Wall Street (1984)

Released in 1987 at the height of Reagan-era capitalism, Wall Street is a slick, stylish, and scathing morality play that explores the seductive lure of wealth, the blurred lines between ambition and greed, and the ethical vacuum at the heart of corporate finance.

Directed and co-written by Oliver Stone, the film serves as both a cautionary tale and a cultural time capsule—capturing the late-'80s ethos of materialism and the growing influence of Wall Street on American life.

It remains one of the most iconic finance films ever made, elevated by a compelling script, strong performances, and Michael Douglas’s career-defining portrayal of Gordon Gekko, whose infamous line—“Greed, for lack of a better word, is good”—became a symbolic mantra of capitalist excess.

Plot Summary

The film centres on Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen), a young, ambitious stockbroker trying to climb the ranks of the high-stakes financial world. Bud idolizes Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), a legendary corporate raider whose aggressive tactics and unapologetic embrace of greed have made him a Wall Street titan.

Desperate to break into Gekko's inner circle, Bud feeds him inside information about Bluestar Airlines—where Bud’s father Carl (Martin Sheen) is a union leader. Impressed, Gekko takes Bud under his wing, and the young broker is soon living in a world of wealth, luxury, and ethical compromise.

As Bud becomes more entangled in Gekko’s schemes—including a ruthless plan to dismantle Bluestar for profit—he faces a moral reckoning. Caught between loyalty to his working-class father and the seductive power of Gekko's mentorship, Bud must ultimately choose between personal gain and integrity.

Performances

Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko

Douglas’s Oscar-winning performance as Gekko is both mesmerizing and menacing. He plays the character with a charismatic intensity, delivering Stone and Weiser’s razor-sharp dialogue with icy precision. Gekko is not a mustache-twirling villain; he’s an embodiment of an ideology—ruthless, calculating, and utterly persuasive. His speech to shareholders about greed is a masterclass in screenwriting and performance, capturing the perverse logic of unchecked capitalism.

Charlie Sheen as Bud Fox

Charlie Sheen delivers a strong performance as the film’s moral centre. Bud’s evolution—from wide-eyed dreamer to compromised insider to guilt-ridden whistleblower—is convincing and sympathetic. Sheen’s natural onscreen likeability makes Bud’s descent into the murky world of insider trading all the more tragic.

Martin Sheen as Carl Fox

Martin Sheen, Charlie’s real-life father, brings gravitas and emotional weight to the role of Bud’s blue-collar dad. Carl is the film’s moral compass, offering a grounded, principled contrast to Gekko’s glitz and manipulation. The father-son dynamic is one of the film’s emotional anchors and offers a rare layer of authenticity.

Daryl Hannah as Darien Taylor

Though Daryl Hannah’s performance as Bud’s girlfriend is often cited as one of the film’s weaker elements, she serves a thematic purpose as a representation of the lifestyle that wealth buys. Still, her character feels underdeveloped and overshadowed by the film’s masculine energy.

Direction and Style

Oliver Stone’s direction is taut and purposeful. He infuses the film with a kinetic energy that mirrors the dizzying pace of the financial world. The use of split screens, phone montages, and rapid-fire dialogue builds a sense of urgency and chaos, reflecting the manic rhythms of Wall Street.

Stone’s background as a political filmmaker (with credits like Platoon and Salvador) informs the moral undertones of the narrative. This is not a neutral depiction of finance—Wall Street is a critique, a condemnation of moral bankruptcy wrapped in Armani suits.

Robert Richardson’s cinematography gives the film a cold, corporate sheen—steel-gray offices, glass towers, and the city skyline create a world that’s glamorous but impersonal. Stewart Copeland’s pulsating, synth-driven score heightens the sense of tension and drive.

Themes and Analysis

Greed and Moral Decay

The film’s central theme is the corrosive effect of greed. Gekko’s mantra—“Greed is good”—is not just provocative; it's emblematic of a system that rewards profit over people. Stone doesn't just point the finger at individuals like Gekko—he indicts a culture that celebrates wealth accumulation as a virtue, no matter the cost.

The American Dream Corrupted

Bud Fox is the quintessential striver—ambitious, hungry, and optimistic. But Wall Street shows how the pursuit of success in a morally compromised environment can twist noble intentions. Bud’s journey reflects the dangers of equating self-worth with net worth.

Fathers and Surrogate Fathers

The film also explores generational conflict and identity through Bud’s relationships with Carl and Gekko. Carl represents working-class integrity and sacrifice, while Gekko offers power and prestige. Bud’s choice between the two mirrors a broader societal question: what kind of success is truly meaningful?

Corporate Takeovers and Real-World Parallels

The film drew inspiration from real-life corporate raiders like Ivan Boesky and Carl Icahn. The narrative of Bluestar Airlines being gutted for quick profit echoes real-world stories of asset stripping and hostile takeovers in the 1980s, which had devastating effects on workers and communities.

Cultural Impact and Legacy

Wall Street was both a product of its time and a mirror held up to it. Ironically, while intended as a warning, many viewers—especially within the finance world—embraced Gekko as a role model rather than a cautionary figure. His style, attitude, and language became aspirational for a generation of traders.

The film inspired numerous finance-themed works and even a sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), also directed by Stone. Though the sequel was less impactful, it reflected the same tensions between conscience and capitalism.

More than three decades later, Wall Street remains relevant, especially in light of ongoing debates about corporate ethics, wealth inequality, and financial regulation. In an era of economic uncertainty and populist backlash, its critique of unchecked capitalism feels as potent as ever.

Conclusion

Wall Street is a landmark of 1980s American cinema—a tense, thrilling, and thought-provoking drama that combines sharp writing, excellent performances, and incisive political commentary. While it operates as a gripping character study and insider tale of high finance, its deeper value lies in its timeless warning about the dangers of valuing money over morals.

It’s a film that challenges viewers to ask what kind of legacy they want to leave—not just in terms of wealth, but in terms of character. In an age still grappling with the consequences of financial greed, Wall Street stands as a bold and unflinching examination of capitalism’s dark side.