Bretton James/Lawrence Wildman: Character Creasing

This movie, which is rather entertaining, introduces, like the original a powerful 'dark-horse' power-investor who provides Michael Douglas's iconic stock-shark character (Gordon Gekko) 'atmospheric competitiveness.

In Wall Street, we met the shrewd British investor Sir Lawrence Wildman (Terence Stamp) whose tactics are hounded and then shadowed by Gekko with the unscrupulous help of the aspiring but questionably-ambitious rookie-stockbroker Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen).

In Wall Street 2, we meet a world-wise young American power-investor named Bretton James (Josh Brolin) who lurks behind the scenes but provides cunning power-plays that frustrate Gekko's 'return to glory' in a sense.

Sir Lawrence Wildman and Bretton James are two 'Fortinbras' (Hamlet reference) typed characters who offer Gordon Gekko competitive arenas.

What makes the Wall Street films engaging (an achievement for Oliver Stone) is that they simply present the 'humanism grit' behind the everyday-capitalism associated with the trading-floor of Wall Street.

When the Taliban destroyed the World Trade Center on 9/11, the world took notice of strong anti-Western sentiments directed at capitalism-geared America.

I myself am a huge fan of 'capitalism-intrigue' and enjoyed playing Monopoly (Parker Brothers) board game as a youngster and watching the Harvey Comics adapted fortune-vigilantism cartoon series Richie Rich.

After 9/11, I decided to invest some money in Ford Motor Company (in 2009) and in one year, shares of the stock rose from $1/share to $15/share. Alas, I only invested a small amount, but had I put in $1 million (which I considered doing!), I would have made a margin-profit of $14 million.

I identify with the 'bureaucratic derring-do' of Bretton James in Wall Street 2, since my generation (I was born in 1978) is more 'ninja-like' (as compared to members of the 'ethics-meditative' post-industrialization generation who might identify more with Sir Lawrence Wildman from the original Wall Street.

Nevertheless, we can make some interesting storytelling-contouring between Sir Lawrence Wildman and Bretton James.

That's really what makes the Wall Street films great. I watch them and think about 'global culture investment gems' such as the history of Prince Edward Island (Canada).

Isn't real estate becoming an 'intellectual property' too?


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SIR LAWRENCE WILDMAN: Canadians are too slow.
BRETTON JAMES: America must work with the entire continent.

SIR LAWRENCE WILDMAN: There's too much of a French influence.
BRETTON JAMES: It's all about 'confluence' now, sir.

SIR LAWRENCE WILDMAN: That's true, but I'm a 'classicist.'
BRETTON JAMES: Roll up your sleeves.

SIR LAWRENCE WILDMAN: Invest in Ford Motor Company.
BRETTON JAMES: Whatever is transit.

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History of Prince Edward Island (Wikipedia):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Prince_Edward_Island