"Greed, for lack of a better word, is good," declared Gordon Gekko, the fictional antagonist in Oliver Stone's 1987 classic film Wall Street. But was that mantra consistent with Stone's message? Almost certainly not. Ironically, the audience failed to grasp his point - that unrestrained greed could be destructive - and Stone's ostensible villain became a Wall Street idol. Both Gekko's values and style went mainstream, becoming a cult phenomenon both in boardrooms and on business school campuses. It was a case of life imitating art.
23 years later, Stone has returned with a sequel film (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps), seemingly taking a second shot at communicating his original message. The film's dilemma is the same as the old one - how can Gekko get rich? But this time, "alternative energy" is the focal point for creating wealth.
Green is Good - But is it Profitable?
