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

Alone with Tuld, Sam resists knowingly ruining clients; Tuld insists that the firm must get out first.

Scene 46 of 76 · ≈ 2 min on screen · Act two

John Tuld
Sam Rogers

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 53 min into a 1:36 film

The story so farBefore scene 46

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.
Scenes 34–44
Management checks the model, debates its implications and brings Tuld into the emergency.
Just before
Scene 43
Jared warns the group to tell Tuld the unvarnished truth.
Scene 44
An assistant leads Jared and the others toward the waiting executives.
Scene 45
Peter explains the exposure to Tuld, who orders a same-day fire sale despite Sam’s warning that it will destroy customer trust.
Scene 46
This scene

46INT. CEO’S ANTEROOM - CONTINUOUS

They are now alone looking out over the city as the light from the soon to be rising sun is starting to show on the horizon. Long silence.

JOHN TULD

Hell of a town isn’t it?

SAM ROGERS

Never really did it for me actually.

JOHN TULD

Really?

SAM ROGERS

Always been kinda a grass and tree guy.

JOHN TULD

I’ve always loved this place. Ever since

I arrived. Everything about it.

SAM ROGERS

I can’t say I feel that about anyplace

actually.

JOHN TULD

Are you going to be able to come on board

here Sam?

They look at each other.

SAM ROGERS

I’m not sure John. This is really ugly.

JOHN TULD

You and I are salesmen Sam, we sell.

That’s what we do. It’s not complicated.

SAM ROGERS

Exactly. And you damn well know that you

don’t make a sale unless you think the

guy is gonna come back for more, and

tomorrow we are done.

JOHN looks out and then over at SAM and decides whether or not to proceed.

JOHN TULD

This is it Sam.

SAM ROGERS

You keep saying that, what is that

supposed to mean?

JOHN TULD

It’s the big one. Most of us aren’t gonna

make it out of this one.

SAM ROGERS

Us?

JOHN TULD

The street.

SAM ROGERS

What are you talking about?

JOHN TULD

This won’t be the last ‘situation’ I will

be having this week. It’s just the start.