the Nakatomi Corporation's legacy of greed around the globe

[Agito a42]

Source: Die Hard (1988), an American movie.

A group of terrorists led by Hans Gruber takes control of the American headquarters of Nakatomi Corporation and take everyone in the building hostage.
Hans to hostages: Due to the Nakatomi Corporation's legacy of greed around the globe, they're about to be taught a lesson in the real use of power. You will be witnesses.

I don't feel certain about this one. Does he mean that Nakatomi Corporation has caused much greed around the world and because of that they will be taught a lesson?

 

[manfy]

I don't feel certain about this one. Does he mean that Nakatomi Corporation has caused much greed around the world and because of that they will be taught a lesson?

From a language point of view this interpretation is possible, I suppose.
But when you look at how the world works, it is unlikely. Business corporations usually don't cause greed, but they often act and operate in a greedy way for the purpose of making as much money and getting as much power as possible without caring much about consequences to the people or countries they get it from.

 

[Agito a42]

That's exactly why I said "I don't feel certain about this one", manfy. .
Then I should make another shot, I guess: the Nakatomi Corporation's legacy is all the offices it has all around the world, which make its stakeholders roaring profits. But what's more important, this legacy was born merely out of greed.

Is that his point?

 

[manfy]

That's exactly why I said "I don't feel certain about this one", manfy. .
Then I should make another shot, I guess: the Nakatomi Corporation's legacy is all the offices it has all around the world, which make its stakeholders roaring profits. But what's more important, this legacy was born merely out of greed.

Is that his point?

Well, without knowing what Nakatomi actually did and without knowing what Hans Gruber was really thinking, it's impossible to come up with a definitive interpretation that explains all the little details.
But yes, your interpretation seems fine -- just don't get fixated on the details of this greed.

I read from this sentence that Nakatomi has done something (and that they did globally) that represents an unacceptable form of greed as per Hans Gruber's definition, and Hans claims that he wants to teach them a lesson. Of course, at the end of the movie we know that this statement was not quite as honest as Hans wanted to make everybody believe...

 

[Szkot]

I think it is a badly phrased use of the word legacy. 'Due to the legacy of the Nakatomi Corporation's greed around the globe' would make more sense. The legacy is not greed, it has been left by greed.

 

[Agito a42]

I get it now. Thank you, Szkot, manfy!

 

[manfy]

...and since the actor portrays a German terrorist it's actually quite natural to use unnatural English! That makes the character more believable.