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Wall Street
Wall Street, Tb - bk7; Arnoldo Mondadori Editore; Kenneth Lipper; pocket_book; 1988
241 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
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September 26, 2025
Wall Street, written by Stanley Weiser and Oliver Stone, directed by the latter
Wall Street is one of the classics that will stand the proof of time, with formidable performances, Michael Douglas has won the well-deserved Academy Award and Golden Globe for his fantastic performance in the role of Gordon Gekko, a character that has escaped this film and has entered the Hall of Fame- if it is not better to say Hall of Infame.
Charlie Sheen – in a period during which he could act with remarkable talent and not hit the news with marital conflicts, porn star shenanigans…but wait, this is not that bad, some get involved in all that and reach all the way to the…White House- plays the ambitious, intrepid, selfish for a long while, talented, greedy, vibrant, self-absorbed Bud Fox.
Bud Fox is a skilled stockbroker, good communicator, possessing excellent social skills that empower him to make connections that propel him to the top, dexterous in handling targets, a splendid sales representative who wants to be rich and not like his father, Carl Fox, played by the real father of the actor, Martin Sheen.
The film asks some very serious, deep, relevant questions in the age of mass movements like Occupy Wall Street, the popular condemnation of CEOs who have helped cause financial crisis some of them infamous for their despicable, outrageous manner:
“I want to tear his heart out and eat it”- Dick Fuld of the now defunct Lehman Brothers
Wall Street would invite audiences to meditate on the question “To Be or To Have”, which in the case of people like Bud – for the first part at least – Gordon Gecko and Darien Taylor is answered with “have a lot of money”.
In contrast with the voracious personages of the feature, Carl Fox represents the epitome of the positive character, a man dedicated to helping others, a leader of the union of workers in the Blue Star airline who wants to defeat predators and save the company from the likes of Gekko.
Gordon Gekko is a rich corporate raider, modelled on real life characters – for instance Albert Dunlap, nicknamed Chainsaw Al – who takes over companies that are mostly in some trouble, turns them around – by cutting staff mainly and other expenses – and then sells them for a profit, without any emotion or consideration for the lives of the people involved.
Wall Street is so quintessential because the different sides of the argument could be debated by viewers, for if Gekko has all the traits of a villain and he breaks the law, making companies profitable is what capitalism is about and there is no better system, even if the director of the motion picture has an abominable habit of getting friendly with terrible tyrants like the late Castro, Chavez and other monsters…for the last French elections, he had sent a letter of support for yet another extremist, Jean-Luc Melenchon.
Bud Fox wants to work for the financial shark, tries and finally impresses the tycoon who may just want to use the young, rapacious stockbroker, even placing an outstanding beauty, Darien Taylor aka Daryl Hannah – who has been nominated for a Razzie award for her role -, in his arms.
The young protagonist becomes affluent very rich – albeit positive psychology emphasizes that being time affluent is much more important than being wealthy in material ways – buys an extremely lavishing apartment that Darien decorates and then co habits.
The hero makes a daring proposition, that Gordon Gekko acquires Blue Star, a company that he knows well from his father that has tremendous potential, whose work force can be convinced to adapt to a sensible plan that would ensure future benefits for both employees and new owner, with the help of Fox Senior.
Alas, if the ruthless operator accepts the prospect, it is not because he would entirely implement the plan, but because he would act without any consideration for anything except a profit on the stock market, the workforce can go to hell for all he cares, pushing Bud Fox to find alternative solutions to the looming catastrophe, predicted by his wise parent.
The inexperienced hero, disappointed and betrayed, offers a plan of revenge to a competitor of Gekko, Sir Larry Wildman aka the formidable Terence Stamp, who would not like anything better than win over the man he loathes so much, especially when the idea of getting control of Blue Star, whose shares are being transacted on the stock exchange is so good in itself.
"Greed, for lack of a better word, is good.” This is part of the Gordon Gekko speech and it reminds one of another character, just as rapacious, Blake from the fantastic Glengarry Glen Ross:
Blake: A-I-D-A. Attention, Interest, Decision, Action. Attention - Do I have you attention? Interest - Are you interested? I know you are, because it's fuck or walk. You close or you hit the bricks. Decision - Have you made your decision for Christ? And Action.
Blake: F*$k you-- that's my name! You know why, mister? Because you drove a Hyundai to get here tonight, I drove an $80,000 BMW. That's my name.
Wall Street is one of the classics that will stand the proof of time, with formidable performances, Michael Douglas has won the well-deserved Academy Award and Golden Globe for his fantastic performance in the role of Gordon Gekko, a character that has escaped this film and has entered the Hall of Fame- if it is not better to say Hall of Infame.
Charlie Sheen – in a period during which he could act with remarkable talent and not hit the news with marital conflicts, porn star shenanigans…but wait, this is not that bad, some get involved in all that and reach all the way to the…White House- plays the ambitious, intrepid, selfish for a long while, talented, greedy, vibrant, self-absorbed Bud Fox.
Bud Fox is a skilled stockbroker, good communicator, possessing excellent social skills that empower him to make connections that propel him to the top, dexterous in handling targets, a splendid sales representative who wants to be rich and not like his father, Carl Fox, played by the real father of the actor, Martin Sheen.
The film asks some very serious, deep, relevant questions in the age of mass movements like Occupy Wall Street, the popular condemnation of CEOs who have helped cause financial crisis some of them infamous for their despicable, outrageous manner:
“I want to tear his heart out and eat it”- Dick Fuld of the now defunct Lehman Brothers
Wall Street would invite audiences to meditate on the question “To Be or To Have”, which in the case of people like Bud – for the first part at least – Gordon Gecko and Darien Taylor is answered with “have a lot of money”.
In contrast with the voracious personages of the feature, Carl Fox represents the epitome of the positive character, a man dedicated to helping others, a leader of the union of workers in the Blue Star airline who wants to defeat predators and save the company from the likes of Gekko.
Gordon Gekko is a rich corporate raider, modelled on real life characters – for instance Albert Dunlap, nicknamed Chainsaw Al – who takes over companies that are mostly in some trouble, turns them around – by cutting staff mainly and other expenses – and then sells them for a profit, without any emotion or consideration for the lives of the people involved.
Wall Street is so quintessential because the different sides of the argument could be debated by viewers, for if Gekko has all the traits of a villain and he breaks the law, making companies profitable is what capitalism is about and there is no better system, even if the director of the motion picture has an abominable habit of getting friendly with terrible tyrants like the late Castro, Chavez and other monsters…for the last French elections, he had sent a letter of support for yet another extremist, Jean-Luc Melenchon.
Bud Fox wants to work for the financial shark, tries and finally impresses the tycoon who may just want to use the young, rapacious stockbroker, even placing an outstanding beauty, Darien Taylor aka Daryl Hannah – who has been nominated for a Razzie award for her role -, in his arms.
The young protagonist becomes affluent very rich – albeit positive psychology emphasizes that being time affluent is much more important than being wealthy in material ways – buys an extremely lavishing apartment that Darien decorates and then co habits.
The hero makes a daring proposition, that Gordon Gekko acquires Blue Star, a company that he knows well from his father that has tremendous potential, whose work force can be convinced to adapt to a sensible plan that would ensure future benefits for both employees and new owner, with the help of Fox Senior.
Alas, if the ruthless operator accepts the prospect, it is not because he would entirely implement the plan, but because he would act without any consideration for anything except a profit on the stock market, the workforce can go to hell for all he cares, pushing Bud Fox to find alternative solutions to the looming catastrophe, predicted by his wise parent.
The inexperienced hero, disappointed and betrayed, offers a plan of revenge to a competitor of Gekko, Sir Larry Wildman aka the formidable Terence Stamp, who would not like anything better than win over the man he loathes so much, especially when the idea of getting control of Blue Star, whose shares are being transacted on the stock exchange is so good in itself.
"Greed, for lack of a better word, is good.” This is part of the Gordon Gekko speech and it reminds one of another character, just as rapacious, Blake from the fantastic Glengarry Glen Ross:
Blake: A-I-D-A. Attention, Interest, Decision, Action. Attention - Do I have you attention? Interest - Are you interested? I know you are, because it's fuck or walk. You close or you hit the bricks. Decision - Have you made your decision for Christ? And Action.
Blake: F*$k you-- that's my name! You know why, mister? Because you drove a Hyundai to get here tonight, I drove an $80,000 BMW. That's my name.
December 6, 2018
B.R.A.CE. 2018 4 βιβλία των Εκδόσεων Bell
(4/4)
Πόσο 80's!
Νεαρός που θέλει να κατακτήσει τον κόσμο ☑
Μεγιστάνας του πλούτου που έχει κακή επιρροή στον νεαρό πρωταγωνιστή μας ☑
Γυναίκα "τρόπαιο" που ενδιαφέρεται μόνο για το "φαίνεσθαι" και το χρήμα ☑
Πατέρας με ηθική και αγάπη για τον νεαρό που του δείχνει τον "σωστό και τίμιο" δρόμο ☑
Τέλος με εξιλέωση και δικαίωση ☑
Πόσο 80's!
Νεαρός που θέλει να κατακτήσει τον κόσμο ☑
Μεγιστάνας του πλούτου που έχει κακή επιρροή στον νεαρό πρωταγωνιστή μας ☑
Γυναίκα "τρόπαιο" που ενδιαφέρεται μόνο για το "φαίνεσθαι" και το χρήμα ☑
Πατέρας με ηθική και αγάπη για τον νεαρό που του δείχνει τον "σωστό και τίμιο" δρόμο ☑
Τέλος με εξιλέωση και δικαίωση ☑
February 20, 2021
Oliver Stone and Stanley Weiser wrote the script for the movie. The author of the novelization was Oliver Stone's chief technical advisor, Kenneth Lipper. According to the book jacket, Lipper managed an investment bank at the time of publication, and before then he'd been "managing director of Salomon Brothers Inc. and a partner of Lehman Brothers."
Which helps explain why the novelization seemed technically credible but fell flat. Certainly with Lipper's credentials, he must have been the major contributor to the authenticity of the minute-by-minute action of the characters in the Wall Street offices, the logistics of insider trading, and probably to the somewhat intricate corporate raiding activities that form the structure particularly in the second half of the story.
However, the writing quality, ugh . . . I've read 5-10 novelizations before, so I'm not an expert, but I'm well-versed enough to know this is one is below average.
Bud Fox's characterization is handled pretty well, and I think this novelization may have added to my understanding of that character's ambitions. But the descriptions in the novel of Gekko and Darien (the Daryl Hannah character) and more minor characters are shallow and awkward. Rather than conjuring up at images of its own, all I could think of while reading this were scenes from the movie, and how I picked up more from the voices and mannerisms of the actors about the characters than I picked up from the words on the pages here.
While novelizations are typically short, this seemed even a bit more abridged or clipped than normal. The nice thing about novelizations is that they usually fill us in on some of the details that they didn't have time for in the movie. It's been years since I've seen the movie, but here very little seemed to be added except maybe for a brief data dump on Gekko's family and childhood. There are a lot of descriptions about lavish furnishings and art, but it's all pretty superficial. The storytelling is somewhat expository. There are also some odd metaphors, and scenes tend to end abruptly on some minor point.
On the upside, the basic story of the younger Bud seeking out the ruthless Gekko as a mentor, only to be pushed into committing insider trading, remains quite compelling like the film. The tragic exploitation of Bud's connection to his father's labor union for an airliner is still a gut punch.
Greed is still alive and well, but if you want to re-live one young man's temptation and repentance from it, just watch the movie.
Which helps explain why the novelization seemed technically credible but fell flat. Certainly with Lipper's credentials, he must have been the major contributor to the authenticity of the minute-by-minute action of the characters in the Wall Street offices, the logistics of insider trading, and probably to the somewhat intricate corporate raiding activities that form the structure particularly in the second half of the story.
However, the writing quality, ugh . . . I've read 5-10 novelizations before, so I'm not an expert, but I'm well-versed enough to know this is one is below average.
Bud Fox's characterization is handled pretty well, and I think this novelization may have added to my understanding of that character's ambitions. But the descriptions in the novel of Gekko and Darien (the Daryl Hannah character) and more minor characters are shallow and awkward. Rather than conjuring up at images of its own, all I could think of while reading this were scenes from the movie, and how I picked up more from the voices and mannerisms of the actors about the characters than I picked up from the words on the pages here.
While novelizations are typically short, this seemed even a bit more abridged or clipped than normal. The nice thing about novelizations is that they usually fill us in on some of the details that they didn't have time for in the movie. It's been years since I've seen the movie, but here very little seemed to be added except maybe for a brief data dump on Gekko's family and childhood. There are a lot of descriptions about lavish furnishings and art, but it's all pretty superficial. The storytelling is somewhat expository. There are also some odd metaphors, and scenes tend to end abruptly on some minor point.
On the upside, the basic story of the younger Bud seeking out the ruthless Gekko as a mentor, only to be pushed into committing insider trading, remains quite compelling like the film. The tragic exploitation of Bud's connection to his father's labor union for an airliner is still a gut punch.
Greed is still alive and well, but if you want to re-live one young man's temptation and repentance from it, just watch the movie.
December 8, 2017
Full disclosure: I am a huge fan of the 1987 Oliver Stone film and of its Oscar winning star Michael Douglas. Oh, and I was in the business for fourteen years. I used to be Bud Fox, sort of. Anyway...
This is another one of those novelizations that I always craved and never even knew existed. And what a treasure it was to find because this a true "novelization", not a retyping of the script in prose form. There is atmosphere, relevant and interesting backstory, and vivid characterizations. These really are the characters from the film, and author Kenneth Lipper fleshes them out in a literary kind of way.
Plus, these book feels authentic and that is because the author is from the business. He knows this world and it shows.
Bottom line: A top notch novelization in every way and a must read for fans of the film.
This is another one of those novelizations that I always craved and never even knew existed. And what a treasure it was to find because this a true "novelization", not a retyping of the script in prose form. There is atmosphere, relevant and interesting backstory, and vivid characterizations. These really are the characters from the film, and author Kenneth Lipper fleshes them out in a literary kind of way.
Plus, these book feels authentic and that is because the author is from the business. He knows this world and it shows.
Bottom line: A top notch novelization in every way and a must read for fans of the film.
January 9, 2020
This is a rare case where the movie was better. But that is ok since this is a novelization. That said, it was interesting to read the authors changes that were not in the movie.
April 6, 2022
Bud Fox will buy the Financial Times everyday at the same news stand for three years. He is motivated, enthusiastic, money driven, he wants everything. Gordon Gekko is intelligent charming, power hungry, riches beyond belief but always chasing the next stock, the next company takeover. Bud will finally get an opportunity to pitch an idea but G.G sheer intimidating figure will make Bud tell insider information and starts a destructive path to acquire excess, greed, power, a risk anything bravado. Bud will be played like a grand piano - by the master and completely fucked over but Bud won't just cop in from behind. With quotes like "money never sleeps", " money is the sex of the eighties", and "greed is good", this Wall Street story bleeds designer clothes, exquisite dinners and champagne before ending in shit.
July 31, 2019
A crap book, about a crap subject. Greed sucks!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews