12 Years a Slave · written by John Ridley and Steve McQueen · 2013

Solomon joins Brown and Hamilton’s waiting carriage; when they ask about a letter, he says his return should coincide with his family’s.

Scene 19 of 211 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Hamilton
Solomon
Brown

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 11 min into a 2:22 film

The story so farBefore scene 19

After being kidnapped from New York and sold into slavery, Solomon Northup uses his skills and carefully placed trust to survive and seek a way back to his family.

Scene 1
A butcher carries a sheep from its pen into the slaughter shed; the killing follows in scene 2, while scene 1 establishes the image of captivity.
Scene 9
Jasper asks how he might escape, and Solomon says to “watch your opportunities and strike for freedom”; this is a reading of the line as the story’s theme of waiting for a chance to act.
Just before
Scene 16
Brown and Hamilton describe their traveling circus and offer Solomon paid work accompanying them to New York; he accepts, expecting to return when his family does.
Scene 17
Solomon packs clothes and his violin for the trip.
Scene 18
Solomon begins a letter to his family, then tears it up, unaware that the lost chance to communicate will matter later.
Scene 19
This scene

19EXT. NORTHUP HOUSE - LATER

Solomon is exiting. Brown and Hamilton are waiting. They ride in a covered carriage led by a pair of "noble" horses.

HAMILTON

No letter to post?

SOLOMON

No need. My return would be as

soon as my family's.

BROWN

We're off then.