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

Brown gives Solomon a $43 advance from the circus, then asks him to stay an extra day because Harrison’s funeral procession delays their departure.

Scene 24 of 211 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Brown
Solomon
Hamilton

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 15 min into a 2:22 film

The story so farBefore scene 24

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 21
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 22
Solomon completes the paperwork for free papers at the customs house; the official files his freedom in a vast ledger.
Scene 23
Solomon, Brown, and Hamilton arrive in Washington, where the city mourns President Harrison and anticipates his funeral.
Scene 24
This scene

24INT. GADSBY HOTEL/DINNING ROOM - EVENING

It is a fairly nice hotel. Solomon, Hamilton and Brown are among several parties eating a meal in the hotel's dinning room. As with seemingly everywhere in the city black crepes accessorize the background. Brown counts out $43.00 on the tabletop. IN COIN. Solomon is astonished by the amount.

BROWN

Forty-three dollars. All to you.

SOLOMON

That...it's far more than my wages

amount to.

BROWN

An advance from the circus. I

cannot tell you...I honestly wish

you had seen the expression of our

director when I described your

abilities. He was fairly overcome

with excitement.

HAMILTON

You should have invited him to sup

with us.

BROWN

I did. I did, but so many

preparations before the company is

to depart.

SOLOMON

Gentlemen--

BROWN

Of which I have other news, only

slightly distressing. Our

departure is delayed by a day--

HAMILTON

Oh, Dear...

SOLOMON

You have already been far to

generous.

BROWN

But only a day. All the confusion

with tomorrow's procession makes

departure difficult. Solomon, if

you can tolerate us a day more...

HAMILTON

Oh, yes, Solomon, you did want to

see the city. And how could we

make our way without seeing the

great man pass? One more day,

Solomon. Will you stay on?

Relenting, but happily so:

SOLOMON