Midnight Cowboy (1969)

I recall seeing a Seinfeld episode that ended the same way as Midnight Cowboy, with Jerry cradling Kramer in his arms on a bus travelling to Florida, with ‘that’ music playing in the background. It’s such a famous movie, that references to it still form a part of popular culture, as it’s assumed that most adults have seen it. But is this a safe assumption to make? There are so many movies to choose from these days, why would a young thang pick up a dusty DVD of a movie that is nearly 40 years old? It may have won Oscars for Best Screenplay, Best Director for John Schlesinger and remain the only X-rated film to win Best Movie, but surely it must be dated by now.

I first saw Midnight Cowboy when I was a very impressionable 17-year-old, and really just a jangled mess of hormones and emotions encased in human form. The film hit me like a blow to the solar plexus. I was incredibly affected by this movie, as witnessed by the mascara streaming southward and ending up dripping off my chin. I watched it again recently, now that I’m all grown-up and settled. No makeup this time, either. Did this film still hold its power? Let’s see.

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Midnight Cowboy tells the tale of two down and out characters in New York. Jon Voigt is excellent as country boy Joe Buck (handsome but more hick than chic in cowboy hat, boots and jacket) who heads to the big city to make his fortune as a hustler. Dustin Hoffman, too, nails the character of Ratso, a lame, sickly outcast who is barely surviving living in a condemned building. The story line is based around the relationship that develops between these two as they live in the poverty, the filth and the decay that permeates the existence of those who fall between the cracks in society. Their unlikely friendship takes place as winter approaches, Joe finds (barely) making a living out of sex is not the cheerful romp he expected and Ratso becomes increasingly ill.

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The settings, the characters and the storyline could have been as sordid, depressing and repulsive as a bare-bones précis of the plot would seem to indicate, but the subtle direction of Schlesinger, and the fine performances of the two main actors make this film anything but sordid. Neither Joe Buck nor Ratso are ever portrayed as anything less than entirely (and occasionally nobly) human. We see their inner lives, and we know their dreams and regrets. They may be caught in the ugliness and degradation of poverty, but they are not part of that ugliness.

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Of course, nearly any film that is so much a part of an era will show its age at times. There are some scenes that seem a little unsophisticated now, and are definitely too long. The party scene in which handsome and hokey Joe Buck makes quite a splash, with its attendant drug taking, must have seemed very avant garde and daring in 1969. Now it’s just tame and a little lame. Ultimately, though, this is a minor and easily forgiven quibble.

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Overall, the film stands up well. In fact, Midnight Cowboy stands up very well, indeed. It is a truly moving film, and one that I would heartily recommend. If INC had left any stars to give after his review of Before Sunrise, I would give them to this film. And, if it were mine to give, the moon as well. It remains a firm favourite of mine.