History Film / WallStreet

* ForgottenFriendNewFoe: When Bud gets promoted-

When Bud's insider trading is exposed-

* TheSocialDarwinist: Gordon Gekko's philosophy is Social Darwinism of the economic kind. Several of his quotes are [[YouFailEconomicsForever "It's a Zero Sum game]], somebody wins, somebody loses" or "In my book you either do it right or you get eliminated." His entire "Greed is good" speech is of TheSocialDarwinist nature. However, he only applies this trope to companies: weak people don't die, they just don't succeed in business, which is a fairly basic tenet of capitalism. Of course, he's [[{{Hypocrite}} more than willing to under-handed ways to win]] if he can't succeed on pure talent (although, given his character, he'd probably just attribute that to his ''intellectual'' superiority).

* JanitorImpersonationInfiltration: Bud Fox buys shares in a cleaning company to copy confidential documents at Roger's law firm.

* AnimalMotifs: Gekko frequently calls underperforming stocks "dogs".

* ArtisticLicenseLaw: When Gekko asks Fox to follow Lawrence Wildman around, Fox complains that he could lose his license and/or go to jail. In reality, there's nothing illegal about following someone around and noting that he ate lunch in a public restaurant with other people, as this is all publicly observable information. It would only be illegal if Fox was menacing Wildman in some way, and Fox tries ''not'' to be noticed by Wildman or anyone with him. The first illegal act Fox ''actually'' commits is searching Roger's law firm's records (under the ruse of co-owning the cleaning company) and making copies of them for Gekko.

* [[EvilMentor Evil and]] CynicalMentor: Gordon Gekko to Bud Fox. In this case it's the student who pushes for the mentor's advice. As soon as Bud Fox makes himself useful to Gekko's financial schemes, Gekko takes him under his wing and gives him the life he always wanted while teaching him to be driven solely by greed and use illegal means if necessary to ensure his profits.

** {{Greed}}. Being a CorruptCorporateExecutive, Gekko is solely driven by greed as he uses Bud Fox to obtain information by illegal methods to make a quick profit. His NewEraSpeech even exemplifies his MO: "Greed, for lack of a better word, is good." [[spoiler:And it ultimately costs him his career, family and reputation, [[Film/WallStreetMoneyNeverSleeps as shown in the beginning of the sequel]].]]

* TheSociopath: Gekko is a clear example, as he not only serves as an EvilMentor to Bud Fox, but also [[ManipulativeBastard uses him into obtaining information via illegal means]]. Beneath that facade, he is actually driven by self-interest and greed, has no qualms about using Bud as a means to ensure his profits and [[LackOfEmpathy shows no remorse]] when [[spoiler:he intentionally plans to drive Bluestar Airlines (the place where Bud's father works at) into bankruptcy.]]

* SuddenlyShouting[=/=]PrecisionFStrike: [[spoiler:Near the climax, Gekko dumps his remaining interest in Bluestar, only to learn on the evening news that the shares have been picked up at a lower price by Wildman, who will become the airline's new majority shareholder. Gekko, realizing this was concocted by Bud, smashes a paperweight in anger.]]
-->'''Gekko:''' [[spoiler:''[enraged, he smashes a paperweight]'' Son of a '''bitch!''']]
* TheSocialDarwinist: Gordon Gekko's philosophy is Social Darwinism of the economic kind. Several of his quotes are [[YouFailEconomicsForever "It's a Zero Sum game]], somebody wins, somebody loses" or "In my book you either do it right or you get eliminated". His entire "Greed is good" speech is of TheSocialDarwinist nature. However, he only applies this trope to companies: weak people don't die, they just don't succeed in business, which is a fairly basic tenet of capitalism. Of course, he's [[{{Hypocrite}} more than willing to under-handed ways to win]] if he can't succeed on pure talent (although, given his character, he'd probably just attribute that to his ''intellectual'' superiority).

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: Gordon is inspired by several corporate raiders during the 1980s, and in fact the famous speech was based on one given by [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Boesky Ivan Boesky]] who like Gordon, got arrested for his financial activities.

* WideEyedIdealist: Gekko dismisses Bud for being naive about the stock market.

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: As the movie takes place a couple years before it was filmed, it means that several of the actions shown were technically not illegal during the film's time frame, despite Bud's fears of losing his Series 7 license or worse. In fact, Gekko most likely didn't break the law at all, but Bud definitely broke the law by disclosing confidential information from his client (Gekko) to a competitor (Wildman) and using that information to cost his client millions. Also, Bud does JanitorImpersonationInfiltration to search Roger's law firm and making copies of them for Gekko.

* ArtisticLicenseLaw: When Gekko asks Fox to follow Lawrence Wildman around, Fox complains that he could lose his license and/or go to jail. In reality, there's nothing illegal about following someone around and noting that he ate lunch in a public restaurant with other people, as this is all publicly observable information. It would only be illegal if Fox was menacing Wildman in some way, and Fox tries ''not'' to be noticed by Wildman or anyone with him. The first illegal act Fox actually commits is searching Roger's law firm's records (under the ruse of co-owning the cleaning company) and making copies of them for Gekko.

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:Bud saves the airline, but is facing a jail term. Likewise, the airline workers have staved off unemployment, but are facing wage cutbacks.]] But the sequel reveals that [[spoiler:once Bud does his stint, he takes up the job at Bluestar that Wildman offered him, proceeds to turn it into one of the most successful airlines in the country and retires a rich man.]]
* BrokenPedestal: Bud's attitude to Gekko after he [[spoiler: intentionally plans to drive his father's cherished company into bankruptcy]].

* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Gordon Gekko. The guy's NewEraSpeech even exemplifies his MO: "Greed, for lack of a better word, is good."
* DealWithTheDevil: Bud does a deal with Gekko, but it comes with a high cost.
* DelayedWire: Bud tells Gekko that Bluestar Airlines is about to settle a lawsuit and the stock should soar on this news when Gekko is interviewing him for a high-level Wall Street role. Bud is desperate to impress Gekko and passes it off as his research. In reality, this is insider trading, since Bud knows it because his dad works for the airline. Of course, Gordon then learns the truth - and doesn't care, because insider trading and manipulating the financial press are all in Gordon's bag of tricks.

* HiddenWire: [[spoiler:Bud Fox uses a hidden wire during his final confrontation with Gordon Gekko, in a successful attempt to provoke him into confessing his complicity in Fox's insider trading and Gekko's own criminal behavior.]]

* DelayedWire: Bud tells Gekko that Bluestar Airlines is about to settle a strike and the stock should soar on this news when Gekko is interviewing him for a high-level Wall Street role. Bud is desperate to impress Gekko and passes it off as his research. In reality, this is insider trading, since Bud knows it because his dad works for the airline. Of course, Gordon then learns the truth - and doesn't care, because insider trading and manipulating the financial press are all in Gordon's bag of tricks.

** Also, when Bud gets promoted, his boss Lynch praises him for his success. Near the end, [[spoiler:Lynch gives him a DeathGlare, commenting about how Bud was up to no good by involving himself in securities fraud.]]

* PresentDayPast: The film, released in late 1987, has an opening title saying the movie takes place in 1985. Yet within a minutes a character makes a reference to the ''Challenger'' disaster, which happened in early 1986. This was the result of adding the "1985" title after most of the film had been completed, as a way of setting it before a number of insider-trading scandals that had unfolded over the time the film was made.

* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: The entire plot of the film seems to play off this trope, specifically when Gordon Gekko tells Bud Fox to do some things for him which would violate securities laws.

* VillainousBreakdown: [[spoiler:Near the climax, Gekko dumps his remaining interest in Bluestar, only to learn on the evening news that the shares have been picked up at a lower price by Sir Lawrence Wildman, who will become the airline's new majority shareholder. Realizing that Bud engineered the entire scheme, he physically assaults his former protege, berating his ingratitude for several of their illegal business transactions (including Bluestar).]]

* ArtisticLicenseEconomics: A {{justified|Trope}} use of the trope, as the way Gekko makes money is indeed a zero sum game. While absolute wealth and value can be increased, ''relative'' wealth is pretty much constant. If you embrace the concept of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positional_good the positional good]] as Gekko seems to, then you only advance by getting ahead of others. Only so many people can be in the 1%, only one guy can be the richest. If wealth is a measuring stick for status and control, you don't want "enough", you want more than everyone else. Whether the economics are flawed or not depends on whether you accept that concept or not

** While several actions noted as bad would count as immoral, the fact that the movie takes place a couple years before it was filmed means that several of the actions shown were [[ArtisticLicenseHistory not actually illegal during the film's time frame,]] despite Bud Fox's fears of losing his Series 7 license or worse. In fact, Gordon Gekko most likely didn't break the law at all, but Bud definitely broke the law by disclosing confidential information from his client (Gekko) to a competitor (Wildman) and using that information to cost his client millions.

* ArtisticLicenseLaw: When Gekko asks Fox to follow Lawrence Wildman around, Fox complains that he could lose his license and/or go to jail. In reality, there's nothing illegal about following someone around and noting that he ate lunch in a public restaurant with other people, as this is all publicly observable information. It would only be illegal if Fox was menacing Wildman in some way, and Fox tries ''not'' to be noticed by Wildman or anyone with him. The first illegal act Fox commits is searching Roger's law firm's records (under the ruse of co-owning the cleaning company) and making copies of them for Gekko.

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:Bud saves the airline, but is facing a jail term. Likewise, the airline workers have staved off unemployment, but are facing wage cutbacks.]] But the sequel reveals that [[spoiler:once Bud does his stint, he takes up the job at Bluestar that Mr. Wildman offered him, proceeds to turn it into one of the most successful airlines in the country and retires a rich man.]]

** An earlier draft of the script reveals that even Larry Wildman [[spoiler:drew the line between corporate raiding and insider trading.]]

* WhiteAngloSaxonProtestant: Gekko tells Bud that he bought himself a seat on the board of the Bronx Zoo because, "One thing you gotta learn about WASPs: They love animals, but can't stand people."

* ArtisticLicenseEconomics: A {{justified|Trope}} use of the trope, as the way Gekko makes money is indeed a zero sum game. While absolute wealth and value can be increased, ''relative'' wealth is pretty much constant. If you embrace the concept of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positional_good the positional good]] (as Gekko seems to), then you only advance by getting ahead of others. Only so many people can be in the 1%, only one guy can be the richest. If wealth is a measuring stick for status and control, you don't want "enough", you want more than everyone else. Whether the economics are flawed or not depends on whether you accept that concept or not

* BetterThanSex: Gordon Gekko relates that when he made an $800,000 profit on his first business real-estate purchase, he thought making all that money was "better than sex," but years later, he only sees it as a day's pay.

* DelayedWire: Bud tells Gekko that Bluestar Airlines is about to settle a strike and the stock should soar on this news when Gekko is interviewing him for a high-level Wall Street role. Bud is desperate to impress Gekko and passes it off as his research. In reality, this is insider trading, since Bud knows it because his dad is a union rep for the airline. Of course, Gordon then learns the truth - and doesn't care, because insider trading and manipulating the financial press are all in Gordon's bag of tricks.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: If you were to go by the earlier scenes in the movie, you would think that none of Bud's coworkers have any semblance of morality. [[spoiler:However, towards the end of the movie, when they all find out about Bud's involvement in securities fraud, almost everyone in the office is giving him a cold stare.]]

* HiddenWire: [[spoiler:Bud Fox uses a hidden wire during his final confrontation with Gordon Gekko, in a successful attempt to provoke Gekko into confessing his complicity in Fox's insider trading and Gekko's own criminal behavior.]]

** While several actions noted as bad would count as immoral, the fact that the movie takes place a couple years before it was filmed means that several of the actions shown were [[ArtisticLicenseHistory not actually illegal during the film's time frame,]] despite Bud Fox's fears of losing his stockbroker's license or worse. In fact, Gordon Gekko most likely didn't break the law at all, but Bud definitely broke the law by disclosing confidential information from his client (Gekko) to a competitor (Wildman) and using that information to cost his client millions.

* OpposedMentors: Bud has to choose between his father, who lives an honest lifestyle and is working class, and Gekko, a CorruptCorporateExecutive solely motivated by {{Greed}}.

* SuddenlyShouting[=/=]PrecisionFStrike: [[spoiler:Near the climax, Gekko dumps his remaining interest in Bluestar, only to learn on the evening news that the shares have been picked up at a lower price by Sir Lawrence Wildman, who will become the airline's new majority shareholder. Gekko, realizing this was concocted by Bud, smashes a paperweight in anger.]]

* VillainousBreakdown: [[spoiler:Near the climax, Gekko dumps his remaining interest in Bluestar, only to learn on the evening news that the shares have been picked up at a lower price by Sir Lawrence Wildman, who will become the airline's new majority shareholder. Realizing that Bud engineered the entire scheme, he physically assaults his former protege, berating his ingratitude for several of their illegal business transactions (including Bluestar). Cue TheReasonYouSuckSpeech trope above.]]

-->'''Gekko''': [[spoiler:''[still smug]'' You sandbagged me on Bluestar, huh? ''[chuckles again]'' I guess you think you taught the teacher a lesson, that the tail can wag the dog, huh? ''[sighs while crushing his cigarette with his foot]'' Well let me clue you in, pal. The ''ice'' is melting right underneath your feet. ''[suddenly punches Bud and grabs him by the collar]'' Did you think you could've gotten this far this fast with anybody else, huh? You think you'd be out there dicking someone like Darien? No. You'd be cold-calling widows and dentists trying to buy 20 shares of some fucking dog-shit stock. I took you in. ''[hits Bud a 2nd time]'' '''A NOBODY!''' ''[hits him again]'' I opened the doors for you. I showed you how the system works. The value of information, how to '''get it!''' Fulham Oil, Brant Resources, Geodynamics. And this is how you fucking ''pay me back,'' '''[[VillainousBreakdown you cockroach!]]''' ''[knocks Bud into the ground.]'' '''''[[VillainousBreakdown I GAVE YOU DARIEN! I GAVE YOU YOUR MANHOOD, I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING!]]''''' ''[calms down, then tosses a handkerchief to Bud to clean off the blood on his lip]'' You could have been one of the great ones, Buddy. I look at you, and I see myself. Why?]]\\

* WhiteCollarCrime: Much of the film revolves around Bud trying to be like Gekko, who's actually a CorruptCorporateExecutive and commits insider trading to make a quick buck. Although insider trading is not illegal ''per se'' and rules regarding it can vary ''significantly'' by jurisdiction, it only becomes illegal if done for the sake of personal gain. Trading conducted by corporate officers, directors, or significant shareholders must be reported to the regulators, usually within a few business days of the trade. Insiders in the US are required to file a Form 3 with the Securities and Exchange Commission if they decide to make a trade for the 1st time, while Form 4 is used for subsequent transactions, and Form 5 is used to disclose any trades made throughout a company's fiscal year, as well as transactions previously not mentioned on a Form 4 submission.

->'''Gekko:''' [[spoiler:''[enraged, he smashes a paperweight]'' Son of a '''bitch!''']]

-->'''Gordon Gekko:''' [[spoiler:''[enraged, he smashes a paperweight]'' Son of a '''bitch!''']]\\

-->'''Gordon Gekko''': What the hell do you want?\\
'''Bud Fox''': I found out about the garage sale down at Bluestar. Why?\\
'''Gordon''': Last night I was reading Rudy about the story of Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Pot. You know what happened? Stuck his nose once too often, and he got stuck.\\
'''Bud''': Maybe you ought to read him Pinocchio. I thought that you were gonna turn Bluestar around, not ''upside-down''. You fucking used me!\\
'''Gordon''': Well you're walking around blind without a cane, pal. A fool and his money are lucky to get together in the first place.\\
'''Bud''': But why ''do you'' need to wreck this company?!\\
'''Gordon''': Because '''[[SuddenlyShouting IT'S WRECKABLE, allright?!]]''' I took another look at it and I changed my mind.\\
'''Bud''': If these people lose their jobs, they got nowhere to go. My father has worked there for 24 years. I gave him my word!\\
'''Gordon''': It's all about bucks, kid, and the rest is conversation. Hey Buddy, you're still going to be president, allright! And when the time comes, you're going to parachute out a rich man. And with the money you're gonna make, your dad's never gonna have to work another day in his life.\\
'''Bud''': So tell me, Gordon — when does it all end, huh? How many yachts can you waterski behind? How much is ''ENOUGH''?\\
'''Gordon''': ''[sarcastially while filling up a glass of wine]'' It's not a question of enough, pal. It's a zero-sum game. Somebody wins, somebody loses. Money itself isn't lost or made, it's simply, uh, transferred from one perception to another, like magic. ''[points to a [painting]'' This painting here, I bought it 10 years ago for $60,000. I could sell it today for 600. The illusion has become more real, and the more real it becomes, the more desperate they want it. Capitalism at its finest.\\
'''Bud''': How much is enough, Gordon?\\
'''Gordon''': ''[chuckles]'' The richest 1% of this country owns half our country's wealth: 5 trillion dollars. One-third of that comes from hard work, two-thirds comes from inheritance, interest-on-interest accumulating to widows and idiot sons and what I do, is stock and real estate speculation. It's bullshit. You got 90% of the American public out there with little or no net worth. I create ''nothing.'' I own. We make the rules, pal. The news, war, peace, famine, upheaval, the price per paper clip. We pick that rabbit out of the hat while everybody sits out there wondering how the hell we did it. Now you're not naive enough to think we're living in a democracy, are you, Buddy? It's the free market, and you're a part of it. ''[smugly]'' Yeah, you've got that killer instinct. ''[chuckles]'' Stick around pal, I've still got a lot to teach you.\\
'''Bud''': Obviously.\\
'''Gordon''': Aw Buddy, come on, look I was gonna tell you about it, allright? Calm down, allright. We'll go up my apartment tonight, have a little dinner, you bring Darien.\\
'''Bud''': No, I can't.., I can't make it tonight.\\
'''Gordon''': Hey Buddy, are you ''with me?'' I need to know if you're with me.\\
'''Bud''': I'm with you, Gordon.\\
'''Gordon''': ''[Gordon pats on his back]'' Natalie, I'll be right there. ''[grabs a phone and dials to Ollie]''\\
'''Ollie''': ''[over the phone]'' Yeah?\\
'''Gordon''': ''[speaks on the phone]'' Yeah, Ollie. You tell them, I want zip-locked mouths on the Bluestar deal or I'll personally come down there and rip out their ''[[PrecisionFStrike fucking]]'' ''throats''!\\

* DelayedWire: Bud tells Gekko that Bluestar Airlines is about to settle a strike and the stock should soar on this news when Gekko is interviewing him for a high-level Wall Street role. Bud is desperate to impress Gekko and passes it off as his research. In reality, this is insider trading, since Bud knows it because his dad is a union rep for the airline. Of course, Gordon then learns the truth - and doesn't care, because trading on inside information and manipulating the financial press are all in Gordon's bag of tricks.

* WhiteCollarCrime: Much of the film revolves around Bud trying to be like Gekko, who's actually a CorruptCorporateExecutive and commits insider trading to make a quick buck. Although insider trading is not illegal ''per se'' and rules regarding it can vary ''significantly'' by jurisdiction, it only becomes illegal if done for the sake of personal gain. Trading conducted by corporate officers, directors, or significant shareholders must be reported to the regulators, usually within a few business days of the trade. Insiders in the US are required to file a Form 4 with the Securities and Exchange Commission if they decide to make a trade. Form 3 is used for a first-time transaction, while Form 5 is used to disclose any insider transactions made throughout a company's fiscal year, as well as transactions previously not mentioned on a Form 4 submission.

* DelayedWire: Bud tells Gekko that Blustar Airlines is about to settle a strike and the stock should soar on this news when Gecko is interviewing him for a high-level Wall Street role. Bud is desperate to impress Gekko and passes it off as his research. In reality, this is insider trading, since Bud knows it because his dad is a union rep for the airline. Of course, Gordon then learns the truth - and doesn't care, because trading on inside information and manipulating the financial press are all in Gordon's bag of tricks.

* AffablyEvil[=/=]FauxAffablyEvil: Gekko zig-zags between the two. While it's clear that he will act like your best friend while plotting your ruin, how much of his "niceness" is sincere and how much is an act is left deliberately ambiguous.

* FauxAffablyEvil: Gekko. He will act like your best friend while plotting your ruin.

* SuddenlyShouting[=/=]PrecisionFStrike: [[spoiler:Near the climax, Gekko dumps his remaining interest in Bluestar, only to learn on the evening news that the shares have been picked up at a lower price by Sir Lawrence Wildman, who will become the airline's new majority shareholder. Gekko's reaction changes from confusion to extreme rage as he smashes a paperweight in anger when he realizes that this was concocted by Bud Fox. Cue VillainousBreakdown below.]]

* WhiteCollarCrime: Much of the film revolves around Bud trying to be like Gekko, who's actually a CorruptCorporateExecutive and commits insider trading to make a quick buck. Although insider trading is not illegal ''per se'' and rules regarding it can vary significantly by jurisdiction, it only becomes illegal if done for the sake of personal gain. Trading conducted by corporate officers, directors, or significant shareholders must be reported to the regulators, usually within a few business days of the trade. Insiders in the US are required to file a Form 4 with the Securities and Exchange Commission if they decide to make a trade. Form 3 is used instead if it's an a preliminary insider transaction by an insider, while Form 5 is used to disclose any insider transactions made throughout a company's fiscal year, as well as transactions previously not mentioned on a Form 4 submission.

* WhiteCollarCrime: Much of the film revolves around Bud trying to be like Gekko, who's actually a CorruptCorporateExecutive and commits insider trading to make a quick buck. Although insider trading is not illegal ''per se'' and rules regarding it can vary significantly by jurisdiction, it only becomes illegal if done for the sake of personal gain. Trading conducted by corporate officers, directors, or significant shareholders must be reported to the regulators, usually within a few business days of the trade. Insiders in the US are required to file a Form 4 with the Securities and Exchange Commission if they decide to make a trade.

* WhiteCollarCrime: Much of the film revolves around Bud trying to be like Gekko, who's actually a CorruptCorporateExecutive and commits insider trading to make a quick buck. Although insider trading is not illegal per se and rules regarding it can vary significantly by jurisdiction, it only becomes illegal if done for the sake of personal gain. Trading conducted by corporate officers, directors, or significant shareholders must be reported to the regulators, usually within a few business days of the trade. Insiders in the US required to file a Form 4 with the Securities and Exchange Commission if they decide to make a trade.

* PunctuatedPounding: [[spoiler:I took you in. ''[hits Bud a 2nd time]'' '''A NOBODY!''' ''[hits him again]'' I opened the doors for you. I showed you how the system works. The value of information, how to '''get it!''' Fulham Oil, Brant Resources, Geodynamics. And this is how you fucking ''pay me back,'' '''[[VillainousBreakdown you cockroach!]]''' ''[hits him a 4th time, but the force of the hit knocks Bud into the ground.]'' '''''[[VillainousBreakdown I GAVE YOU DARIEN! I GAVE YOU YOUR MANHOOD, I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING!]]''''']]

-->'''Gekko''': [[spoiler:''[still smug]'' You sandbagged me on Bluestar, huh? ''[chuckles again]'' I guess you think you taught the teacher a lesson, that the tail can wag the dog, huh? ''[sighs while crushing his cigarette with his foot]'' Well let me clue you in, pal. The ''ice'' is melting right underneath your feet. ''[suddenly punches Bud and grabs him by the collar]'' Did you think you could've gotten this far this fast with anybody else, huh? You think you'd be out there dicking someone like Darien? No. You'd be cold-calling widows and dentists trying to buy 20 shares of some fucking dog-shit stock. I took you in. ''[hits Bud a 2nd time]'' '''A NOBODY!''' ''[hits him again]'' I opened the doors for you. I showed you how the system works. The value of information, how to '''get it!''' Fulham Oil, Brant Resources, Geodynamics. And this is how you fucking ''pay me back,'' '''[[VillainousBreakdown you cockroach!]]''' ''[hits him a 4th time, but the force of the hit knocks Bud into the ground.]'' '''''[[VillainousBreakdown I GAVE YOU DARIEN! I GAVE YOU YOUR MANHOOD, I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING!]]''''' ''[calms down, then tosses a handkerchief to Bud to clean off the blood on his lip]'' You could have been one of the great ones, Buddy. I look at you, and I see myself. Why?]]\\