Midnight Cowboy

(1969)

113 minutes

Classic / Drama

Directed by John Schlesinger

Cast:

Dustin Hoffman as Ratso 
Jon Voight as Joe Buck 
Sylvia Miles as Cass 
John McGiver as Mr. O'Daniel 
Brenda Vaccaro as Shirley 
Barnard Hughes as Towny 
Ruth White as Sally Buck 
Jennifer Salt as Annie
Gilman Rankin as Woodsy Niles  
Gary Owens as Little Joe 
George Eppersen as Ralph 
Al Scott as Cafeteria Manager 
Linda Davis as Mother on the Bus 
J.T. Masters as Old Cowhand

Joe Buck is a Texan who travels to New York, a place he has never been before. He thought he was the ideal hustler, until people start hustling him. He decides to join forces with a volatile outsider by the name of Ratso Rizzo. They form a special relationship where it turns into business partners to companions. They are each other’s first real friend.

The film revolves around the life of Joe Buck, a young man from Texas whose job as dishwasher at a diner is no longer for him. He decides to travel to New York City with aspirations of becoming a hustler. Dressed in his cowboy attire, he leaves for New York City.

New York is a completely different world for Joe and his openness becomes clear when he no longer has any money on him. He fails at trying to make an impression on rich women. Then he finally meets a woman who gives him the time of day, but when he tries to talk about 'business', she becomes emotional and cries. Joe gives her $20 since he feels bad for her.

Joe is left with not one dime in his pocket and ends up locked out of his hotel room, for he has not paid. He is so desperate for money, he puts his values aside and gives a teenage boy oral sex for money. Joe still fails at this when the teenage boy tells him he has no money at the end. Things start to look up for him when he runs into Rizzo again and to his surprise he is willing to help Joe by having him live in his apartment. Rizzo teaches him how to pickpocket and rob. They only have each other and grow close to one another.

Throughout the film there are some parts of Joe’s early life shown and what made him the person he is today. There were some tragedies he went through and even served sometime in the army. He had been in love with a girl named Annie, who was later sent to a mental institution for being raped by a group of men. He never forgot about her.   

Midnight Cowboy - Trailer