Bikers Captain America (Peter Fonda) and Billy (Dennis Hopper, who also directs) set off across America on the proceeds of a cocaine deal. En route to the New Orleans Mardi Gras festival they stop off at a hippy commune, before being arrested in Texas for joining a street parade without a licence. In jail they meet boozy civil rights lawyer George Hanson (Jack Nicholson), who decides to join them on their odyssey. Made on a shoestring budget, 'Easy Rider' was a huge hit upon its release, and this success proved instrumental in persuading the big Hollywood studios to invest in more films from young directors.