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The Thirteen
Movie

The Thirteen

1937 • Unknown

Woke Score
2
out of 10

Plot

The film tells about a band of demobilized Red Army men and two civilians who cross a Middle Asian desert. They are forced to do battle with superior forces of Basmachi rebels for the dry draw-well.

Overall Series Review

The 1937 Soviet action film, set during the Basmachi revolt in Central Asia, focuses on a group of demobilized Red Army soldiers and three civilians defending a well against overwhelming odds. The narrative is driven purely by ideological conflict and a collective commitment to the Soviet cause and survival, not by modern identity politics. Characters are defined by their heroic actions and loyalty to the collective, regardless of individual background. The film functions as a piece of Soviet cultural celebration, presenting the Red Army's sacrifice and struggle against internal enemies (Basmachi rebels and a White Russian officer) as a foundational national myth, which is the opposite of civilizational self-hatred. The gender dynamic features one female character, the commander's wife, who joins the defense and sacrifices herself alongside the men, serving a complementary and heroic role that avoids the modern "Girl Boss" trope or anti-natalist messaging. Sexual ideology is entirely absent, with the one married couple serving as the traditional, normative structure. The film is a product of an officially atheistic state, but the conflict in the plot is secular-ideological and military, centering on material needs (water and the well) and collective duty rather than a direct, philosophical attack on religion or the promotion of moral relativism.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics2/10

The film’s central conflict is ideological (Soviet versus Basmachi/White Russian reactionaries), superseding any modern intersectional hierarchy. The heroes are a collection of Red Army soldiers, including a non-Slavic character, all judged by their collective heroism and merit in battle for the Soviet cause, which is a form of universal meritocracy within the Soviet framework.

Oikophobia1/10

The narrative is a strong celebration of the 'home culture' of the Soviet project and the Red Army, framing their sacrifices as necessary for the creation and protection of the new society. It views core Soviet institutions and the Red Army's ancestors as shields against feudal chaos and reactionary forces, directly opposing the definition of civilizational self-hatred.

Feminism2/10

The sole female character is the commander's wife, who is portrayed as a supportive and heroic partner. She takes up arms and sacrifices herself alongside the men. This role emphasizes shared sacrifice and complementary partnership in a time of crisis rather than showing men as incompetent or promoting anti-natalism and career-over-motherhood messaging.

LGBTQ+1/10

The story is a focused military adventure with an emphasis on survival and duty. The only relationship presented is the traditional male-female pairing of the commander and his wife. The film contains no presence of alternative sexual ideology, queer theory, or deconstruction of the nuclear family structure.

Anti-Theism3/10

As a film produced under the officially anti-theistic Soviet regime, the underlying ideology opposes traditional religion. However, the plot's conflict is purely secular: a fight for a well and survival. The narrative does not contain overt lectures or philosophical arguments framing religion (specifically Christianity) as the root of evil or promoting moral relativism, instead promoting a collective, objective Soviet moral code.