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

Solomon takes Bob’s fiddle and plays a reel; the captives clap and dance, and Freeman praises him while Bob resents being displaced.

Scene 72 of 211 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Freeman
Solomon
Bob

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 44 min into a 2:22 film

The story so farBefore scene 72

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 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
Freeman coaches a boy to move briskly when called, while Solomon grows increasingly irritated by Bob’s fiddle playing.
Scene 72
This scene

72INT. FREEMAN'S/GREAT ROOM - LATER

The instruction from Freeman continues, as does the fiddling by Bob.

FREEMAN

Keep your head up. A sense of

direction; that's how yah look

smart. None of those saucer eyes.

Rid yourself of that smile. Look

like a goddamn grinnin' monkey.

Put the least thought in yer head.

C'mon, now. Think of somethin'.

As weary as he can be of Bob's playing, Solomon moves to Bob, he asks:

SOLOMON

Can you play a reel?

Bob, dismissive:

BOB

Nah. I don't know no reel.

SOLOMON

If I may...?

Bob, looks to Freeman:

FREEMAN

He sick a yah caterwauling. Let

him play, boy. Le's see what he

can do.

Bob reluctantly hands the fiddle over to Solomon. Solomon tunes it a bit, then begins to play. His fingers stiff at first, he takes a moment to warm up. But as he warms up he is, despite the circumstances, masterful. The slaves all clap along... Some dance along. All admire his work. Freeman chief among them.

FREEMAN (CONT'D)

Keep on. Keep on.

Solomon continues to play.

FREEMAN (CONT'D)

Hella better than you, Bob. Hella

better.

Bob looks bitter as Solomon plays on.