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#1 2008-05-14 19:06:29
- Film Noir Buff
- Dandy Nightmare
- From: Devil's Island
- Posts: 9345
Wall Street II
He seduced us with his naked greed. He wasn’t supposed to but he did. He was supposed to be that smarmy rat we all turn our backs on as a nation. He embodied everything that was bad about America. He was all about selfishness and we were supposed to root for his demise, and publicly we all did; privately we all ran home to watch him on DVD, recite his lines word for word and figure out what elements of his clothes we could adopt to become a Robber Baron.
I am of course speaking about Gordon Gekko, as played by Michael Douglas in the film Wall Street. A supposed morality tale about the excesses of American business turned into a celebration of the hitherto little known BSDs of Hostile take overs. They come from many backgrounds, the boot strapped and the privileged but they have one thing in common, a reckless appetite for making money using other people’s and a type AA personality which enjoys conflict and has little interest in following the letter of the law.
And speaking of laws, there are very few that Gekko actually broke aside from his word, hardly something to put a man away for twenty years or so. I understand there will be a Wall Street sequel with Michael Douglas playing a resurgent Gekko. Twenty years later it will be interesting to see if the wardrobe will be as potent in the second film as the first and whether it will seek to mimic those of “tough guys” of finance or make it’s own statement and perhaps create it’s own trends just like the first film did with horizontally striped shirts, braces on trousers and peak lapel suits. I think that the wardrobe would probably be similar to the first movie but updated. I also believe that Gekko’s character should once again merely reference his own individual march-to-his-own-drummer style and again be a trend setter, rather than follower.
What made Gekko look so good and have such effect with his clothes, they were obviously made for him and were custom rather than designer hinting at impact of quality over label but there was something else, although he wasn’t in the clothing trade he seemed to have control over his choices. He didn’t look or seem dressed by someone else. The clothing suited his personality and became an extension of his power. The lesson is that for clothes to enhance you they need to seem like they belong to you and suit you. For people to appreciate and dare I say envy your style it has to appear to be your own, not like it was selected for you by a sales clerk. Gekko was a man who knew what he wanted and took it, his clothes said that; they were his clothes, he owned the look.
What would a voracious individualist wear in 2008 while tearing up the international business world?
#2 2008-05-14 19:21:27
- Marc Grayson
- Member
- Posts: 8860
Re: Wall Street II
Terence Stamp dressed much better.
"‘The sense of being perfectly well dressed gives a feeling of inner tranquility which even religion is powerless to bestow." Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Looking good and dressing well is a necessity. Having a purpose in life is not." Oscar Wilde
#3 2008-05-14 22:01:02
- Horace
- Member
- Posts: 6433
Re: Wall Street II
""This is probably the last Deb season...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." - W. Stillman.
#4 2008-05-15 06:41:55
- Tony Ventresca
- Member
- Posts: 5132
Re: Wall Street II
I was confused by Sheen's character being pinched by the man. To me he only did a bit of B&E at worst, maybe corporate espionage or breaking the bond of the cleaning company that employed him. I cannot comment on the insider trading thing, but everyone does it (so I am told).
Like all sequels, I doubt the costuming or anything will outdo the first movie. Lightning only strikes once in Gollywood, and the exceptions are few.
#5 2008-05-15 06:44:46
- Taylor McIntyre
- Son of Ivy...
- Posts: 342
Re: Wall Street II
We laughed at the film in London. Just sayin'.
#9 2008-05-15 08:04:41
- Skink
- Member
- Posts: 143
Re: Wall Street II
Think like a man of action, and act like a man of thought.
#13 2008-05-15 08:36:58
- Taylor McIntyre
- Son of Ivy...
- Posts: 342
Re: Wall Street II
Last edited by Russell_Street (2008-05-15 08:38:13)
#15 2008-05-15 13:50:50
- I Should Be Working
- Member
- Posts: 107
Re: Wall Street II
If Gekko returns, it can't be a replay of the same morality tale. I certainly hope he's not shown pushing something like mortgage-backed securities. They need to find something relevant that really strokes the "I want some, too" element of the financial world but is not so mundane.
To me, the greatest allure of a guy like Gekko is the hope (albeit false) he offers those around him. Others find themselves attracted to him because he offers a much desired detour, as if he is the finance equivalent of the preferred check-in lines at a crowded airport.
Given his age and the times, I forsee Douglas in a wardrobe quite similar to the one in pic downthread. Dark suits and ties, crisp white shirts. Though there was that more recent movie with Sean Penn where he played a similar character. He really fits the part so well.
#16 2008-05-15 14:53:42
- Voltaire's Bastard
- Member
- Posts: 967
Re: Wall Street II
“You know that saying, 'Caesar's wife is above suspicion'? Well I put an end to all that rubbish!"..”
#18 2008-05-15 18:09:18
- tom22
- Member
- Posts: 295
Re: Wall Street II
It has been a while since I saw the movie, but I believe the crime was insider trading, there is a law against it, and you should go to prison for violating the law.
Last edited by tom22 (2008-05-15 18:10:31)
#21 2008-05-15 19:26:54
- tom22
- Member
- Posts: 295
Re: Wall Street II
why is there a law against it, or why should you go to prison for violating the law? Two distinct issues.
#23 2008-05-15 20:42:30
- tom22
- Member
- Posts: 295
Re: Wall Street II
well this is actually my specialty: the appropriate sentence for someone who has committed a crime. The cases, and they go back a few hundred years, will tell you that there are three considerations in determining an appropriate penalty for the violation of a law: punishment, deterance and rehabiltitation.
Usually the person who violates insider trading laws is a very wealthy person, or at least someone who made some quick money. they have no criminal record, so this factor indicates a lesser sentence. Punishment is an interesting issue. The theory is that the defendant has benefitted by insider information and acquired substantial gain. Usually the punishment should fit the amount of fraud that was perpetrated on the investors in the public company. The issue of deterance. Well that factor intends to deter the public from engaging in similar criminal conduct. This is why in early April some famous people get indicted for tax fraud.
Putting the mix all together, deterence is a big issue. Usually this crime involves very wealthy people violating the law: and there is an element of fairness in punishing the wealthy as well as the easily caught culprits who engage in small time theft. The lack of a criminal record always indicates leniency. Punishment: Well imagine you are a stockholder in a public company while some office holder sells options when he knows the stock is about to tank. some punishment is appropriate.
On the other hand, I have had guys do a federal bid for white collar crime. Some have told me that they made good business contacts and their tennis game has improved. and so it goes.
Last edited by tom22 (2008-05-15 20:44:40)
#24 2008-05-15 21:47:04
- Fogey
- Member
- Posts: 228
Re: Wall Street II
No - I mean why?
In a deeper sense than the inept and schizophrenic scribblings of law.
