Iz-pod svodov mecheti

The action takes place in Turkestan at the end of the imperial period. Oberuchev (L. Lazarev), a cotton manufacturer from St. Petersburg, goes to Moscow to sign a delivery contract with the army before going back to Turkestan, his “homeland.” Together with his assistant Yastrebetskii (A. Poliakov), Oberuchev exploits the local population with the connivance of the local bais. An old man, Pir Nazar (A. Khojaev), is one of his victims and has to sell his belongings to pay off his debts. His adoptive son Umar (K. Yarmatov), who is studying in a Koranic school, progressively turns away from his religious teaching under the influence of a revolutionary worker, Mikhail. The 1916 revolts are starting to flare up in Central Asia. Umar decides to take part and leaves for Jizzakh. Mikhail tries to find Umar and to guide the insurgents. To pass unnoticed and get to the place of the confrontations, Mikhail dons traditional dress and asks Umar’s sister, Gul Assal (O. Spirova), to go with him. But Gul Assal and Mikhail are taken prisoner by a regiment of the Imperial Army (commanded by Oberuchev). Umar arrives in time to rescue Mikhail, who was about to be shot, and saves Gul Assal, who is almost raped by Oberuchev.