Wall Street (film)

Wall Street (film)
Name	Wall Street
Caption	Theatrical release poster
Director	Oliver Stone
Producer	Edward R. Pressman
Writer	Stanley Weiser, Oliver Stone
Starring	Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen, Daryl Hannah, Martin Sheen, Terence Stamp, Sean Young, James Spader
Music	Stewart Copeland
Cinematography	Robert Richardson
Editing	Claire Simpson
Studio	American Entertainment Partners, Edward R. Pressman Film Corporation
Distributor	20th Century Fox
Released	11 December 1987
Runtime	126 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$15 million
Gross	$43.8 million

Wall Street (film). *Wall Street* is a 1987 American drama film directed by Oliver Stone and written by Stone and Stanley Weiser. The film stars Michael Douglas as the ruthless corporate raider Gordon Gekko, with Charlie Sheen as the ambitious young stockbroker Bud Fox who becomes his protégé. Set against the backdrop of the New York Stock Exchange and the excesses of the 1980s, it explores themes of greed, corruption, and the moral compromises in the pursuit of wealth. The film was a critical and commercial success, earning Douglas the Academy Award for Best Actor and cementing its status as a cultural touchstone for its portrayal of finance.

Plot

The story follows Bud Fox, a junior stockbroker at the firm Jackson Steinem & Co., who is desperate to succeed on Wall Street. He relentlessly courts the legendary and unscrupulous corporate raider Gordon Gekko, finally gaining an audience by offering insider information about Bluestar Airlines, where his father, Carl Fox, works as a maintenance supervisor. Gekko hires Bud, who quickly becomes immersed in a world of illegal insider trading, lavish parties, and high-stakes takeovers, including a hostile bid for the Teldar Paper company. As Bud's wealth and status grow, he becomes entangled with interior designer Darien Taylor, played by Daryl Hannah, and distances himself from his father and his ethical roots. The plot culminates when Bud discovers Gekko's plan to asset-strip and liquidate Bluestar, leading to a confrontation and Bud's eventual cooperation with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Cast

* Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko * Charlie Sheen as Bud Fox * Daryl Hannah as Darien Taylor * Martin Sheen as Carl Fox * Terence Stamp as Sir Larry Wildman * Sean Young as Kate Gekko * James Spader as Roger Barnes * Hal Holbrook as Lou Mannheim * John C. McGinley as Marvin * Sylvia Miles as Dolores * Franklin Cover as Dan * Josh Mostel as Ollie * Saul Rubinek as Harold Salt * Sean Stone as Rudy Gekko

Production

Director Oliver Stone, drawing on his father's career as a stockbroker, sought to critique the materialism of the Reagan Era. The screenplay was co-written with Stanley Weiser over four weeks. Principal photography took place in New York City, with key scenes shot at the New York Stock Exchange, the 21 Club, and Central Park. Cinematographer Robert Richardson utilized a sleek, high-contrast visual style to emphasize the opulence of the era. Michael Douglas based his iconic portrayal of Gordon Gekko on several real-life financiers, including Ivan Boesky, whose 1986 speech at the University of California, Berkeley inspired the famous "Greed is good" line. The film's score was composed by Stewart Copeland, drummer for The Police.

Themes

The film is a pointed critique of unfettered capitalism and the morality of the American Dream. Its central theme is the corrupting nature of greed, famously encapsulated in Gekko's speech to the Teldar Paper shareholders. It explores the conflict between blue-collar values, represented by Carl Fox's union ethos, and the cutthroat, amoral world of high finance. The narrative delves into father-son relationships, loyalty, and the personal cost of ambition. The depiction of insider trading, hostile takeovers, and corporate espionage served as a stark commentary on the financial practices of the 1980s.

Reception

Upon its release, *Wall Street* received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its timely subject matter and Michael Douglas's performance. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times commended its energy and moral complexity. The film was a box office success, grossing $43.8 million against a $15 million budget. At the 60th Academy Awards, Michael Douglas won the Academy Award for Best Actor. The film also earned nominations for Best Sound and Best Original Screenplay. Its portrayal of finance was noted for its accuracy by some in the investment banking community, though it was also criticized for potentially glamorizing the very excesses it sought to condemn.

Legacy

*Wall Street* has had a profound and lasting impact on popular culture and the financial world. The character of Gordon Gekko became an iconic, if antiheroic, symbol of 1980s avarice, and his style and phrases like "Greed is good" entered the lexicon. The film is frequently cited in discussions of business ethics and is used in MBA programs as a teaching tool. It inspired a sequel, *Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps*, released in 2010, which revisited Gekko after his release from prison. The original film's warning about financial corruption gained renewed relevance after the financial crisis of 2007–2008 and remains a seminal work in the genre of financial thrillers.

Category:1987 films Category:American drama films Category:Films about finance Category:Films directed by Oliver Stone Category:20th Century Fox films