine's Advisor (uncredited)
- Eiji Kusuhara as Lieutenant Telsij - Grey Squadron (uncredited)
- Anthony Lang as Sim Aloo - Emperor Palpatine's Advisor (uncredited)
- Arnold Lee as Rayc Ryjerd - Jabba's Smuggler (uncredited)
- Julius LeFlore as Skiff Master / Yotts Orren / Stormtrooper / Biker Scout
- John Maloney as Rancor Guard (uncredited)
- Paul Markham as Imperial Officer (uncredited)
- Richard Marquand as Maj. Marquand - AT-ST Driver / EV-9D9 (voice) (uncredited)
- Hilton McRae as Arvel Crynyd (uncredited)
- Billy J. Mitchell as Keir Santage (Red Seven) (uncredited)
- Amanda Noar as Jess - Female Musician flirting with Bib Fortuna (uncredited)
- Terry Sach as A-Wing Pilot (uncredited)
- Errol Shaker as Y-Wing Pilot (uncredited)
- Guy Standeven as Rebel Council Member in Briefing Room (uncredited)
- Jules Walters as Rennek (uncredited)
- Robert Watts as Lt. Watts - AT-ST Driver (uncredited)
- Paul Weston as Vedain - Sand Skiff Pilot (uncredited)
- Corey Dee Williams as Klaatu (uncredited)
- Michael Stevens as Colonel Airen Cracken - Rebel Soldier on Millennium Falcon
- Michael McCormick as Rancor (uncredited)
- David Stone as B-Wing Pilot (uncredited)
- Lynne Hazelden as Karie Neth - Y Wing Pilot, Grey Squadron (uncredited)
- Paul Springer as Rey Yees (uncredited)
- Ronny Cush as X-Wing Pilot (uncredited)
- John Cannon as Stormtrooper (uncredited)
- Larry Ward as Jabba the Hutt (voice) (uncredited)
- Jason Wingreen as Boba Fett (voice) (uncredited)
Who talks, scene by scene
Lines of dialogue in every 3 scenes, start to finish. Women above the line, men below. 5% of lines come from characters we couldn't match to the cast list and aren't shown.
Women
Men
Scene 1 Scene 137
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 | 0 |
| 4 to 6 | 0 | 21 |
| 7 to 9 | 0 | 21 |
| 10 to 12 | 1 | 19 |
| 13 to 15 | 4 | 23 |
| 16 to 18 | 0 | 19 |
| 19 to 21 | 1 | 20 |
| 22 to 24 | 0 | 5 |
| 25 to 27 | 0 | 4 |
| 28 to 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 to 33 | 0 | 7 |
| 34 to 36 | 0 | 13 |
| 37 to 39 | 1 | 7 |
| 40 to 42 | 2 | 11 |
| 43 to 45 | 1 | 4 |
| 46 to 48 | 0 | 7 |
| 49 to 51 | 0 | 54 |
| 52 to 54 | 7 | 34 |
| 55 to 57 | 0 | 5 |
| 58 to 60 | 1 | 22 |
| 61 to 63 | 2 | 10 |
| 64 to 66 | 10 | 19 |
| 67 to 69 | 0 | 21 |
| 70 to 72 | 0 | 22 |
| 73 to 75 | 19 | 41 |
| 76 to 78 | 2 | 18 |
| 79 to 81 | 0 | 5 |
| 82 to 84 | 3 | 6 |
| 85 to 87 | 0 | 3 |
| 88 to 90 | 1 | 21 |
| 91 to 93 | 0 | 4 |
| 94 to 96 | 0 | 10 |
| 97 to 99 | 2 | 15 |
| 100 to 102 | 0 | 7 |
| 103 to 105 | 0 | 2 |
| 106 to 108 | 0 | 1 |
| 109 to 111 | 1 | 9 |
| 112 to 114 | 0 | 6 |
| 115 to 117 | 2 | 23 |
| 118 to 120 | 0 | 2 |
| 121 to 123 | 0 | 11 |
| 124 to 126 | 0 | 12 |
| 127 to 129 | 0 | 9 |
| 130 to 132 | 0 | 4 |
| 133 to 135 | 3 | 4 |
| 136 to 137 | 0 | 0 |
The evidence
- Straight from the script
- Counted from the script and the credits
Tap an exhibit to open it.
Exhibit A: every 100 lines
Out of every 100 lines with a known speaker, 10 are women's.
63 lines from women, 581 from men.
- Women
- Men
Exhibit B: who's in it
12 women and 105 men in the cast. 3 women and 23 men from it get lines.
Characters
With lines
- Women
- Men
Exhibit C: who gets heard
The first woman speaks at line 60 of 677.
The longest stretch with no woman speaking runs 69 lines.
Every line of dialogue, first to last
- First line by a woman
- Longest stretch with no woman speaking
Words spoken
Women speak 7% of the words (495), men 93% (6,228). Women have 10% of the lines, so their lines run shorter than men's.
Exhibit D: 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
0
Two men
63
Exhibit E: behind the camera
3 of the 17 people in these jobs are women.
Across the whole crew, 14% of the people whose gender is listed are women.
- Directed by
- Richard Marquand (man)
- Written by
- Lawrence Kasdan (man), George Lucas (man)
- Story by
- George Lucas (man)
- Produced by
- Howard G. Kazanjian (man)
- Shot by
- Alec Mills (man), Alan Hume (man)
- Edited by
- Sean Barton (man), Duwayne Dunham (man), Marcia Lucas (woman)
- Music by
- John Williams (man)
- Production design by
- James L. Schoppe (man), Norman Reynolds (man), Fred Hole (man)
- Costumes by
- Aggie Guerard Rodgers (woman), Nilo Rodis-Jamero (man)
- Cast by
- Mary Selway (woman)
The crew, department by department
-
Other crew
4 women, 26 men, 6 not listed
-
Costume & Make-Up
2 women, 7 men, 4 not listed
-
Directing
1 women, 9 men, 1 not listed
-
Art
0 women, 10 men
-
Production
3 women, 7 men
-
Visual Effects
1 women, 8 men, 1 not listed
-
Sound
0 women, 5 men, 1 not listed
-
Writing
1 women, 5 men
- Women
- Men
- Gender not listed on TMDB
Exhibit F: how old the stars were
Women: 26 on average. Men: 44 on average.
The top-billed cast, at the film's release.
Women
Carrie Fisher 26
Men
Mark Hamill 31, Anthony Daniels 37, Ian McDiarmid 38, Peter Mayhew 39, Frank Oz 39, Harrison Ford 40, Billy Dee Williams 46, James Earl Jones 52, Sebastian Shaw 77
Exhibit G: the money
It made 17.7 times what it cost.
- Budget
- $32.4 million
- Box office
- $573 million
From TMDB, not adjusted for inflation.
About this analysis
Our parser read the script: 137 scenes and 677 lines of dialogue. The bechdeltest.com rating comes from that site’s readers. How the test works
