So how much do you really know about the movie Wall Street? Do you think you know all the facts listed below? Chances are there are a few that might surprise you and a few you might think are fairly obvious. The film that essentially made Gordon Gekko the temporary face of Wall Street is a classic that a lot of people still remember and one that is bound to not get lost in the archives any time soon.
But how much do you really know about it?
10. Oliver Stone made it a point to get Michael Douglas mad between scenes.
Stone would actually grill Douglas over and over about his acting in an attempt to get him fired up. He was actually willing to make Douglas hate him for the duration of the movie to get the attitude he needed for Gekko.
9. “Greed is good” is number 57 on the top 100 movie quotes of all time.
This was almost spot on with what was said by Ivan Boesky at a business school graduation. The most disturbing thing about it is that people were laughing and applauding.
8. Wall Street won an Oscar and a Razzie.
So the movie got the best and worst award possible. Douglas won an Oscar, Daryl Hanna won a Razzie. She was unimpressive and he was just awesome, so said the critics.
7. Oliver Stone’s father was a stockbroker.
Stone actually dedicated the film to his father, who passed away two years before its release.
6. The phone Gekko used weighed around two pounds.
Do you happen to remember these things? In 1983 when they came out they were the hottest thing on the market but they were the size and weight of a brick, and had about as good reception.
5. It was Charlie Sheen’s idea to have Martin Sheen pose as his on screen father.
Stone actually gave Sheen the decision between Jack Lemmon and his father. Obviously we know who he picked.
4. Gordon Gekko was based on three big-time financiers.
Carl Icahn, Asher Edelman, and Ivan Boesky were all major players that inspired the character of Gekko in one way or another. Icahn and Boesky were shrewd investors that were supposedly always watching out for their bottom line no matter what they had to do.
3. The Stock Market actually suffered its worst crash in history just two months before the film was released.
“Black Monday” actually hit two months before the film was released. Roughly $500 billion dollars just disappeared and many people were devastated beyond recovery.
2. The screenwriter had trouble finding inspiration for the movie.
He was given The Great Gatsby and Crime and Punishment to work with, but it wasn’t until he actually visited the Stock Exchange that found his inspiration.
1. A few parts of the movie were shot at the New York Stock Exchange during working hours.
Kenneth Lipper managed to get Stone and the cast onto the premises for several shots. This heightened the authenticity of the film.
So how many facts did you know? Were there any that had you stumped? Wall Street is filled with interesting facts that a lot of fans just don’t take the time to realize.
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