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Wife Number 13

Name: Wife Number 13
Director: Fatin Abdel Wahab
Released: 1962
Duration: 115 min

Representation Score

4.0/10

Fair

1962

Director

Fatin Abdel Wahab

Runtime

115 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Wife Number 13 is a sophisticated romantic comedy that uses its plot to critique patriarchal excess. While the protagonist starts as a figure of unchecked male authority, the film's strength lies in shifting the story's focus to the female lead. By centering the woman's intellectual maneuvering and tactical resistance, the film deconstructs the cliché of the submissive wife. It moves from a framework of male dominance toward one of female-driven autonomy. As a product of the Egyptian Golden Age, the film offers a vital non-Western perspective. It prioritizes individual autonomy over rigid institutional adherence, making it a nuanced study of mid-century social norms.

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Category Breakdown

Does Wife Number 13 have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film operates within a mid-century social framework. It does not include non-traditional gender identities or queer stories, focusing instead on heterosexual relationships.

How does Wife Number 13 portray gender?

Good

The narrative centers on the female protagonist's intellectual role in driving the story. She challenges traditional gender roles by using strategic tactics to resist the expectations of a dominant husband.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Wife Number 13?

Fair

The film presents a culturally specific, non-Western perspective. While the cast is ethnically uniform, it provides value by centering an Arab narrative and social structure.

How does Wife Number 13 represent religion and culture?

Good

The story explores themes of subjective morality and critiques traditional institutions. It challenges the sanctity of marriage when used as a tool for male entitlement.

Does Wife Number 13 include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no evidence of characters with visible or invisible disabilities being utilized as central plot devices.

Present on Screen

Challenges traditional gender roles by centering female intellectual ability to act.
Provides a significant non-Western perspective by centering an Arab narrative.
Critiques the commodification of marriage and patriarchal entitlement.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-traditional gender narratives.
Features an ethnically homogeneous cast with little racial variety.

Official Synopsis

Murad Salem is a rich man who is used to getting what he wants whenever he wants it. When he meets a beautiful woman in Alexandria, he wants her as wife number thirteen. He buys himself into the heart of the woman, until a well-meaning, former fiancée of her husband tells her just how many times he has been divorced. The new bride launches into a series of ploys that keep her away from the marriage bed.

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