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

Barely able to stand, Solomon reaches the hotel kitchen for water, composes himself before the servants, and returns to his room.

Scene 29 of 211 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Solomon
Gadsby Servant

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 18 min into a 2:22 film

The story so farBefore scene 29

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 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
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 29
This scene

29INT. GADSBY HOTEL/HALLWAY - LATER

The door to Solomon's room creeps open. Disheveled, Solomon ekes out into the hallway. His clothes are soaked with his own sweat and stained with vomit.

Gingerly, unsteadily, Solomon makes his way through the space. The hotel seeming oddly - and creepily - empty at the moment. Eventually, Solomon arrives to a KITCHEN where he comes upon some "COLORED" SERVANTS. Solomon does everything in his power to right himself. Despite being sweaty and covered in his own bile, Solomon works - actually struggles - to make himself seem presentable.

SOLOMON

Water, please. May I have water?

A FEMALE SERVANT pours a glass of water which Solomon gulps down, spilling as much on himself as actually taking in.

GADSBY SERVANT

More, sir?

Again working to be proper:

SOLOMON

It's sufficient.

As he came in, Solomon makes the same effort to propel himself from the space.