CS Weekly Archive > DVD > 09/21/07

It's a Rich Man's World

By dennis sampson

Co-writer/director Oliver Stone's highly engaging movie about the materialism of 1980s America is honored in a 20th anniversary edition DVD. This third release of the film boasts a two-disc set, but despite all its bells and whistles, often comes across as just another way for the studio to profit yet again off the same product. Seems like someone took a cue from this movie about the many different ways to make a fast buck.

Wall Street (20th Anniversary Edition)

Stanley Weiser & Oliver Stone (latter also directed)

Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) is an ambitious young stockbroker who gets the big chance to pitch to Wall Street financial wizard Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas). Bud quickly becomes Gekko's protégé and, after learning the ropes, is consumed by a world of greed, materialism, and excess. Despite the warnings expressed by his father Carl (Sheen's real-life dad, Martin), Bud presses on into a den of sin, and it's not long before Bud turns against his own family and completely loses himself along the way.

Wall Street could serve as a companion piece to Platoon, Oliver Stone's previous picture (both films are set in kill-or-be-killed jungles and revolve around a young man torn between opposing fathers). Stone's knowledge of the business (his father Louis, to whom the movie is dedicated, was a stockbroker) combined with his knack for pitting strong personalities against one another are key to making this movie the stellar piece that it is. The character dynamics, particularly the father-son-father triangle between Carl, Bud, and Gekko, lie at the heart of the film.

Stone is clearly aware of the monumental significance of a strong antagonist, that making said character more interesting than the hero is the secret to successful drama. And in Michael Douglas' Oscar-winning role, Gekko is almost more of a force than a character. His devilish, yet magnetic personality resonates even in scenes he's not in, yielding someone who is all at once brilliant, charming, and scary. The "greed is good" speech he delivers has evolved from a character-defining moment to an iconic cinematic moment.

The movie's many themes—ambition, morality, and materialism among them—are spelled out separately and also complement one another seamlessly (if not overtly; subtlety has never been Oliver Stone's greatest skill). Perhaps the movie's major drawback is its blatant nature. Dialogue at times feels less real than it does written to drive home a definitive point (Bud's staring out at the city and wondering aloud, "Who am I?" is one glaring example).

- Audio Commentary by Oliver Stone
- Introduction by Oliver Stone
- "Greed is Good" documentary
- Deleted scenes
- "Money Never Sleeps"—The Making of Wall Street Featurette

Oliver Stone's commentary (the same as the one on the 2000 edition of the DVD) is less informative and enlightening than fans of the movie would hope or expect from the outspoken filmmaker. He focuses more on his impressions of performances than on writing (or even directing) insight. The deleted scenes offer the most interesting points from a writing perspective. In 22-plus minutes of additional footage, we're given some extra character dimension (Bud screws over a number of his college pals, one of them notably played by Penn Jilette, in his rise to the top) and an alternate (happier, boy-gets-girl) ending. Stone's commentary on these cut scenes proves more insightful than his discourse on the feature itself.

Although it's been 20 years since the movie's release, Wall Street's message and narrative don't feel dated. Despite its many DVD supplemental incarnations (however useful or not they may be), the film still holds strong as a morality tale with one hell of an antagonist.

Wall Street (20th Anniversary Edition)
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Rated R; 125 min.
$19.98

Buy it now

Dennis Sampson is a commercial production coordinator and unproduced screenwriter. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his better half, Susan, and their dog Tripp.

Wall Street (20th Anniversary Edition) courtesy 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

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