Margin Call · written by J.C. Chandor · 2011

On the roof, Will predicts a fire sale and describes his spending before Tuld’s helicopter arrives.

Scene 39 of 76 · ≈ 2 min on screen · Act two

Peter
Seth
Will Emerson

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 38 min into a 1:36 film

The story so farBefore scene 39

When a junior analyst discovers exposure that could wipe out his investment bank, its executives race to unload the danger on their customers while a veteran executive confronts the price of helping them survive.

Scenes 1–12
The bank’s surviving employees return to familiar routines after firing Eric; Sam manages the floor while his dog is dying.
Scenes 13–23
Peter uncovers a threat to the firm’s survival and forces Will and Sam to respond.
Scenes 24–33
Peter’s work travels upstairs; Sam and the juniors enter Jared’s executive world and expose the scale of the risk.
Just before
Scene 36
Will, Peter and Seth reach the roof and look down over the city.
Scene 37
Sarah and Jared wait in silence for the elevator.
Scene 38
In the elevator, Sarah questions Jared’s escalation and promises to verify Peter’s calculations quickly.
Scene 39
This scene

39EXT. ROOFTOP - CONTINUOUS

THEY are all still smoking and looking out over the city. Finally WILL stands up and goes over to the edge and looks over. He jumps up and sits on the edge.

PETER

Careful.

SETH

Jesus man.

WILL EMERSON

Did you know the fear most people feel

when they stand on the edge like this is

not actually a fear that they will fall

but instead it’s the subconscious fearing

that they might jump? ....It’s a fear of

losing faith.

SETH

Well that’s a little deep and depressing,

thank you.

WILL EMERSON

Yeah well, I can get a little dark

sometimes.

SETH

Will, come on. Get down.

WILL jumps down and comes back over to sit down. They stare out again.

WILL EMERSON

Not today!

(beat)

So it looks like they are gonna have us

dump this shit.

SETH

What?

WILL EMERSON

Yeah, you watch.

SETH

How?

PETER

A trillion bucks??

WILL EMERSON

I’m just saying.

PETER

How would they even do that?

WILL EMERSON

You can’t... it’s impossible. But they’ll

figure out a way. I’ve been at this place

for ten years and I’ve seen some things

that you wouldn’t believe... and when all

is said and done... they don’t lose

money. They don’t care if everyone else

does, but they won’t.

Long silence.

SETH