Review of Midnight Cowboy (1969) by Adam P — 27 Jan 2009

The first X-rated film to (ever) win an Oscar for Best Picture, [i]Midnight Cowboy[/i] tells the story of Joe Buck, excellently portrayed by a young Jon Voight, as his naivety drags him from his native Texas cross-country to New York City, where he dreams of becoming a male prostitute. Shortly after learning such a profession is all but attainable, Joe befriends a petty thief by the name of Rico "Ratso" Rizzo. It's then that the two begin to become dependent on one another, scouting the entire city for potential clients in an attempt to finally get Joe's "career" off the ground. Just when things are starting to look up for the duo, Ratso's health begins to slowly deteriorate, forcing them to head south to Florida in hopes of aiding him and his young friend.

I actually just saw this film for the first time as part of a film class I'm taking at my school here in Pennsylvania, and throughout its duration, I couldn't help thinking to myself that this is truly one of those films that withstood the test of time. The expressionistic nature of the film, exhibited wholly through a hefty amount of psychological imagery, is what really makes [i]Midnight Cowboy[/i] stand out amongst a majority of those released in the late 60s and early 70s. This, accompanied by simply excellent portrayals of the two main characters (played by Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman) and John Schlesinger's superb directing make the film a true classic.

In regards to the imagery I've mentioned briefly, each sequence brilliantly captures the true nature of the character in question. These vary from violent flashbacks of Joe's troubled past with an ex-flame, to simple daydreams that let us see what Ratso's true intentions are once he and Joe's business proposition finally gets off the ground. Needless to say, the amount of character development present in this respect is truly impressive and essentially makes the movie exponentially more enjoyable to watch.

From start to finish, [i]Midnight Cowboy [/i]is an intense X-rated sojourn filled with tons of psychological intrigue and deft performances. It's ability to capture the minds of audiences, including myself, several decades after its initial release via these elements is very much something to behold. All in all, I think it's safe to say that this film is the epitome of excellence in regards to late-60s cinema, if not that of the present day as well.