In the securities markets, virtually everything is now automated as we increasingly trade online. But the legendary, hyper-charged sense of danger and controlled chaos of the trading pits survive at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. There, traders still scream "buy" and "sell" orders in a frenzied system known as "open outcry." This documentary captures the language and atmosphere of what may be the last gasp of a centuries-old ritual.
Premiere: Independent Lens, November 2001
"There’s a kind of rhythm in Else’s back and forth between the open outcry trading system and the doggedly competitive thinking behind it…. His technique, utilizing no narration and many extended shots to give viewers a real feel for the floor, is impressive."
