Wall Street (1987) is one of my favorite movies. Don´t get me wrong, I have never seen Gordon Gekko (or Bud Fox) as heroes. And I just love it when the bad guys get caught at the end of the movie. Still, I find the cynicism and cockiness of the people in the movie quite fascinating, with insights like:
"Greed, for lack of a better word, is good."
"If you want a friend, buy a dog."
"Lunch is for wimps."
Back in business school in the early nineties, this movie was considered waaaaay cool. Everybody really wanted to become a BSD* after graduation. Even the girls. (Except the ones that were aiming to become gold-diggers, or trophy wives, that is.) The world of finance was believed to be all glamour. Champagne, fast cars, cigars, guys in sharp suits, more champagne, suspenders and huge shoulder pads. I guess we saw the movie a few more times than what really was healthy.
After working for some years, we now know that it is mostly all about HARD WORK. Like in any other job. I actually tried doing the investment thing for a while, but it was not for me. I kept waking up in the middle of the night having nightmares about the retired people not getting their pensions because I had f***ed up and lost all of their money. I did ok, but I just could not take the pressure. And - I guess it is really enough to have one person in the household with a mood correlating with the DJIA**.
Of course, I had quite high expectations when I heard that there was a sequel coming out. Money never sleeps. With a quite funny trailer showing Gordon Gekko being released from prison and being given back his huge/ancient mobile phone. Ha ha. So - time to hit the cinema. Commercials before the movie starts are sometimes quite entertaining. The highlight this time was the Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen (hunk alert!) starring in a commercial for Star Tour. A charter travel company. Do you think Mads Mikkelsen really books his vacations through Star Tour?! Get real! I have news for you. Santa Claus does not really exist. Nor does the Easter Bunny.
Anyway. Movie was a great disappointment. Gordon Gekko has now gone soft on us. He is getting old, and has completely lost his edge. And he is being super-bearish***. Which is just too depressing. For me the highlights were seeing the regional office of a Swedish bank in Manhattan during the opening scene (when Shia LaBeuf gets off his bike when going to the office). And realizing that it is not just my husband that has a serious crush on Maria Bartiromo****. At our house we watch Squawk Box and Closing Bell on CNBC all the time. Husband claims that it is purely professional. I hear what he says, but I do not really believe him. Hello? Just look at the woman!!
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liar's_Poker
** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dow_Jones_Industrial_Average
*** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Market_trend
**** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Bartiromo
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