Released in January, The Wolf of Wall Street is based on the outrageous true story of stockbroker Jordan Belfort who was imprisoned for his involvement in fraud. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Belfort in the film, directed by Martin Scorsese.
So what better time to explore some of the greediest, most unscrupulous characters in the movies?
Trading Places (1983)
Who is he?
Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd), commodities broker and one of the main characters in John Landis' classic comedy.
Why is he bad?
Well, bad's a bit of a strong word – more wealthy and spoilt. But it's hard not to feel sympathy when, as part of a devious plot, he finds himself out on the street – just as homeless guy Valentine (Eddie Murphy) takes his place!
Wall Street (1987)
Who is he?
Gordon Gekko (played by an Oscar-winning Michael Douglas) – the granddaddy of all ruthless cinematic Wall Street tycoons.
Why is he bad?
He takes naive, ambitious junior stockbroker Bud (Charlie Sheen) under his wing and acts as a corrupting influence, seducing him with promises of wealth and causing Bud to turn against his salt-of-the-earth father. Gordon also gave rise to the famous phrase, "Greed is good."
Rogue Trader (1999)
Who is he?
Nick Leeson (Ewan McGregor) – the real life figure who was imprisoned for causing the collapse of Britain's oldest banking institution, Barings, in 1995.
Why is he bad?
As portrayed in the film, Leeson gambles with the bank's money and eventually racks up over £800 million in debt. The rest, as they say, is history…
Boiler Room (2000)
Who is he?
Jim Young (Ben Affleck) – one of the co-founders of illegitimate brokerage firm JT Marlin.
Why is he bad?
His firm knowingly takes part in what's known as a 'pump and dump' scheme, whereby brokers create artificial demand in expired or fake companies. When investors discover they have no-one to sell their shares to, the price of the artificial stock plummets.
Arbitrage (2012)
Who is he?
Multi-millionaire hedge-fund manager Robert Miller (Richard Gere), a man who appears to have it all. But trouble is brewing behind the scenes…
Why is he bad?
He's attempting to cover a massive investment loss whilst also trying to avoid investigation for fraud. What's worse is that his loving wife and daughter (with whom he co-manages the fund) have no idea of the trouble Robert is in…
Who are your favourite unscrupulous corporate characters in the movies? And will Leonardo DiCaprio's Golden Globe-nominated performance as Jordan Belfort join the list above? Tell us what you think.
The Wolf of Wall Street is released on 17 January 2014.
