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

At a boarding house, Brown and Hamilton apologize for their meager show earnings, then persuade Solomon to continue with them to Washington and obtain free papers before entering slave states.

Scene 21 of 211 · ≈ 2 min on screen · Act one

Hamilton
Brown
Solomon

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 12 min into a 2:22 film

The story so farBefore scene 21

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 18
Solomon begins a letter to his family, then tears it up, unaware that the lost chance to communicate will matter later.
Scene 19
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 20
At a sparsely attended roadside show, Solomon plays violin while Brown performs a series of comic pantomimes.
Scene 21
This scene

21INT. BOARDING HOUSE - LATER

Solomon, Hamilton and Brown sit down to eat. Hamilton and Brown drink, but again Solomon abstains. Though Solomon remains cool, Hamilton and Brown put up a great show of being disappointed as Hamilton counts out what little money was collected.

HAMILTON

If it's not anything, it's next to

it.

BROWN

I have not seen an audience so

sparse...

HAMILTON

Not an additional tip from a one

of them. They expect to be

entertained for nothing.

BROWN

And not satisfied a bit despite

giving them more than what they

paid for.

SOLOMON

It's the national mood. There's

too much grief to make room for

frivolity.

BROWN

I think we won't see a true

audience until Washington. We

should make it our objective to

return with all due speed.

HAMILTON

My sincerest apologies, Solomon.

SOLOMON

No need.

HAMILTON

You were promised opportunity, and

you were given none.

BROWN

The opportunity is with the

circus. A two man show poorly

promoted, what were we to expect?

But the circus bills itself.

HAMILTON

True.

BROWN

It arrives to each town with a

hoopla and leaves with a flourish.

HAMILTON

Very true.

BROWN

And with the summer season

approaching its tour will be

vigorous. I have told you of the