Movies with investing-related topics are few and far between (Hollywood prefers to stick to bank robberies and terrorist plots), but there are a few that stand out as the best investing movies ever made.
1. Trading Places
If there was ever Hollywood classic about investing, this is it. This 1983 movie features Eddie Murphy as a homeless con artist and Dan Aykroyd as a successful commodities trader. Their roles switch, after the commodity trading firm's executives make a bet, placing Eddie Murphy as their new trader while Dan Aykroyd finds himself on the streets until he meets up with Jamie Lee Curtis.
2. Boiler Room
Produced in 2000, this movie is the most recent of the investing-related movies and stars younger actors, including Ben Affleck, Vin Diesel and Giovinni Ribisi. Boiler room offers a great perspective of cold calling and fraudulent brokerage activities. This movie even received an rare endorsement from the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA).
3. Wall Street
Michael Douglas plays a ruthless Wall Street raider that teaches a young broker (Charlie Sheen) the ropes on insider trading. Greed is the name of the game, but Charlie Sheen is faced with a dilemma when the focus is on his blue-collared father's company.4. Secret of My Success
Michael J. Fox plays a Kansas farm boy who has aspirations to make it big in New York City. He starts off as a mail boy and begins posing as a new executive. With the help of the CEO's wife he masterminds a plan to take over the company. Fox finds himself in many unusual situations, making this movie the best comedy of the group.5. Other People's Money
Danny DeVito plays a greedy Wall Street predator that decides to destroy the New England Wire and Cable company because it makes economical sense. To challenge him, however, is a beautiful lawyer (Penelope Ann Miller) who happens to be the owners daughter.