12 Years a Slave Page #25

(CONTINUED)

157

158

159

1/24/13 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 110.

CONTINUED:
(5) 156

Her screams and supplications gradually decrease and dieaway into a low moan. It would seem that she was dying.

Solomon, screaming at Epps:

SOLOMON:

Thou devil! Sooner or later,

somewhere in the course of eternal

justice thou shalt answer for thissin!

Though Epps fronts rage, there should be underlyinganguish for what he has done to his beloved Pats.

EPPS:

No sin! There is no sin! A man

does how he pleases with hisproperty. At the moment, Platt, Iam of great pleasure. You be

goddamn careful I don't come towantin' to lightenin' my mood nofurther.

By contrast to this horror, the field of cotton smiles inthe warm sunlight. The birds chirp merrily amidst thefoliage of the tress. Peace and happiness seems to reigneverywhere.

Everywhere else.

Epps leaves Patsey to herself. He says not a word to theMistress as he passes. The Mistress herself heads back

into the house.

Solomon unties Patsey, lifts her and takes her to thecabin.

INT. CABIN -LATER 157

Patsey is laid on some boards where she remains for along time with eyes closed and groaning in agony. Phebe

applies melted tallow to her wounds, and all try toassist and console her.

In time Patsey opens her eyes. She looks to Solomon.

She does not say a word. She just looks at him...andthen her eyes close again.

MOVED TO A155 158

MOVED TO B155 159

1/24/13 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 111.

160

INT. MASTER EPPS'S PLANTATION/GREAT HOUSE/ADDITION -160

EVENING:

-APRIL, 1852

Solomon and Bass are working together alone on theextension. From the amount of work that's been done on

it, it should be obvious that days have now passed.

Solomon makes a cautious approach to Bass. As casuallyas he can he inquires:

SOLOMON:

Master Bass, I want to ask youwhat part of the country you camefrom?

BASS:

No part of this land. I was born

in Canada. Now guess where thatis.

SOLOMON:

Oh, I know where Canada is. I

have been there myself.

BASS:

Have you?

SOLOMON:

Montreal and Kingston andQueenston and a great many places.

And I have been in York state,

too. Buffalo and Rochester and

Albany, and can tell you the namesof the villages on the Erie canaland the Champlain canal.

Bass gives Solomon a long and curious stare.

BASS:

Well traveled for a slave. How

came you here?

SOLOMON:

Master Bass, if justice had beendone I never would have been here.

BASS:

How's this? Tell me all about it.

SOLOMON:

I am afraid to tell you, though Idon't believe you would tellMaster Epps if I should.

BASS:

Every word you speak is a profoundsecret.

(CONTINUED)

1/24/13 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 112-115.

160 CONTINUED:
160 160 CONTINUED: 160

Solomon holds a moment. Hasn't he heard the same promisebefore? Prior to Solomon stating his case, WE FADE TO:

161 INT. MASTER EPPS'S PLANTATION / ADDITION - DAY 161

Hours have passed. Bass reflects on the story that Eppshas told in the intervening.

BASS:

How many years all told?

SOLOMON:

Just nearly...just passed eleven.

BASS:

Your story is...it is amazing, and

in no good way.

SOLOMON:

Do you believe, sir, in justice as

you have said?

BASS:

I do.

SOLOMON:

That slavery is an evil that

should befall none?

BASS:

I believe so.

SOLOMON:

If you truly do, I would ask...I

would beg that you write my

friends in the north, acquainting

them with my situation and

beseeching them to forward free

papers, or take such steps as they

might consider proper to secure my

release.

Bass looks at Solomon, holding his gaze for more than aprolonged beat.

SOLOMON (CONT’D)

My daughter Margaret is possibly

now 19 and my son Alonzo, 16. I

miss them so. It would be an

unspeakable happiness to clasp my

wife and my family again.

Bass hands Solomon an end of a long plank of wood andlooks over his shoulder, as if to camouflage theconversation by work. They both lift it toward thefloorboards. Finally Bass speaks.

(CONTINUED)

1/24/13 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 116.

161 CONTINUED:
161 161 CONTINUED: 161

BASS:

I have always forgone

relationships and family. I did

once have a sweetheart who I loved

deeply.

Bass points to a measuring tool, which Solomonimmediately hands over.

BASS (CONT’D)

But that was a long, long time

ago. I've been traveling this

country for the best part of

twenty years. My freedom is

everything. The fact that I can

walk out of here tomorrow gives me

most pleasure. I see the aching in

your eyes, the pain of not being

attached to your loved ones. My

life doesn't mean much to anyone,

but it seems your life means a lot

to a lot of people. What you have

just said to me scares me, and I

must say, sir, I am afraid. Not

just for you, but for me.

They continue working, fixing the floorboards in unison.

Solomon, slightly confused.

BASS (CONT’D)

I will write your letter sir, for

if I could bring freedom to you,

it will be more than a pleasure.

It will be a duty. Now, would you

be so kind as to pass me those

nails, sir.

We pull back to reveal the two men dwarfed by theunfinished structure. They continue to work, as if theconversation had never occurred.

162 OMIT 162

163 OMIT 163

164 OMIT 164

A165 EXT. SWAMP TBD A165

Solomon walks a path he has walked a thousand times ormore on his way back from Bartholomew's - sack familiarlyslung over his right shoulder. Drearily he walks. Hiseyes acknowledge something we yet cannot see to his left.

Almost simultaneously, his eyes retract back to the path

(CONTINUED)

1/24/13 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 116A.

A165 CONTINUED:
A165

towards Epps'. As he passes out of shot, the evidence ofwhat he was looking at is revealed.

FEET hang at the top right hand corner of the frame. Awoman, who has been lynched.

165 EXT. MASTER EPPS'S PLANTATION/ADDITION - DAY 165

-SEPTEMBER, 1852

SLOW DISSOLVE:

To a now virtually complete, half-painted white gazebo.

Slaves continue to work on it. As they do so, Bass peelsaway from the structure to have an overview. He beckonsSolomon toward him, out of earshot from the slaves whoare continuing to work on the gazebo. As Solomonapproaches, Bass shouts-

BASS:

And bring those markers!

Solomon gathers a clutch of markers in his hands andapproaches Bass.

BASS (CONT’D)

No letter yet.

SOLOMON:

You are certain?

Bass takes a marker from Solomon and slides it into the

earth.

BASS:

I have inquired thoroughly. More

than is safe for either of us.

Bass takes another and pokes it into the ground,

improvising a pathway towards the gazebo.

BASS (CONT’D)

Solomon...I have a job or two on

hand which will be completed

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