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

Freeman coaches a boy to move briskly when called, while Solomon grows increasingly irritated by Bob’s fiddle playing.

Scene 71 of 211 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Freeman

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 44 min into a 2:22 film

The story so farBefore scene 71

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.
Scenes 30–65
Kidnapped and held under the imposed name Platt, Solomon must preserve his life and identity.
Just before
Scene 68
Freeman has the enslaved men and women wash and groom themselves while he inspects them.
Scene 69
The captives receive clean clothes selected for their sex and are prepared for sale.
Scene 70
In an ornate room, Freeman drills the captives on how to stand and line up so they will appear more marketable.
Scene 71
This scene

71INT. FREEMAN'S/GREAT ROOM - LATER

Freeman continues to instruct. He talks with a slave, a boy in his teens, with much condescension. As before, Bob plays a tune. Solomon, moment by moment, become more and more disgruntled by the playing.

FREEMAN

When yer called, do yah jus'

shuffle over? No. No, yah do

not. Yah move sprightly,

understand?

The slaves nod.

FREEMAN (CONT'D)

Lemme see yah do it. C'mon, boy.

The slave moves to Freeman quickly. Freeman smiles, rubs the slave's head.

FREEMAN (CONT'D)

Tha's a boy.

(to all)

Yah see how this boy moves?

Sprightly. Now, g'won back over

there.