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

At Freeman’s New Orleans market, Freeman imposes the name Platt on Solomon and carts the captives away; Ford’s purchase comes later.

Scene 65 of 211 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Freeman
Captain
Solomon

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 41 min into a 2:22 film

The story so farBefore scene 65

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 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
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 64
At New Orleans, Arthur’s legal owner secures his release and takes him away, while Solomon watches in vain for help.
Scene 65
This scene

65EXT. ORLEANS/DECK - LATER

Hours later. The slaves sit on the deck, baking in the sun, awaiting their fate.

THEOPHILUS FREEMAN - a tall, thin-faced man with light complexion and a little bent - moves along the deck calling out names from a list.

FREEMAN

Platt... Platt! Platt!

None of the slaves respond to him. He begins calling other names. The slaves STAND as they are called.

FREEMAN (CONT'D)

Lethe. Clemens Ray. Eliza.

Randall. Emily. John. Platt...

Platt!

Freeman looks around. He spots Solomon.

FREEMAN (CONT'D)

Captain, who shipped that nigger?

CAPTAIN

Burch.

Freeman steps to Solomon. He gives him a looking over.

FREEMAN

Stand up.

Solomon does as told.

FREEMAN (CONT'D)

Yah fit the description given.

Why didn't Yah answer when called?

SOLOMON

My name is not Platt. My name is--

Freeman strikes Solomon hard across the face.

FREEMAN

Yer name is Platt, and I will

learn yah yer name so that yah

don't forgin' it.

(to the Captain)

Shackle my niggers. Get 'em to my

cart.