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

Three men enter Solomon’s room and carry off the weakened, feverish man while he cannot resist.

Scene 30 of 211 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Save the Cat: Catalyst

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 18 min into a 2:22 film

The story so farBefore scene 30

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.

Scenes 1–29
Solomon lives freely in Saratoga as a husband, father, worker, and musician.
Just before
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
Barely able to stand, Solomon reaches the hotel kitchen for water, composes himself before the servants, and returns to his room.
Scene 30
This scene

30INT. GADSBY HOTEL/SOLOMON'S ROOM - LATER

Solomon is back in bed. From his moans and cries it is quite plain that a single glass of water was not sufficient to ease his pain by any means. From the noises he makes, Solomon sounds as though he's in a fever dream.

As Solomon reels, THE DOOR TO HIS ROOM OPENS. THREE FIGURES ENTER. Backlit as they are, we cannot discern their features. We can tell only that they are men of decent size. They take hold of Solomon and carry him away, Solomon too weak and feverish to resist. THE DOOR CLOSES RETURNING THE ROOM TO DARKNESS.