The Wolf of Wall Street and Comparable Modern Films: Exploring the Capitalist Excess in Film/Greed, Excess and Capitalism Anonymous College

“I am not a destroyer of companies. I am a liberator of them. The point is ladies and gentlemen that greed for lack of a better word is good. Greed is right. Greed works, clarifies and cuts through and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed in all of its forms; greed for life, money, love, and knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. Greed will surely save that malfunctioning corporation called the USA, Thank you very much” (Stone, 1987).

Despite this famous speech from Oliver Stone's “Wall Street” instilling the virtue of greed, excess and capitalism. No one could ever accuse Stone or the film itself of doing the same thing. Indeed, it's because of Gordon Gecko's (Michael Douglas) sermon that we know the opposite is true. If we're all greedy, we can win together. That's the essence of Gecko's message. Of course Oliver Stone and the rest of us know that in a connected capitalist society, greed always works at the expense of others. When later in the film we watch Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) learn how Gecko planned to gain at the expense of his father, the moral hypocrisy of Gecko and the films central condemnation of capitalist excess is laid bare. That was then, this is now.

Twenty-six years after Oliver...