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

Solomon asks to visit the President’s House, but Brown and Hamilton keep him drinking in the crowded pub instead.

Scene 26 of 211 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Solomon
Hamilton
Brown

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 16 min into a 2:22 film

The story so farBefore scene 26

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 23
Solomon, Brown, and Hamilton arrive in Washington, where the city mourns President Harrison and anticipates his funeral.
Scene 24
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 25
Solomon joins Brown and Hamilton among the crowd watching the solemn, pageant-like funeral procession for President Harrison.
Scene 26
This scene

26INT. PUB - LATER

A decent though crowded, smoke-filled joint. Very lively. Solomon is with Hamilton and Brown, who again drink. Solomon seems far more interested in heading out to take in the city. The pair must talk over the crowd:

SOLOMON

May we see the President's House?

HAMILTON

Eh?

SOLOMON

You said yesterday we might go and

visit--

HAMILTON

Far too crowded at the moment. We

have time for that, Solomon. All

day. A great man has passed.

Remember him with a drink.

Both Hamilton and Brown hold up their canters to drink. Solomon, a bit reluctantly, does the same.

BROWN

Another. Our departed President

deserves all the salutation we can

imbibe.

Hamilton and Brown drink again, and Solomon does as well.