In chapter 3 of David Bordwell's Narrative as a Formal System, Bordwell explains how to create a story with all of the necessary components. There always needs to be some sort of narration. This is either be directly spoken by a narrator or a character, or the narration can be inferred in a silent film if there aren't any words. There's a difference between a plot and a story. The plot is mainly the events of one particular story. On the other hand, story is the sum of all of the plots. An example of plot is just the events of Star Wars A New Hope where Luke Skywalker travels everywhere to eventually duel with Darth Vader. A story would be the whole complete plots that happen throughout the whole course of the Star Wars series. 

 

I think that a film's plot have various distinct components because without them, the story would just go on and on and on, not being able to finish. There should always be a certain time, place, beginning, middle and an end.