My favorite part of a crime drama, you ask? It’s when the antagonist justifies his actions. Not that they’re speaking sense always (many times it’s pure delusion), but I always look forward to the ones that make you conflicted. It’s always good to know how the other part of the world feels and believes. When discussing an antagonist’s perspective, Gordon Gekko’s (Michael Douglas) speech in Wall Street (1987), at the Teldar Paper’s shareholders’ meeting definitely comes to mind. “Greed, for the lack of a better word, is a good thing,” emphasizes Gekko. Ranked amongst the top 100 movie quotes of all time by the American Film Institute, in this article, we’re examining cinema’s one of the most dichotomous quotes, which almost feels like a rebellion against the oppression of ambition. The StoryDirected by Oliver Stone, Wall Street follows a young and overly ambitious stockbroker, Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen), as he navigates a desperate path to success, idolizing a senior broker, Gordon Gekko, and ultimately embarks on a path of self-destruction and financial treachery. Wall Street explores universal themes including greed, corruption, and the internal struggle between ambition and integrity. The Origin of the Quote Gekko’s character was inspired by some of the most infamous real-life financiers, most notably Ivan Boesky, Carl Icahn, and Michael Milken. The iconic one-liner, “Greed, for the lack of a better word, is a good thing,” is directly influenced by Ivan Boesky. In fact, you can literally say that Gekko’s speech is a cinematic variation of...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Yesterday