Chinatown (1974) underscored the near-futility of battling the conspiratorial schemes of the super-rich -- and the frustrations of persuading people that such conspiracies exist. There is a memorable confrontation between the hero, private detective Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) and the villain -- ruthless , depraved multimillionaire Noah Cross (John Huston), whose daughter bewails that he "owns the police." Gittes asks him a question many have wanted to ask banksters: "Why are you doing it? How much better can you eat? What can you buy that you can't already afford?" Cross replies: "The future!"

Chinatown was voted #1 film of all time by The Guardian. And I know why.