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

Hamilton settles the feverish Solomon in bed and strokes his face; Brown cuts the intimate moment short, and the men leave him alone in darkness.

Scene 28 of 211 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Hamilton
Solomon
Brown

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 17 min into a 2:22 film

The story so farBefore scene 28

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 25
Solomon joins Brown and Hamilton among the crowd watching the solemn, pageant-like funeral procession for President Harrison.
Scene 26
Solomon asks to visit the President’s House, but Brown and Hamilton keep him drinking in the crowded pub instead.
Scene 27
Outside the pub, Solomon retches from the drink while Brown and Hamilton feign concern and say he needs rest.
Scene 28
This scene

28INT. GADSBY HOTEL/SOLOMON'S ROOM - NIGHT

Hamilton is placing a spittoon near Solomon's bed, where a prone and reeling Solomon lays. Hamilton sits on the bed. As he strokes Solomon's sweaty face, Hamilton speaks sweetly.

HAMILTON

I'm afraid that Brown and I

haven't brought you much luck.

But rough waters bring smooth

sailing. Eventually they do.

SOLOMON

....So...so sorry...

HAMILTON

Shhh. We won't hear it. We

won't.

BROWN

Let him sleep.

HAMILTON

Hmm. A good night's sleep. And

tomorrow...tomorrow you will feel

as well and refreshed as though

the earth were new again.

Hamilton lingers a bit too long and a bit too close to Solomon for Brown's taste. With more than a bit of signification:

BROWN

Hamilton! Nothing more we can do

for him.

Displaying an odd sort of disappointment, Hamilton slinks away from the bed. He crosses to, and BLOWS OUT A CANDLE. The room goes dark with a blackness more than night. Brown and Hamilton exit. Solomon lays in the dark and moans. His sounds becoming MORE AND MORE DISTRESSED. It's a wonder if he can make it through the night.