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

The captives moan through the night after Randall’s sale; Freeman and Bob try to silence them, while Solomon insists they need a doctor.

Scene 74 of 211 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Freeman
Bob
Solomon

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 47 min into a 2:22 film

The story so farBefore scene 74

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 71
Freeman coaches a boy to move briskly when called, while Solomon grows increasingly irritated by Bob’s fiddle playing.
Scene 72
Solomon takes Bob’s fiddle and plays a reel; the captives clap and dance, and Freeman praises him while Bob resents being displaced.
Scene 73
Buyers inspect the captives; when a man wants Randall alone, Eliza begs to keep her family together, but Freeman separates the crying boy from his mother.
Scene 74
This scene

74EXT. FREEMAN'S SLAVE PEN - NIGHT

We are back in exterior slave pen of Freeman's estate. The slaves are bedded down under the night sky. There is little sleeping going on. Eliza cries to herself as OTHER SLAVES MOAN LOUDLY AND CONTINUALLY. SOLOMON AMONG THEM. It as though a pall has fallen over the group.

Eventually at the door to the yard appears Freeman with a lantern in hand. Bob is at his side. With no concern for its causation, Freeman is clearly displeased by the racket.

FREEMAN

Quiet! Sleep, now! What's the

matter with y'all? Sleep!

He looks to Bob.

FREEMAN (CONT'D)

Make 'em sleep.

Bob now wades into the field of slaves. He shoves and kicks at the offenders, telling them repeatedly:

BOB

Sleep now. C'mon, go on to sleep.

Yah hear Massa Freeman? Sleep.

The moaning continues. Bob's efforts do little. If anything, the moaning grows louder. Solomon is insistent:

SOLOMON

...We need a doctor...