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

Solomon grinds corn and plays with Sally’s children; Eliza imagines Randall safe, then breaks down as Sally bluntly tells her to accept the loss.

Scene 98 of 211 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Eliza
Sally

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 59 min into a 2:22 film

The story so farBefore scene 98

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.
Scene 86
Ford takes Solomon, Harry, and Eliza from Freeman; Eliza is dragged away from Emily, committing Solomon to plantation life and its family separations.
Scene 87
Ford brings Solomon and the other captives into plantation life; Solomon must survive within a system that denies his identity.
Just before
Scene 95
Walton’s gang continues the difficult work of cutting timber in the hot woods.
Scene 96
The workers make the long walk from the woods back to the mill.
Scene 97
At the mill, Taydem berates the workers for moving too slowly, and Ford rebukes his tone.
Scene 98
This scene

98EXT. FORD PLANTATION/SALLY'S CABIN - NIGHT

Solomon is grinding corn along with Sally. Sally's two children are present. Rose knits Emily's hair. From time to time, Solomon pops little bits of corn toward the children and they attempt to catch it in their mouths. When they do, they squeal with delight.

As the children laugh, a still clearly heartbroken Eliza says wistfully:

ELIZA

I think Emily had a very good day

today. Very happy. I know

Randall is well; a stout boy.

She begins to weep. Thoughts of her children too heavy to bear. Giving her warning:

SALLY

Yah need to stop wit yer carryin;

on. Yah jus' upset the Mistress.

Yer chilr'n gone. Ain't no

otherwise. And ain't nuthin' ta

do but 'cept it.

Sally's frankness does nothing to easy Eliza's crying.