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Scene in Wall Street (d. Oliver Stone, 1987): Gordon Gekko delivers his “Greed is Good” speech to the stockholders of Teldar Paper. Very slow zoom shot on Gekko’s face.

Gekko: “The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right. Greed works...

Cutaway shot to Bud Fox (Gekko’s apprentice) in the audience, who narrows his eyes, lifts his chin slightly, as if enlightened.

Gekko:”...Greed clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence...

Cuts back to Gekko – slow zoom shot on his face continues, so that his face and sharp gaze gradually grow until they fill the frame – the top of his head eventually exceeds the border of the frame, making him appear massive.Crowd erupts in applause and a standing ovation at the end of his speech.

Gekko: “...of evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms – greed for life, for money, for love, for knowledge – has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA. Thank you very much.”

Fades into black background – white, gothic style text appears, word-by-word: “Greed is Good: Capitalist Ideology in Film”

Applause continues.Low, dissonant chords, played by strings.

Fades into shot from 3 Idiots (d. Rajkumar Hirani, 2009): Chatur shows photos indicating his wealth on his phone to the camera, chuckling. Text appears in lower third of the frame: “ 3 Idiots (d. Rajkumar Hirani, 2009)”

Chatur: “Check out the mansion behind, idiots – $3.5 million...swimming pool – heated! Living room – maple wood flooring...my new Lambhorghini 6496 cc – very fast”

Shot of Chatur continues over Narrator’s speech. The audience can track the dialogue as there are subtitles (dialogue is in Hindi).

Chatur’s voice fades out – continues quietly in the background.

Narrator’s voice: “Western capitalism and materialist pursuits have spread all over the world – they are part of our dominant ideology, our way of life...”

When Narrator mentions “success”, Chatur’s flashback seen – he challenges Rancho to “see who’s more successful” in ten years.The flashback is dark; as Chatur yells (almost snarls) his challenge, a flickering fluorescent light illuminates his enraged face and teary, glaring eyes, though half of his visage remains in the darkness of night.

Narrator:”...Indeed, material wealth is our standard measuring stick of success. In rapidly growing economies, such as India, this creates an interesting contrast between those who embrace this culture...”

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When Narrator says “reject”, Farhan throws a glass bottle at the ground – it smashes at Chatur’s feet. The “contrast” is evidenced by Chatur’s expensive suit and Farhan and Raju’s plain clothes (Raju is not even wearing pants).Fade to black.

Narrator: “...and those who reject it. This is an interesting point of focus for filmmakers, whose treatment of capitalist ideology has a significant impact on audiences.”

Against black background, white text appears: “Director’s Intention and Audience Reception”

Silence.

Cut to Narrator standing outside of NY Stock Exchange on Wall Street. He speaks into the camera - direct mode of address.Cut to shot from Wall Street - Gekko’s office is introduced: as people enter his office, the camera follows behind them in a tracking shot, giving the audience a peek into the room. Gekko (inside the room) turns, showing his face for a brief moment before the door closes on the camera. Text in lower third: “Wall Street (d. Oliver Stone, 1987)”

Narrator: “Perhaps the most critical portrayal of American corporate excess is Oliver Stone’s iconic Wall Street. Made and set in the 1980s era of Reagan-ist consumerism, Wall Street is essentially a commentary, an exposure of the immoral dealings that happen behind the closed doors of Wall Street’s financial institutions.”

As Narrator mentions Gekko, cuts to shot of Gekko in his office – first meeting between him and Bud Fox. Gekko paces back and forth, yelling into the phone.

Narrator: “The unscrupulous behaviour that Stone attempts to communicate is embodied in the character of Gordon Gekko, the antagonist of the film.”

Scene continues: Gekko continues talking into the phone, pacing. A very low-tilted shot is used, creating a sense of power.Gekko slams down phone.

Audio from Wall Street fades in. Gekko: “Okay, alright. Christmas is over, and business is business. You keep on buying – dilute the son of a bitch! Ollie, I want every orifice in his fucking body flowing red!”

Cut to talking head shot of Prof. Satya J. Gabriel. Text in lower third: “Prof. Satya J. Gabriel – Writer, Economics in Popular Film”At mention of the “seedier side of finance capital”, cuts to Ollie (Gekko’s trader) making vulgar sexual movements as he seals his deal. He is the image of a stereotypical sleaze; massively overweight, with a loose tie and sweaty shirt. Gekko slaps him on the back, approvingly.

Satya J. Gabriel: “We are supposed to see the seedier side of finance capital.”

Ollie: “Got close to a half a million shares in the bag!”

Gekko: “Ha! The Terminator! Blow ‘em away Ollie!”

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Wall Street scene continues over Prof. Gabriel’s commentary.

Gekko strolls around his office charismatically, slapping Ollie on the back again. He grins as he demonstrates the “seedier side” of the world of Wall Street.

Gabriel: “Gordon Gekko, the Mephistopheles-like manipulator ‘creates nothing’ but takes everything.”

Dialogue of Wall Street scene fades in. Gekko [to Ollie, laughing]: “Rip their fucking throats out! Stuff ‘em in your garbage compacter!”

Cut to talking head shot of Jim Zarroli. Text in lower third: “Jim Zarroli – Journalist, Gordon Gekko, Preaching the Gospel of Greed”

Zarroli: “Gekko is a slimy embodiment of all that was wrong with American capitalism. Gekko is also a major-league crook who trades in insider information and manipulates markets.”

Cut to restaurant scene in Wall Street: Gekko, standing, leans in to face Bud (who is seated) up close. He stares down at him with beady, almost threatening eyes.

Gekko: “I don’t like losses, sport. Nothing ruins my day more than losses. Now, you do good...you get perks...”

Reverse shot – high-tilted angle looking down at Bud, who gazes up at Gekko in awe, a smile creeping across his face.

Gekko leaves. Side profile shot of Bud, who throws his head back in exultation.

Gekko: “...lots and lots of perks.”Narrator: “The beauty of this exchange is in the reverse shot; Gekko essentially threatens Bud, and yet Bud looks up at him in the shot just as he looks up to him as a role model, idolising Gekko as the God of Wall Street.”

Cut to talking head shot of Prof. Gabriel.Cut to shot from Wall Street: Bud leaning out from his balcony, gazing at the night skyline of Manhattan. Pans from a distanced over-the-shoulder shot, viewing what he sees, to a side profile shot of his face, wearing an unusually thoughtful expression.

Bud turns, looks down, and shakes his head.Fade to black.

Gabriel: “Gekko’s sidekick is Bud Fox, the naive but greedy young man, whose inner struggle becomes a focal point for the film.”

Bud: “Who am I?”

Narrator: “The depth of field in this shot isolates the character of Bud in the frame, accentuating the brief moment of uncertainty over his life’s direction that crosses his mind. It creates a sense of emptiness and longing, despite his new wealth.”

Cut back to Narrator.Cut to text of the Fortune Magazine article “Oliver Stone: Life after ‘Wall Street’” by Telis Demos, 2007. Highlighted text: “‘Wall Street’ has been required viewing for anyone working in finance and a standard way of viewing the go-go ‘80s”

Narrator: “Audiences (especially non-filmic ones) failed to receive Wall Street as a criticism, a warning about our modern values, instead viewing it as more of a rags-to-riches narrative, more fitting of the classic American Dream-esque quest for wealth...”

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Cut to scene in Rehguzar (d. Faruq Masudi, 2006): Rahul standing by the roadside with a fellow worker. Text in lower third: “Rehguzar (d. Faruq Masudi, 2006)Rahul points to a billboard.

Rahul gazes at the billboard longingly.

Narrator: “Interesting parallels with the 2006 Indian film, Rehguzar, can be drawn. Rehguzar chronicles the journey of big-dreaming Rahul Khanna, whose humble beginnings drive his desire for fame and wealth.”Audio from Rehguzar fades inRahul: “You see that? Do you see my face on it?”Friend: “No.”Rahul: “Never mind. I see it. The entire world will see it soon.”

Cuts back to Narrator.

Cuts to scene in Rehguzar: Rahul is rehearsing a speech to his girlfriend’s father. He is wearing a sharp black suit with a tie.

Narrator: “Underpinning Faruq Masudi’s narrative is the dominant ideology of consumerism, and the assumption that Rahul’s success is based entirely on his ability to make money and gain material wealth. There is little acknowledgement of an alternative source of happiness.”

Rahul: “Sir, I have every thing that a person would look for in his son-in-law: money, fame, respect.”

Cuts back to Narrator.

Cut to stock archive footage of Indian labourers walking in mass to work in increasingly commercial Calcutta.

Narrator: “Perhaps this attitude that the film adopts is a product of its cultural context, reflecting the ambitions of many hopefuls in modern India. In addition, corporatism in the Indian film industry places as huge an emphasis on profitability as institutional filmmaking in the US.”

Cuts to talking head shot of Onir (Indian filmmaker). Text in lower third: “Onir – Director, Writer, Producer”Fade to black.

Onir: “Today, most big-budget films are made by corporates who are more interested in the economics of movie-making. They are not passionate about film as an artistic medium.”

One of the transition shots in Wall Street: shot from Brooklyn of the Manhattan skyline and Brooklyn Bridge.

[Pause]Narrator: “This might explain the gross misinterpretation of Wall Street - audience reception theory is a key factor to consider.”

Cut to brief talking head shot of Prof. Satya J Gabriel.

Gabriel: “Once a film is created it becomes the malleable object of the culture into which it is thrust.”

Cut to Wall Street: the Stock Exchange opens for the first time in the film. Overhead crane shot shows the bustling interior of the New York Stock Exchange. Text shows the year of the setting: “1985”

Stock Exchange opening bell – diagetic sound from the scene

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Cut to brokerage firm office. Trash and scrap paper seen strewn across the floor with disregard. Many characters seen yelling into phones and at each other.

Narrator: “In this scene, the use of handheld shots and constant camera movement around the office are suggestive of chaos and instability. Yet, in the fervor of ultra-capitalism in the 1980’s, the hectic portrayal of the financial industry was interpreted as exciting and dynamic, the aggressive and brash nature of the broker characters, seemingly ignored.”

Marv, Bud’s friend, seen shouting into a phone – side, high tilted shot of Marv crouching at his desk, propping himself with one arm. The hectic environment again communicated through the mise en scene – crushed paper seen lying on the ground, with files and pizza boxes stacked haphazardly.

Audio from Wall Street scene fades in. Marv: “What?! Oh, will you give me a break for Christ’s sake! How the hell was I supposed to know you were in surgery?! What am I, Marvin the mind-reader?!”

Cut to talking head shot of Oliver Stone.

Stone: “It’s kind of ugly. Society is vulgar in many ways, and I think the film reflects some of those changes.”

Cut back to Narrator

Cut to scene from Wall Street: Meeting between Bud and Gekko in restaurant.Shot-reverse-shot sequence used for the conversation, but when facing Bud, the camera is placed further from the subject, while shots of Gekko use a slow zoom, making his face fill the frame.

Narrator: “Consequently, the underlying moral issues behind neo-liberal capitalist values became an important theme in the film.”

Gekko: “Teldar’s shooting up – d’you buy any for yourself? I bet you were on the phone two minutes after you got outta my office, huh?Bud: “No, sir, that wouldn’t have been legal.”

Shot-reverse-shot is interrupted as the camera lingers on Gekko’s face, zooming slowly as his grin fades.Close-up of Gekko handing Bud a cheque made out for one million dollars.

Gekko: “Sure...relax pal, no one’s gonna blow the whistle on you...

...is that legal?”

Cut to talking head shot of Oliver Stone.

Cut to changing room scene in Wall Street - conversation between Gekko and Bud.

Stone: “A new kind of trader, a new breed was coming in with Ronald Reagan and consumerism and big time money and buying out companies and trashing human lives.”

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Scene continues: Gekko is standing, talking down to Bud (who is sitting). Shots of Gekko are low-tilted – suggestive of power.

He ties his tie and combs his hair with violent, jerking movements. The exaggerated gold imagery; cufflinks, watch, bracelet, massive ring on pinky finger almost suggestive of a mafia godfather.

Narrator: “Stone’s message is communicated through the dialogue in the film, with multiple references to war and violence.”

Gekko’s speech heard in the background.Gekko: “Read Sun Tsu, The Art of War: every battle is won before it’s ever fought...they’re sheep, and sheep get slaughtered...you win a few, you lose a few, but you keep on fighting...it’s trench warfare out there pal.”

Gekko starts to leave – Bud, half-dressed, pursues, pleading for a second chance.

At mention of “information”, lighting of the set drops to almost chiaroscuro – Gekko’s face half in darkness – reflective of the immorality and lawbreaking activities of Wall Street “players”. The back of Bud’s head almost disappears, blending with the darkness.

Gekko: “You want another chance?”Bud: “Fuckin’ A!”Gekko: “Then you stop sending me information, and start getting me some.”Thunder outside.Narrator: “In this shot, Stone’s combination of thunder and heavy darkness is essentially the conventional portrayal of the archetypal villain. Bud dissolves into the blackness within the frame, reflecting the dark world of finance he is about to enter.”

Cut to Narrator. Narrator: “In spite of Stone’s blatantly negative representation of capitalist greed, many people still perceived Gekko as a role model.”

Cut to talking head shot of Stephen Schiff. Text in lower third: “Stephen Schiff – Screenwriter, Wall Street”

Schiff: “The idea that Gekko was this shiny, beautifully dressed, magnetic, charismatic superstar suited a lot of people in the business world very nicely.”

Cut to talking head shot of Prof. Satya J. Gabriel.

Cut to shot of Bud being placed under arrest near the conclusion of the film. As Bud is led out of the office by the police officers, the camera tracks backwards. The audience thus cannot see what lies ahead of him, only what he leaves behind, as he breaks into tears.

Gabriel: “Oliver Stone tried to imbue the film with a sense of the negative consequences of the naked pursuit of material wealth by financial manipulation and related shenanigans (with no regard for the real economy or the productive workers who power that economy), the wanna-be-Gekkos could only see in the film a boiler plate for achieving their own vision of success...”

Cut briefly back to Prof. Gabriel.

Cut to scene in Wall Street - Carl (Bud’s father) crumples up Bud’s proposal for Gekko to take over Bluestar Airlines, Carl’s failing employer.

Gabriel: “...Thus, Oliver Stone's depiction of the struggle between good and evil (both in the external world – Gekko against Carl Fox, for example...”

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Carl is, if only from appearance, an archetypal working class honest man, a labour union representative. He is wearing a casual short sleeved shirt, in contrast with Gekko’s striped shirt, suspenders and tie.

Carl: “I know what this guy’s all about – greed. He don’t give a damn about Bluestar or the unions. He’s in and out for the buck and he don’t take prisoners.”

Cut to contra-zoom shot of Bud, as he leans against a tree – he has just learned that Gekko has destroyed Bluestar. The expanding background bears down on him – a parallel of the values he previously idolised, that he was so emotionally invested in, crashing down around his ears.

Prof. Gabriel continues his earlier point: “...and in the internal world - within Bud Fox)...”

Cut back to talking head shot of Prof. Gabriel.

Gabriel: “...was turned into a parable of how to get rich the Gekko way while reducing the probability of getting caught.”

Cut to talking head shot of Ken Lipper. Text in lower third: “Ken Lipper – Wall Street Veteran, technical advisor on Wall Street”

Lipper: “The Gordon Gekko character is not a person who is satisfied by anything for very long. There’s no permanent accomplishment. There’s no peace until everyone else is a failure.”

Cut back to Narrator.

Cut to scene from 3 Idiots: Viru (College Director) giving a speech to the students near the end of the final year. The slow zoom-in on his face is typically used when attempting profundity, but his serious words are undermined by his inane facial expressions, gestures and exaggerated lisp. More ridicule and less commentary, it seems, is the tact of Hirani’s comedy.

Narrator: “In Rajkumar Hirani’s 3 Idiots, the contemporary capitalist attitude of competition is a key theme. In the context of college hopefuls, the emphasis is placed on achieving top grades to compete for jobs.”

Viru: “Who was the first man on the moon?”Audience: “Neil Armstrong, sir.”Viru [emphatically]: “Obviously, its Neil Armstrong, we all know it! Who was the second? Don’t waste your time, its not important. Nobody remembers the man who ever came second!”

Cut to talking head shot of Rajkumar Hirani. Text appears in lower third: “Rajkumar Hirani – Director and Writer, 3 Idiots”When Hirani mentions Boman, cuts to brief shot in 3 Idiots - Viru on his bicycle. When a fellow cycler approaches him, he speeds up, to stay ahead.Cut back to Hirani.

Hirani: “See, if you look at Boman’s [actor who plays Viru] character, he has a very strong point of view – he’s constantly saying in the film, in fact, in his first introductory scene, he gets the cuckoo bird, and he says, this is what a cuckoo bird does: it lays its eggs in some other birds nest...”

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Cut to Viru giving introductory speech. He is holding a birds nest and a model cuckoo bird.

He drops an egg, breaking it on the ground. His bad, curly, grey hair and mustache, and permanent frown perfectly match the profile of a comical antagonist.He shrugs.He is standing at the top of a flight of stairs, creating a visual hierarchy.

Audio from 3 Idiots comes in, following on from what Hirani was saying:Viru: “And when they hatch, what does she do? She pushes the other eggs out of the nest. Competition over! Their life begins with murder. That’s nature. Compete...or die!Narrator: “In this scene, Viru is introduced with very morbid opera music – a foreboding musical motif that accompanies his character. The slight upward tilt of the camera portrays his power, which, as the antagonist of the film, he is prone to abusing.”

Cut back briefly to Hirani. Hirani: “Viru makes a very strong point. If I don’t have Rancho contradicting it, by itself its very believable! You’ll say, yeah, in our daily lives we are competing with people. Life is a race, he’s saying...”

Cut back to Viru. Viru: “Life is a race! If you don’t run fast, you’ll get trampled.”

Cut to brief shot of Narrator

Cut to 3 Idiots: In Viru’s office. A heated argument between Rancho and Viru about a student’s recent suicide, and India’s competitive approach to education.

Shot-reverse-shot, complemented by gradual zooms on both of their faces intensifies the conversation. Viru is framed against a background of a massive bookshelf, which fills the frame around him, reflecting his academic, traditional background.

Narrator: “So, the character of Rancho acts not only as the protagonist and hero of the film, but as an ideological foil to the values of Viru, and perhaps, those of modern Indian society.”

Rancho: “I don’t blame you sir, I blame the system.” Narrator: “Rancho consistently questions the conventional wisdom of excellence through competition.”Viru: “We were ranked 28th. Now we are ranked first!”Rancho: “What’s the point, sir? Here they don’t discuss new ideas or inventions. They discuss grades, jobs, settling in the USA.”

Cut back to Narrator

Cut to shot of Chatur: he is standing on the roof of a university structure, facing Rancho and Farhan. While Rancho and Farhan are relaxed, sitting and drinking rum, Chatur is standing, confronting them. There is a single fluorescent light in the background which flickers, throwing Chatur’s face in alternating light and dark.

Narrator: “Rancho’s character also contrasts strongly with the character of Chatur, who sees Rancho as his rival. The quintessential capitalist big-dreamer, Chatur strives to beat his fellow students, to fulfill his vision of success – to attain wealth far in excess of his peers. In this shot, Hirani’s use of the single fluorescent light flickering in the darkness emphasises Chatur’s animal obsession with his vision of success, which has become inhuman aggression.”

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Rancho gets up, pats Chatur on the shoulder.

Chatur shoves his hand away. He is even more drunk than Rancho and Farhan, and his teetering lack of balance reflects the emotional instability of someone who’s ideals are under threat.

Rancho: “Understand and enjoy the wonders of science!”Chatur: “I’m not here to enjoy science!”Narrator: “Chatur fails to understand Rancho’s attitude, and determines to prove himself superior. Similar to Gordon Gekko or Bud Fox, Chatur’s desire for wealth is portrayed as an aggressive, wild hunger.”

When he mentions “success”, he points to the heavens. His eyes are wide and teary, almost desperate. Flecks of spittle fly out of his mouth as he yells. He almost resembles a rabid animal.

Chatur: “Go ahead, laugh at my methods. But one day these methods will bring me success! That day I’ll laugh and you’ll cry!”

Cut back to Narrator.Cut to Pia’s sister’s wedding scene: Suhas (Pia’s fiance) is berating Pia about her watch. Suhas is wearing an flamboyant maroon suit, with a frilly tie.

Narrator: “In addition to Chatur, Hirani uses the character of Suhas to parody the pretentious materialism of the super-rich.”Suhas: “Pia, what the hell is this?! Why are you wearing this ancient watch? What will people say – Suhas’ fiance, a doctor in the making, wearing a cheap, 200 dollar watch! Please take it off. Thank you.”

Cut to talking head shot of Rajkumar Hirani.

Cut to brief side profile shot of Suhas, wearing an ornate bath robe, trimming his nose hairs, singing along with an opera record.Cut back to Rajkumar Hirani.

Hirani: “See, it’s probably all those things we want to say, we’ve kind of put it [in the film]. We always have laughed at people who are very brand-conscious and would, you know, be sure about ‘oh, this is the way you have to dress up’, so we made him a guy like that. So, all the flaws in the system which we’ve seen, and which we’ve opposed, we tried to put it in.”

Cut back to Narrator.

Cut to scene from 3 Idiots: Rancho is criticising Viru’s approach to education. He points at Suhas, calling him an “ass”. Cutaway shot to Suhas shows him with his hands on his hips, looking around with a buffoonish look on his face.

Narrator: “Hirani essentially speaks through Rancho, putting forward a very negative view of the aspect of capitalism that places utmost priority on wealth and social status.”

Scene from 3 Idiots continues. Audio from 3 Idiots fades in. Rancho: “First engineering, then an MBA, then he becomes a banker in the USA! Because it rakes in more money? Life for him is just a profit-loss statement. He sees profit in you, so he’s with you. College Director’s daughter, doctor in the making – good for his image!”

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Cut to brief shot of Narrator.

Cut to scene from Wall Street: the same proposal scene from earlier – Bud is suggesting that Gekko takes over Bluestar. Narration happens over the scene.

Narrator: “Oliver Stone also uses an outstanding character in Wall Street to reflect his own views. As the antithesis to the ruthlessness of Gekko and the sycophantic behaviour of Bud Fox, Stone uses Bud’s father, Carl Fox, a mechanic and union representative at Blue Star Airlines.”

Carl is sitting on the couch. He takes off his thick reading glasses, bringing his full face into complete view.

Carl: “The rich been doing it to the poor since the beginning of time. The only difference between the Pyramids and the Empire State Building is the Egyptians didn’t allow unions.”

The contrast between the physical appearances of Martin Sheen (who plays Carl), Michael Douglas (who plays Gekko) and Charlie Sheen (who plays Bud) is stark. Martin Sheen’s skin seems darker and more rugged, lined with wrinkles. His hair is messy and greying at the sideburns, while the faces of Charlie Sheen and Douglas are younger, sharper.

Narrator: “From a casting perspective, Martin Sheen’s aging face and greying hair exude an air of wisdom and honesty, while Charlie Sheen’s and Michael Douglas’ modern, refined look and slick-back hair suggest a slippery, underhanded quality.”

Cut briefly back to Narrator. Narrator: “Carl is portrayed as an honest man who rejects the dominant ideology of the pursuit of wealth.”

Cut to argument between Carl and Bud in an elevator. Rejecting the conventional two-shot or shot-reverse-shot, Stone has used a single, fluid, handheld shot. The camera pans back and forth between the two men, capturing their reactions and responses – the camera movement creates a sense of immersion and verisimilitude for the audience, which feels like a third party in the lift, witnessing the exchange. This also accentuates the intensity when the camera lingers on Carl during his silence.

Bud: “What I see is a jealous old machinist who can’t stand the fact that his son’s become more successful than he has!”Carl: “What you see is a guy who never measured a man’s success by the size of his wallet!”Bud: “That’s because you never had the guts to go out into the world and stake your own claim!”[Very long silence]Carl: “Boy, if that’s the way you feel, I musta done a really lousy job as a father.”

Cut to talking head shot of Prof. Satya J. Gabriel

Cross-fade to archive photograph of Lou Stone with the young Oliver Stone.

Gabriel: “Bud Fox's father, Carl, the epitome of the hardworking labourer, who has toiled on Blue Star's planes for years, rising to be a leader in the Mechanics Union local, and Lou Mannheim, the honest broker, were admittedly drawn from Lou Stone, Oliver Stone's father”

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Cut to two-shot of Lou and Bud in the office. Facing each other from either side of the frame, they are essentially binary opposites: Lou is an aged, honest broker who believes in hard work, while Bud is young and impatient, and looks for shortcuts to wealth. Lou walks out of the frame, leaving Bud with a pensive frown.

Lou [to Bud]: “I don’t know where you get your information, son, but I don’t like it. The main thing about money, Bud – it makes you do things you don’t want to do.”

Cut to talking head shot of Oliver Stone.

Fade to black.

Stone: “Really the main motivation was my father. When I was growing up, men didn’t talk about how much money they made. I find this personally tasteless and disgusting.”

Text appears against black background: “Genre”

Silence.

Cut to scene from Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (d. Oliver Stone, 2010): Gordon Gekko delivering his speech in the university hall. Text in lower third: “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (d. Oliver Stone, 2010)”

Gekko: “Someone reminded me the other evening that I once said greed is good. Now it seems its legal!”Narrator: “Both Oliver Stone’s Wall Street, and its sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps are an interesting blend of family drama and social commentary.”

Cut briefly to Narrator.Cut to archive footage of the Lehman Brothers collapse.

Cut back to scene of Gekko delivering his lecture.

Narrator: “Inspired by the 2008 financial crisis, however, Stone’s sequel seems to deal more directly with the consequences of capitalism on a wider social scale. He has interestingly chosen Gordon Gekko to act as his mouthpiece in the sequel, turning his character into somewhat of an anti-hero.”

Throughout his speech, Stone makes frequent use of cross-fades to reaction shots of the audience, who respond to Gekko’s (or Stone’s) unconventional message with thoughtful expressions – perhaps reflective of the reaction that Stone himself hopes to provoke with Gekko’s lines.

Gekko: “Last year, ladies and gentlemen, forty percent of all American corporate profits came from financial services. Not production, not anything remotely to do with the needs of the American public. The truth is we’re all part of it now. Banks, consumers – we’re moving money around in circles.”

Cut to Narrator.

Cut to shot from Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps - Jacob walking with Lou Zabel (Jacob’s boss and mentor) in Central Park on the day Keller-Zabel crashes.

Narrator: “Beyond its family drama aspects, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps is in some ways a dramatisation of the 2008 financial crisis. The meltdown is foreshadowed by the fall of a fictitious financial institution, Keller-Zabel, the employer of Jacob Moore, the protagonist of the film.”

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Lou is informally dressed in a coat and sweater. He is walking a small runt dog, refusing to pay attention to the crisis happening in his firm, appearing to be on the verge of a mental breakdown. The use of natural lighting emphasises the wrinkled, haggard face of Lou.Jacob stops Lou, turning to face him.

Audio from the scene fades up.Jacob: “Are we going under?”Lou: “Y’know I never liked this damn dog -”Jacob [interrupting]: “Louis, are we going under?”Lou: “You’re asking the wrong question, Jacob.”Jacob: “What’s the right question?”Lou: “Who isn’t?”

Lou shakes his head, and walks out of the frame, leaving Jacob stunned. Cuts to children playing with bubbles in the park. The camera focuses on a singular bubble, following its floating with an upward pan.

Narrator: “Stone’s use of bubbles in the mise en scene is a clever allusion to the economic bubbles that ravaged the world in 2008. His contrast between destructive economic systems and harmless bubbles and children is cheekily ironic.”

Cut to Narrator.

Cut to scene in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps – meeting between Lou, Bill Clarke (Treasury Secretary) and Bretton James. Lou is sitting on a couch some distance from the other men. James paces around the room, occasionally yelling and pointing accusingly at Lou. Shots of James have a slight upward tilt, as evidence of his power, compared with a downward tilt on shots of Lou, a sad, almost pathetic old man, who talks up at James.

Narrator: “In the spirit of Oliver Stone’s critical view of capitalism, Lou Zabel, the honest banker named after Stone’s father and the first Wall Street’s Lou Mannheim, is portrayed as the victim of the selfish-minded bankers at the Federal Reserve meeting, especially Bretton James, the antagonist of the film.”

Diagetic sound from the scene is heard quietly under Narrator:James offers “two dollars a share” to bail out Keller-Zabel.Lou: “It’s a public execution!...I’ll take my chances in bankruptcy court before I sell to that barracuda!”

Lou nods frantically, trying to maintain his composure and what is left of his dignity.

James looks at Julie, his wizened partner, who shrugs, seemingly in favour of Lou’s request.

Diagetic sound from the scene fades in as Narrator stops talking:Lou: “Five.”James: “Three.”Lou: “Alright, we’ll call it an even four, so we don’t look so goddamn pathetic.”

James steps forward, buttoning his jacket. Slow zoom on Lou’s face, knotted in the frown of a man grappling with his lost respect.

James: “Three. And not a dime more.”

Narrator: “Lou is consequently driven to suicide.”

Cut to talking head shot of Oliver Stone.Montage of visual shots from the film that relate to Stone’s speech: Gekko standing outside of prison, just released. He is alone, and gazes around him longingly, as if looking for a family member.

Stone: “I think it’s a movie, ultimately, if you really look at it, it’s about greed versus love, You know. Gekko comes out of prison, and nobody loves him...”

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Video Audio

Cross dissolve to Gekko dragging on a cigar, with a satisfied expression on his face.

Stone: “...I mean, what’s he gonna do with his life, is he gonna make more money in his age...”

Cross dissolve to Federal Reserve meeting: heads of the big financial institutions sitting around a long table. Cross dissolve to close up of paper written by Jacob, titled “Bretton James, Churchill Schwartz and the Fall of American Capitalism”. Fade to black.

Stone: “...or is he gonna be loved? The same thing is true in a bigger way, because it’s a story about the banks and their crash, and its about whether the bankers are going to work for themselves and make profit for themselves, or are they going to care about society? Think about it as a dual parallel.”

Cut to Narrator.

Cut to The Pursuit of Happyness (d. Gabriele Muccino, 2006): Outside the San Francisco Stock Exchange. As Chris Gardner (protagonist of the film) walks on the street, a stock broker pulls up in a red sports car.Text in lower third: “The Pursuit of Happyness (d. Gabriele Muccino, 2006)

Narrator: “In contrast to Stone’s films that deal directly with self-interested capitalist ideology, films such as Rehguzar, or The Pursuit of Happyness tell a rags-to-riches tale, which has arguably become a genre of film unto itself – perhaps of its commercial value. It generally aims to make the audience feel inspired after watching the film, and as such, capitalist ideology and consumerism are not explicit themes in the films; rather, they articulate the ambitions of those who live according to these widely accepted principles. In other words...”

Chris stops walking, eyeing the car and its owner.

Chris: “Ooh! Man, I got two questions for you: what do you do, and how do you do it?”

Cut back to Narrator. Narrator: “...The American Dream. Fighting through hardships, and striving for happiness...”

Fade to shot from The Pursuit of Happyness: Chris standing in a phone booth. It is raining, and his wife has just told him she’s leaving him. He looks down at the few coins he has, with Thomas Jefferson imprinted on them. Close-up side profile of Chris’ face as he stands on the bus. It is unclear whether the water streaming down his face is rain or tears.

Chris [voice-over]: “It was right then that I started thinking about Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence, and the part about our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Cross fade to the conclusion of the film: Chris has just got the job as a stock broker. Teary-eyed, he hastily exits the office.He runs onto the street, overcome by his elation.

Narrator: “...until success eventually finds you.” Chris: “This part of my life, this little part, is called happiness.”Narrator: “The use of slow-motion in this shot emphasises Chris’ pure elation.”

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Video Audio

Cut back to Narrator.

Fade to shot from Rehguzar: Panning shot of Dubai’s skyline over Rahul’s monologue.

Narrator: “Rehguzar essentially follows the same pattern in narrative structure. Rahul, an Indian immigrant in Dubai, is enticed by the potential riches offered by Dubai’s rapid growth.” Rahul [voice-over]: “Someday Rahul Group of Industries will have its offices in every building in this skyline. My dream will certainly come true, very soon. Very soon.”

Cross fade to shot of Rahul standing in a hallway after a job interview which he presumably failed. His tie is loosened, and he punches and kicks the wall in frustration. Cross fade to shot of Rahul shaking his boss’ hand after being promoted. Cross fade to montage in the film of Rahul driving a slew of luxury cars in quick succession.

Narrator: “The narrative of Rehguzar follows Freytag’s Pyramid in a general sense. Indeed, just like Chris Gardner, Rahul faces many challenges on his path to commercial success. Nevertheless, through his determination and hard work, he rapidly gains the wealth that he yearns for.”

Cut back to Narrator.

Cut to sideways tracking shot from The Pursuit of Happyness – a gaggle of interns (including Chris), hastily following the Office Manager. They jostle for the front of the crowd, straining to listen to him.

Narrator: “An important aspect to note about both The Pursuit of Happyness and Rehguzar is the extreme competitiveness that is taken for granted in the path to success. Indeed, success according to capitalist ideals is consistently portrayed as attained at the expense of that of someone else.”

Cut to scene in The Pursuit of Happyness: Office Manager lecturing the intern class.

Manager: “Some of you guys are here because you know somebody. Some of you guys are here because you think you’re somebody. There’s one guy in here who’s gonna be somebody.”

Cross fade to scene from Rehguzar: Rahul talking to Neha.

Rahul: “I’m in the fast track. If I slow down a bit, someone might overtake me. And I won’t let that happen.”

Cut back to Narrator.

Cut to shot of Bud dressed as a janitor scanning confidential legal documents with a portable scanner.

Narrator: “Indeed, irrespective of the director’s intention, or the genre of the film, intense – and sometimes underhanded – competition is a common theme in most films that deal with capitalist ideology.”

Cut to Wall Street: conversation between Gekko and Bud.

Gekko: “It’s not a question of enough, pal. It’s a zero sum gain; somebody wins, somebody loses.”

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Video Audio

Cross fade to 3 Idiots: Farhan, Raju and Chatur have just learned that Rancho’s address is a school in Ladakh. Chatur makes the assumption that he is a school teacher. He points at himself arrogantly.Fade to black.

Chatur: “Schoolteacher? [guffawing] I’m Vice President of Rockledge Corporation, and he: ‘A for Apple, B for Ball’! Next week I’m signing a multimillion dollar deal with Phunsukh Wangdu, and he: ‘A for Apple, B for Ball’!”

Cut to Narrator.

Cut to shot from Wall Street: Carl is lying on a hospital bed after having a heart attack. Bud leans over and kisses Carl on the forehead. Cross fade to 3 Idiots: Farhan and Raju driving through the beautiful Indian countryside, evoking pathetic fallacy.

Narrator: “Capitalism is most likely here to stay as a cornerstone in the construct of our society, reflected in the films we make and watch. And yet, the power of film helps us ponder alternative approaches to life; alternative measures of happiness in the abstract terms of friendship, love, and the richness of human experience, where money, material wealth, and coming out first are of little consequence.”

Cut back to Narrator.

Cut to Wall Street: Gekko and Bud in Gekko’s office.

Narrator: “The films we watch also have the capacity to criticise, to expose in a brutally honest fashion, the flaws and ultimately destructive forces of the principles of capitalism and commercialism that govern our society.”Gekko: “The illusion has become real, and the more real it becomes, the more desperate they want it. Capitalism at its finest.”

Cross dissolve to Federal Reserve meeting. Bretton James explaining the financial situation. Taps his finger on the table to emphasise his points.

James: “We do not know where the bottom is.”

Cross dissolve to later in the same scene Bill Clarke, Treasury Secretary, looks haggardly around the room.

Bill: “Do you men realise what you’ve done here?”

Cross dissolve – same scene, long shot of the long table. Lou sweeps his arms across the room.

Lou: “You’re all committing suicide.”

Cross dissolve – same scene, slow zoom on Julie, the wizened banker. He leans forward, eyes gleaming.Fade to black.

Julie: [long pause] “It’s gonna be the end of the world!”

Fade into Wall Street: Bud and Gekko in Gekko’s office. Gekko blows smoke in Bud’s face.Fade to black.

Gekko [nonchalantly]: “It’s all about bucks, kid. The rest is conversation.”

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FILMOGRAPHY

Wall Street (d. Oliver Stone, 1987)

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (d. Oliver Stone, 2010)

Rehguzar (d. Faruq Masudi, 2006)

3 Idiots (d. Rajkumar Hirani, 2009)

The Pursuit of Happyness (d. Gabriele Muccino, 2006)

LIST OF SOURCES

• http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/sgabriel/filmcourse/oliver_stone.html “Oliver Stone!s Wall Street and the Market for Corporate Control” from series “Economics in Popular Film” by Professor Satya J. Gabriel, 2001

I used this resource frequently during the Independent Study process, and I have quoted Professor Gabriel many times in the work itself (this can be seen on pages 2-4, 6, 7 and 10). It was useful in providing insights in audience reception theory, in its discussion on how Wall Street was perceived by the popular audience within its socio-cultural context of 1980!s USA. It also deals with the director!s intention, pointing out Oliver Stone!s critical portrayal of capitalism through his use of character. In this area, Gabriel puts a fine point on the conflicts and relationships that Stone uses in his script, identifying them as embodiments of a fundamental struggle between good and evil that is part of our economic and social constructs (this is seen on page 6). In addition, using talking head shots of Professor Gabriel allowed me to demonstrate my understanding of documentary conventions.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ3Lif6p52I Interview with Oliver Stone by Jake Hamilton

This interview was very useful in gaining insight into Oliver Stone!s intentions in his portrayal of capitalist greed and excess in Wall Street. In the interview, he provides his own view on the context surrounding the film (this is seen on page 5), and coupled with extracts from the film itself, this explains the cynicism that comes through in the film.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_l6qqg76XA Interview with Oliver Stone on VIP Access

Though not particularly formal or academic, Stone talks about the thematic aspects in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps in this interview. This was useful in demonstrating an interesting antithesis that Stone creates between capitalist greed, love and social responsibility, which he places in the context of the financial crisis of 2008 (this is found on pages 12 and 13). As a film that has a significant social commentary aspect, this was key to the discussion on genre.

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• http://money.cnn.com/2007/09/20/news/newsmakers/oliver_stone.fortune/index.htm “Oliver Stone: Life after "Wall Street!” article in Fortune Magazine by Telis Demos, 2007

I used this article twice in the Independent Study. Firstly, it was useful in illustrating a point about reception theory, in pointing out the general misinterpretation of Stone!s message in Wall Street. The use of the highlighted text that I used on page 3 of my Independent Study allowed me to demonstrate my knowledge of the conventions of the documentary genre, as this is an oft-used technique to communicate information. This resource was also useful because it provided quotes from Oliver Stone himself, talking about his father!s influence on the film, and his perceived contrast between the ideology of his father!s day and the ideology he presents in the film (seen on page 11).

• http://money.cnn.com/2007/09/20/news/newsmakers/oliver_stone.fortune/index.htm “Gordon Gekko, Preaching the Gospel of Greed” article on the National Public Radio website by Jim Zarroli, 2008

This article also articulates a point I was trying to drive home in the Independent Study about audience reception theory; that in its socio-cultural context, Oliver Stone!s message in Wall Street did not strike the intended chord with audiences. Zarroli quotes Stephen Schiff, the screenwriter of Wall Street, talking about this, which I used on page 6. I also quote Zarroli himself describing Gekko!s character on page 3, simply because he uses extreme language that is - to an extent - qualified by the fact that he is a third party, as I could not have my narrator using the same tone of voice without losing academic credibility. This is also an important documentary convention. I used a quote of Ken Lipper, a Wall Street veteran and technical advisor for the film, describing Gekko!s character on page 7.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4Zo26iaRvU Interview with Rajkumar Hirani on Beautiful People, an art and culture programme on CNBC

This interview was useful because Rajkumar Hirani describes the purpose of his antagonist characters (mainly Viru) in illustrating key aspects of capitalist and commercialist ideology, namely competition and materialism. He also points out how he uses the protagonist character of Rancho as a character foil to contradict the values of the antagonists. He also alludes to the genre of comedy, and how he used this to parody aspects of the dominant ideology that he disagreed with. I quoted Hirani in talking head shots on pages 7-9.

• http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-02-17/pune/28554540_1_onir-film-critic-television-institute“Consumerism in films impacting the youth, says Onir” article from The Times of India

I used this resource on page 4 because it provides direct quotes from Onir, an Indian filmmaker. Onir gives insight on institutional filmmaking in Indian cinema. I was able to use this to evidence my point about the similarities in film institutions in India and Hollywood, and how the ideologies of the studios can affect the directions and messages of films. I did this specifically in reference to Rehguzar, as a possible explanation for the very capitalist messages at play within the film.

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