The Only Movie to Win an Oscar AND a Razzie Is This Michael Douglas Masterpiece
Winning both is a reflection of the very essence of the movie.
We respect the law, but we love movies about how it is broken. Perhaps we are fascinated by the complex psychology of criminal characters – people who are not used to playing by the rules.
One way or another, swindlers have been on the pages of books and screens for as long as the pages of books and screens have existed.
Wall Street Is an Outstanding Crime Drama That Isn’t What It Seems
Oliver Stone's Wall Street was in part a movie about such people. The director conceived the film as a tribute to his father, who worked as a salesman during the Great Depression.
At first glance, one might not read such a semantic charge, because the movie seems to be a reflection on the greed and avarice of a typical Wall Street worker, ready to trick anyone for his own benefit.
This is partly true, but at some point the viewer will understand that this story is not about success, but about conscience and a poor family that does not care about finances, but about your well-being.
Yes, Wall Street Won Both an Oscar And a Razzie
It was not only the plot of Wall Street that was so double-natured, but also the fate of the movie itself. Can a project have both the highest and lowest cinematic accolades at the same time? As it turns out, it can.
To this day, Wall Street remains the only movie to win both an Oscar and a Razzie – the first for Michael Douglas' brilliant performance as Gordon Gekko, and the second for a not-so-brilliant performance by Daryl Hannah, who played Darien Taylor, Gekko's mistress.
After Two Decades, Stone Tried to Repeat the Success
23 years later, Stone once again felt that the financial system provided more reasons and ideas for script moves than any other sphere of human activity.
The director then turned to his own characters from Wall Street – Gordon Gekko returned in the movie Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. Stone once again assembled a great cast and brought Michael Douglas back to the screen.
However, the return was not a triumph – the film scored only 54% on Rotten Tomatoes, failed to win any major awards, and remained in the shadow of its outstanding predecessor.
What Is Wall Street About?
Small-time trader Bud dreams of one day becoming his idol, Wall Street stockbroker Gordon Gekko, who has made his living through successful investments.
When the man learns secret information that could make him a fortune, he arranges a meeting with Gekko and leaks information that Bluestar stock is about to soar.
The investor suddenly believes Bug, takes him under his wing and temporarily becomes his business partner, giving him a taste of the rich life, but betrays his apprentice at the first opportunity. In response, Bud searches for a way to get revenge.