Film of the Week: 7

Wall Street (1987)

The great depression was a very dark time in our century, as many lost all their possessions, home and all their money. There were no jobs and it led to many bank robberies including the famous Bonnie & Clyde. This was due to the stock market crash of 1929, it was the worst ever in United States History (Black Tuesday).

Almost 60 years later, the stock market crashed again on October 19th 1987 (Black Monday), which began in Hong Kong. It hit the North American market after Europe with New Zealand being hit the hardest falling 60% and Canada & America falling over 22%.

In 1986 Oliver Stone released his greatest film to date, Platoon (alongside JFK). It was a violent, fierce and intense vision of the Vietnam war as seen through his eyes. Stone himself was in fact combat fighter in the Vietnam war, earning himself a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart with an Oak Leaf Cluster.

But the following year, Stone showed us another jungle, the Wall Street jungle, and what a jungle it is. It starred Michael Douglas in a role that fit him like a glove as the ruthless Gordon Gekko. He went on to win the Oscar for the role of Gekko.

All you have to do now a days is mention Wall Street and people think of the name Gekko, as he as been a major icon in the wall street and 1980s culture. With his giant cell phone, his expensive suits, suspenders, cigars and of course his most famous line, "Greed is good!".

We also have Charlie Sheen as Bud, the new player (stockbroker) who is eager to work with Gekko. So eager that he gives Gekko inside information on Bluestar Airlines, a company in which Bud's father (Carl) is the maintenance foreman and union president played by Charlie's real father Martin Sheen.

There is also Hal Holbrook (the actor who played the famous deep throat in All the Presidents Men) who plays Lou Mannheim. Lou works with Bud and is known as the most honest man in the company and is never too ambitious as he knows the game.

Stone named this character after his own father Lou Stone, as he was a stockbroker during the great depression. The film itself is like a little modern version of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (one of my favourite films). It's all about greed, they make lots of money and want to make more, and they will do anything to get it.

There has also been a sequel last year (also directed by Oliver Stone) showing the crisis of today's market but the film itself was no where as edgy or well written as the original.

It stared Shia LaBeouf who just does not have what it takes to carry a film, and Michael Douglas of course in a supporting role who does a good job but the main attraction of the film was the new ruthless man in town, Bretton James, played brilliantly by Josh Brolin (but of course still no match for Gekko).

Wall Street was released only two months after the 1987 market crash and ended up making $43.8 million in North America. This film maybe be very 1980s, however it is by no means a dated film. Especially in these times.

Click here for the trailer