Gordon Gekko

Search Dictionary

Definition of 'Gordon Gekko'

Gordon Gekko is a fictional character in the 1987 film Wall Street, and its 2010 sequel Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. He is portrayed by Michael Douglas. Gekko is a ruthless corporate raider and Wall Street insider who espouses a philosophy of greed as good.

In the first film, Gekko is the CEO of the fictional investment banking firm Gekko Enterprises. He is also a major shareholder in the fictional brokerage firm Bluestar Airlines. Gekko engineers a hostile takeover of Bluestar, and then sells off its assets. He is eventually convicted of securities fraud and insider trading, and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

In the second film, Gekko is released from prison and attempts to rebuild his life. He becomes a mentor to young trader Jake Moore (Shia LaBeouf), who is the son of Gekko's former protégé, Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen). Gekko eventually betrays Moore and attempts to steal his money. However, Moore turns the tables on Gekko and exposes his crimes to the authorities. Gekko is once again arrested and sent to prison.

Gekko is a complex and controversial character. He is a brilliant businessman, but he is also ruthless and unscrupulous. His philosophy of greed as good has been criticized as being immoral and destructive. However, Gekko's character is also seen as a reflection of the greed and corruption that was rampant on Wall Street in the 1980s.

Gekko's most famous line is "Greed is good." This line has been interpreted in many ways. Some people believe that Gekko is simply stating the truth about human nature. Others believe that he is advocating for amoral behavior in the pursuit of wealth. Regardless of how it is interpreted, Gekko's line has become a defining statement of the 1980s and a symbol of the greed and excess that characterized that decade.

Gordon Gekko is a complex and controversial character who has been interpreted in many ways. He is a brilliant businessman, but he is also ruthless and unscrupulous. His philosophy of greed as good has been criticized as being immoral and destructive, but it is also seen as a reflection of the greed and corruption that was rampant on Wall Street in the 1980s.

Do you have a trading or investing definition for our dictionary? Click the Create Definition link to add your own definition. You will earn 150 bonus reputation points for each definition that is accepted.

Is this definition wrong? Let us know by posting to the forum and we will correct it.