Wall Street, 35 years ago Oliver Stone’s film was released: all the curiosities. PHOTO

On December 11, 1987, or 35 years ago, the film was released in theaters in the United States Wall Streetone of the masterpieces of Oliver Stonea cross-section of New York finance in the 1980s, interpreted by a masterful master Michael Douglas (in the iconic role of Gordon Gecko) also awarded with the Oscar. Next to him the young man Charlie Sheen, as well as Daryl Hannah and Martin Sheen. Here’s everything you need to know about the film

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THE PLOT – The film, set in New York in 1985, tells the story of Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen), a young broker who comes into contact with Gordon Gekko (Douglas), rampant unscrupulous finance shark. The two go into business and establish a mentor-pupil (but also almost father-son) relationship. The partnership yields huge profits but also opens Bud’s eyes to Gekko’s ruthlessness, leading to a confrontation between the two

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THE GENESIS – After the success of platoon (1986), Stone decided to make a film about Wall Street. Stone made the film as a tribute to his father, Lou Stone, a stockbroker during the Great Depression. Gekko’s character is said to be a mix of several real-life people, including Dennis Levine, Ivan Boesky, Carl Icahn, Asher Edelman, Michael Milken, and Stone senior himself

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THE CHOICE OF THE PROTAGONIST – The producers’ plan was initially for Warren Beatty to play Gekko, but the actor declined. Oliver Stone, meanwhile, was pushing to have Richard Gere, but in the end he focused on Michael Douglas, back from a few heroic roles and therefore eager for a darker part. The director received negative judgments on Douglas’s acting qualities, who was described to him more as a producer than a talented performer. The choice, on the other hand, paid off amply

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas: a love written in the stars. PHOTO

GORDON GEKKO – For this interpretation Douglas won the Oscar and the Golden Globe for best actor giving the face to a character who entered the collective imagination as the symbol of the excesses of capitalism. His iconic clothing was emulated by late-decade yuppies, as well as references to theArt of War by Sun Tzu and his quote “Greed, for lack of a better word, is good” (“Greed, I can’t find a better word, is right”)

BUD FOX – For the role of Bud Fox, Gekko’s ambitious young counterpart, the director met Tom Cruise and Matthew Modine was also thought of. But Stone had already committed to Charlie Sheen for the part

DARYL HANNAH – Stone wanted Daryl Hannah for the role of Darien Taylor, Gekko’s lover and then Bud Fox’s materialistic girlfriend. But nobody liked this choice: neither the actress, not convinced of having accepted her, nor the director who will say: “I should have let her go. My whole crew wanted to get rid of her after one day of shooting.” The result was a lackluster performance that earned her a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress, thus making this the only film to date to win both an Oscar and a Razzie

FATHER AND SON – Stone made Charlie Sheen choose who should play his father in the film, between Jack Lemmon or his real father Martin Sheen. She won Sheen senior, who gives the face of Carl, symbol of the working class: he is the union leader of the Bluestar maintenance workers. He is a key character in the “two fathers” archetype fighting for control of their son’s morals, a concept that Stone also used in platoon

Martin Sheen, from Apocalypse Now to West Wing: his cult characters. PHOTO

THE SHOOTING – Stone wanted to shoot the film in New York City and the budget came in at $15 million, which was moderate by 1980s standards. Director and producer Edward R. Pressman agreed with 20th Century Fox and filming began in April 1987 and finished on July 4 of the same year

THE ASSEMBLING – The original version of the film was one hundred and sixty minutes long, but they were cut by about forty minutes. Among the deleted scenes, especially those in which the relationship between Bud and Kate, Gekko’s wife, is shown, a character who almost disappears in the final editing. Director Oliver Stone also makes a cameo as an investor talking on the phone

THE BOX OFFICE – Wall Street was released on December 11, 1987 in 730 theaters in the US and grossed $4.1 million in its opening weekend. In Italy it arrived at the cinema on February 5, 1988. The total collections globally have well exceeded 50 million dollars

THE QUOTES – The film is mentioned in numerous other films. For example in The 25th hour by Spike Lee, the protagonist Edward Norton in the famous monologue in which he insults the citizens of New York accuses the workers of Wall Street of wanting to be all like Gordon Gekko. In the movie 1 kilometer(s) from Wall Street there is a scene in which the young brokers watch Stone’s film on TV and in admiration repeat the lines of Douglas’ character by heart like a mantra

THE SEQUEL – In 2010 Oliver Stone directed the sequel to the film, titled Wall Street – Money never sleeps. Michael Douglas reprized his role as Gordon Gekko, recently released from prison and re-entering a far more chaotic financial world than he once knew. Charlie Sheen makes a cameo appearance while Daryl Hannah is gone. The co-star is Shia LaBeouf while another lead role went to Josh Brolin

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