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

Tuld offers Sam money and demands his commitment; Sam says he is completely with the firm.

Scene 57 of 76 · ≈ 2 min on screen · Last scene of act two

Plot Point II
Save the Cat: All Is Lost
John Tuld
Sam Rogers

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 1:04 into a 1:36 film

The story so farBefore scene 57

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.
Scenes 45–46
Tuld offers a way for the bank to survive: sell before everyone else understands the risk; Sam names the price in broken trust.
Just before
Scene 54
The camera moves across the deserted trading floor toward Sam’s office.
Scene 55
Music wakes an exhausted Sam, who gets up and limps out of his office.
Scene 56
Sam walks down the hallway to the men’s room.
Scene 57
This scene

57INT. TRADING FLOOR MENS ROOM - CONTINUOUS

SAM ROGERS comes across the room and over to the sinks to wash his hands. He looks in the mirror, and then decides to wash his face as well. He stares at himself in the mirror. The water drips off his face. He looks old. Just then the door opens and JOHN TULD walks into the room. He does not go to use any of the facilities. He stops and looks to talk to SAM.

JOHN TULD

There he is.

SAM ROGERS

John.

SAM walks over and takes a towel to wipe off his hands and face. Finally he looks up.

SAM ROGERS (cont’d)

So what’s it look like John?

The line is delivered a bit too lightly for JOHN TULD’S liking.

JOHN TULD

Cohen has done a nice job. It can work.

SAM ROGERS

What does that mean?

JOHN TULD

It means, as you very well know, that you

are a very important piece of this

puzzle.

They look directly at each other.

JOHN TULD (cont’d)

Here.

JOHN TULD hands SAM a single piece of folded paper. SAM opens it and looks at it.

SAM ROGERS

That’s very generous.

JOHN TULD

It’s not a gift. I need to know you are

with me on this.

SAM ROGERS

I’m with the firm John.

JOHN TULD is now taking a far more forceful stance, almost blocking the doorway.

JOHN TULD

I won’t get what I need out of your boys

today unless they believe you... unless

they believe in you completely.

He stares at SAM.

JOHN TULD (cont’d)