Few movies give me a feeling of excitement on a first initial viewing. Fresh from the post office and into my Sony Betamax lands Oliver Stone's Wall Street. Money, greed, women, and the flashy lifestyle of a Wall Street high roller, is unfolding on my screen as I type this. Along with excitement, I felt the need to begin writing this post 52 minutes into the feature. Michael Douglas as Gordon Gecko brings charisma unmatched and makes Leonardo DiCaprio's characterization of Jordan Belfort look like a Wells Fargo Bank teller. Charlie Sheen, as the student of the master seduced by Gecko's wealth and power gives a good performance.
Enter Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) an up and coming account executive working at a firm on Wall Street. He spends his days with his moderately successful career, and giving his phone a workout calling the office of his hero Gordon Gecko, a major Wall Street player. After finally scoring a brief meeting with Gecko, Bud takes a chance and gives Gecko a tip on a court decision affecting his father's company in a positive way. Gecko is impressed with Bud and gives him the opportunity to generate more and more leads. Bud becomes wealthy under Gordon, as enjoying perks such as sleeping with an interior designer named Darien (Daryl Hannah).
These big gains and profits eventually start to gain the attention of the SEC. As part of a new idea Bud pitches to Gordon, Bud becomes president of his father's company Bluestar Airlines. Gecko takes advantage of Bud's plan and plans to liquidate Bluestar leaving Bud's father unemployed. Feeling betrayed this leads Bud to devise a plan of his own to get back at Gordon. Eventually it leads to Bud getting arrested for insider trading and a final confrontation with Gordon Gecko that is sure to be remembered.
Oliver Stone's Wall Street is almost as close to a perfect drama as you can get. The film definitely shows its age, but still shares some of the same dreams and desires we are seduced by even to this day. Money, success, and power are all things people have thought of throughout their entire lives. Wall Street shows the rise and fall of greed, wealth, and power. As Gordon Gecko says, "Greed is Good", but is it really? I guess that is up to the viewer.
