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5. Wall Street (1987)
Corporate raider Gordon Gekko’s «greed is good» mantra shaped how a generation sees Wall Street – a view which prevails today. Gekko’s embrace of naked capitalism is a theme taken up by most modern-day Wall Street flicks, including most recently «Equity», whose main character bluntly admits that «I like money».
In the role that ignited Charlie Sheen’s film career, he plays a young and hungry stockbroker who shadows Gekko, getting rich from his mentor’s often illegal methods. The two break over a planned takeover and a family tragedy, which turns mentor and protege into hunter and prey. Directed by Oliver Stone, Michael Douglas won an Oscar for his portrayal of the ruthless Gekko.
