Directed by John Kirby • 2005 • United Kingdom, United States

Does America have a ruling class? This sui generis blend of documentary, drama, musical, political satire, and intellectual sparring match takes an irreverent, thrillingly provocative approach to the question. As two recent Yale graduates try to decide what to do with their future, longtime “Harper’s Magazine” editor Lewis H. Lapham acts as their guide, taking them through the elite institutions that shape the world, from the Pentagon and World Economic Forum to the highest echelons of New York society. Encountering a remarkable array of political, cultural, and intellectual figures—including Robert Altman, James Baker, Barbara Ehrenreich, John Perkins, Pete Seeger, Kurt Vonnegut, and Howard Zinn—the young men are left with a stark choice: Is it better to rule the world, or save it?