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

The captain discovers Robert’s smallpox rash and orders lime spread in the hold, with the captives moved onto the deck and kept away from the crew.

Scene 60 of 211 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Captain
Biddee

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 38 min into a 2:22 film

The story so farBefore scene 60

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 57
Solomon, Arthur, and Robert agree on roles for a mutiny and choose the Sabbath morning, when they expect the crew to be less alert.
Scene 58
While working beside Solomon, Robert secretly slips a knife into the box of garbage.
Scene 59
Solomon finds and hides the knife as he dumps the garbage overboard.
Scene 60
This scene

60INT. ORLEANS/HOLD - DAY

We see Robert down in the hold. Sweating profusely now, he is also stained with vomit. The Captain is looking Robert over as Biddee stands close by. THE CAPTAIN PULLS BACK ROBERT'S SHIRT REVEALING A RASH, HIGHLIGHTED BY RAISED PAPULES. The Captain knows exactly what he's looking at. With fear:

CAPTAIN

Small pox.

This strikes all around like lightning. Like a curse that has fallen. The Captain states again:

CAPTAIN (CONT'D)

It's smallpox.

(to Bidee:)

Get lime spread through the hold.

Keep them on deck, and for God's

sake keep them away from us.

BIDDEE

Sir.