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

Robert dies from smallpox and the crew sews him into a blanket and throws him overboard; Solomon watches, then drops the mutiny knife into the river.

Scene 63 of 211 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Arthur

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 39 min into a 2:22 film

The story so farBefore scene 63

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 60
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 61
The captives huddle under guard on the Orleans deck, leaving no opening for escape.
Scene 62
Robert lies covered in smallpox pustules but still tells Solomon he will recover in time for their planned mutiny; Solomon stays beside him.
Scene 63
This scene

63EXT. ORLEANS/DECK - DAY

Days later now. We are back up on the deck of the ship. ROBERT'S STILL BODY IS BEING SEWN INTO A BLANKET.

Clearly he didn't make it, the ravages of the pox having done horrid work on his flesh.

Once sewn into the blanket. CREWMEN Then dump the body over the side of the ship. Solomon watches as the body churns for a moment in the wake of the vessel...then sinks beneath the water. Arthur, with no sentimentality:

ARTHUR

Better off. Better than us.

Solomon continues to stare back at the spot where Robert was dumped as it slips further and further away.

From his pocket he takes the knife. He holds it for a moment, then lets it slip into the water. There is nothing to be done with it.

BLACK