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

Solomon argues that Brown and Hamilton will secure their release; Clemens challenges his faith in them and recalls Brown’s shabby performance.

Scene 39 of 211 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Solomon
Clemens

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 26 min into a 2:22 film

The story so farBefore scene 39

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.
Scene 30
Solomon is drugged and abducted in New York, abruptly ending his free life and beginning his captivity.
Scene 31
After Solomon is drugged and abducted in scene 30, he wakes in chains and discovers that he has been stolen from his free life.
Just before
Scene 36
Radburn brings Solomon a dirty shirt and takes the shirt his wife gave him; Solomon reluctantly changes, thanks him, then refuses the food.
Scene 37
Forced to wash naked with the other captives, Solomon comforts the crying Randall by promising his mother will come.
Scene 38
Solomon first pushes away the meager meal, then eats it after Radburn leaves, while his voice calls the captivity a crime.
Scene 39
This scene

39EXT. BURCH'S DUNGEON/YARD - DAY

Sitting together out in the yard are Clemens Ray, John and Solomon. Over time they have drawn trustworthy enough to speak with one another. At the moment Solomon is still trying to apply reason to the situation.

Randall wanders about in the background. As usual, he calls out for his "Mama." By now, however, his calls should feel like little more than background noise.

SOLOMON

I believe now someone lay in wait

for me. My drink was altered...

We are free men. They have...they

have no right to hold us.

Solomon waits for a response from the others. They give none.

SOLOMON (CONT'D)

We need a sympathetic ear. If we

have an opportunity to explain our

situation, it is impossible for me

to believe men could be so unjust

to detain us as slaves once the

truth of our case is known.

CLEMENS

Who in your estimation is that

sympathetic ear?

SOLOMON

The two men I journeyed with;

Brown and Hamilton. I'm certain

they're making inquires at this

very moment.

CLEMENS

I would be just as certain they

are counting the money paid for

delivering you to this place.

SOLOMON

They were not kidnappers. They

were artists. They were

performers.

CLEMENS

You know that?

SOLOMON

I...I have no reason to--

CLEMENS

You know for certain who they

were?

FLASHBACK

Very quickly, we get an MOS glimpse from Solomon's POV of