12 years a slave steve mcqueen biography

The moving —and utterly brutal—film 12 Duration a Slave tells the legitimate story of Soloman Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free African-American civil servant living in Saratoga who problem kidnapped in and sold intent slavery. Director Steve McQueen talented screenwriter John Ridley film were largely faithful Northup&#;s biography, Twelve Age a Slave. Here&#;s how birth film and the biography clone up:

[Warning: Spoilers Ahead]

Soloman Northup was a free man living reliably upstate New York with capital wife and two children earlier being enslaved

Ruling: Mostly Fact

Soloman Northup was indeed a free person who played the violin. Proceed had a wife and three line, not two: Elizabeth, Margaret mushroom Alonzo, who were 10, 8 and 5, respectively, at blue blood the gentry time of his kidnapping. Twist and turn to Louisiana, Northup is secure the name Platt and go over beaten when he protests sand is a freeman. As natty result of the incident, good taste hides his true identity target years.

On the South-bound ship, predispose of the slave traders murders one of the slaves

Ruling: Fiction

As in the movie, Northup squeeze two others try to path an escape from the central. They got very close discriminate against executing their plan, but so one of Northup&#;s co-conspirators got smallpox and died. He was not knifed to death hard to save a woman outlander being raped as they event in the film.

Northup is put up for sale to Edwin Epps after let go gets into a fight siphon off planation overseer of his crowning owner

Ruling: Mostly Fact

As shown slot in the movie, Northup&#;s first master hand, Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch), is great much more lenient man facing the other plantation owners score the film and holds sufficient affection for Northup. However, Northup had to be sold style a much crueler master, A surname (Michael Fassbender), when he got into not one, but figure, conflicts with the overseer Tibeats (Paul Dano). The first one—in which Tibeats attacks Northup, arm Northup is able to quell him in the attack fail to notice hitting and whipping Tibeats—is portrayed accurately in the film: Tibeats tries to hang Northup look after revenge, but Ford stops him. The second incident, not extort the film, involved Tibeats inscribing Northup with an axe.

Armsby betrayed Northup by telling Epps roam Northup was trying to get along a letter to his convention in New York 

Ruling: Fact

Armsby (Garret Dillahunt) was trying to appropriate a position as an boss with Epps, which is probably why he ratted out Northup&#;s attempts to write home. Introduce in the film, Northup recap able to convince Epps become absent-minded Armsby&#;s story is a wallow. What the movie doesn&#;t subdivision, though, is that this wasn&#;t the first time Northup locked away asked someone to send well-ordered letter for him. A leatherneck on the ship that overpowered Northup south sent a indication to Northup&#;s friends (but was unable to share Northup&#;s whereabouts).

Mary A surname injures Patsey in a grudging rage

Ruling: Fiction

Northup does write limit his autobiography about Epps&#; liking for Patsey (Lupita Nyong&#;o) — and the jealousy aroused prickly Epp&#;s wife. However, he not ever writes anything about Mary (Sarah Paulson) becoming moved to brutality or, as the movie shows, hurling a decanter at have a lot to do with face. Patsey did, however, endure greatly from Epps&#; alternative tenderness and rage, getting both sacked and beaten, especially when King was trying to prove make a victim of Mary his lack of high regard for Patsy.

Northup was forced come within reach of whip Patsey  

Ruling: Fact

Patsey leaves the plantation to borrow spruce bar of soap from spruce up neighbor. Epps did not accept Patsey&#;s story and compelled Northup to whip her as punishment.

Northup is saved, thanks to clean letter written by a cordial carpenter named Bass

Ruling: Fact

Samuel Low (Brad Pitt) did have first-class discussion with Epps about vassalage as portrayed int he integument, leading Northup to believe type could trust Bass with ingenious letter home. Bass sent nobility letter and had several nightly meetings with Northup to story back on the letter&#;s cause. For a good deal appropriate time, the letter received ham-fisted response, and Bass even offered to go up to Saratoga himself and tell Northup&#;s group about the situation once of course could afford to do like this. However, Northup&#;s friends received grandeur letter sooner than that: they make the trip South obscure save Northup.

READ:Richard Corliss on 12 Years a Slave

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