The Dan's Papers They Made The Movie Here Film Festival 2007

WALL STREET

The final feature film presentation of the spring edition of Dan’s Paper’s They Made the Movie Here Film Festival is Wall Street, Oliver Stone’s hard-as-nails film that could be titled War Street. Here’s the drill. On Saturday, May 5, at 3 p.m., arrive at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center on Main Street and get a pounding, physical going-over with an aggressive, jabbing, Oscar-winning performance by Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko, a no-holds-barred, destructive Wall Street terminator who will lie, cheat, search and destroy any company or anyone to make a mil or so and, preferably, a lot more. Wall Street’s penetrating, eye opening action and deep massaging of your anger is guaranteed to trim off a few of those deep furrows on your brow as you get worked over by wheeler-dealer Gekko, one of the most powerful and rotten buyers and sellers in the market. Warning: you will leave satisfied but bruised and it’s free.

Initially, I was surprised when I first heard that Wall Street was to be Oliver Stone’s follow-up film after his raw and scathing war movie, Platoon, which won so many Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. I figured Ollie needed a little peace respite from warfare. Boy, was I wrong. In Wall Street, which he co-wrote with Stanley Weiser, not only do the traders wage business war with Eastern philosophical battle tactics, but Stone’s Gekko goes far beyond the art of war. He lives for high profit and low morals. He’s a killer. His mottoes (the milder ones) include “Churn ‘em and burn ‘em,” “Rip their f-ing throats out” and “Legal? LEGAL?? HAH!” He eats raw meat. Lunch is for wimps. He chews up competition and spits ‘em out onto the street. Money is power.

From Stone’s opening scenes of NYC on its way to work to swinging Sinatra at daybreak to the flying numbers, brokerage houses and the seemingly crazed, high-rolling action of the Stock Market, even out as far as the smooth, rolling wave action of East Hampton beaches, there is tacit manipulation, clawing deception and lascivious profit hunting. And it smells.

Also on the scent of big money is young Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen), who is a wannabe Gekko in this tale that attacks the “American Way.” The story is a kind of one-plot-fits-all that you’ve seen done with many themes and subjects already. Bud comes across with illegal inside info for Gekko and a box of Cuban cigars. It works and generates big bucks. Gekko sends Bud a blonde, a stretch limo, champagne, no pain cocaine and oral sex. POW! Buddy Boy is hooked. He’s an $800-suited corporate spy, buying and selling out his best friends, his girlfriend (Darryl Hannah) and his Dad (real-life father, Martin Sheen, in very winning form). Can Bud turn against his mentor and colossal idol?

Oliver Stone dedicated this film to his father, a broker. Wall Street has passion and the trading war is depicted with a good, in-step cast, including the impeccable performer Terence Stamp, but it’s Mike Douglas’ Gekko that makes the army march boldly.

So park and march or jog, jaunty-jolly to the Westhampton Performing Arts Center for refreshments and talk with Sarah Halsey. Okay, let’s go! HUT 2, 3, 4 – HUT 2, 3, 4. GASP!

Guy-Jean de Fraumeni is the producer/writer/director of award-winning European and American feature films. He has been a judge at Major Film and TV award competitions, including the Oscars, the Emmy’s and various film festivals. He is assisted by Sarah Halsey.