12.3.24
Of all the gritty films that have tried to capture the slimy undercarriage of New York City nightlife, Midnight Cowboy remains my favourite. Despite its half-century age, it has lost none of its raw, honest charm in depicting the struggles of two vulnerable outsiders. Directed by John Schlesinger, the 1969 Best Picture winner spins a tale with poignancy beneath its rough edges.
The brilliant performances by Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight are what truly make this film shine. Hoffman was already acclaimed for The Graduate in 1969, but here he shapeshifts into the seedy but streetsmart Ratso. Voight is equally compelling in his breakout role as the naive Texan dreamer Joe Buck. Their unlikely friendship forms the heartwrenching core of the story as two societal castoffs lean on each other for survival on the harsh city streets.
While their characters come from vastly different backgrounds, Hoffman and Voight create a palpable chemistry and comedic odd-couple rapport. The highs and lows of their odyssey exploring Manhattan ring valid, although the avant-garde party scene does push it. As their adventures unfold with a raw, documentary-like realism, the tender moments between them make the journey so moving.
Under Schlesinger’s deft direction, Midnight Cowboy defies easy categorisation. It’s a late ’60s time capsule, a devastating character study, a pointed social commentary, and a celebration of tenacity all wrapped into one. You get the sense that the unlikely friendship between Ratso and Joe was just one of countless other desperate stories playing out simultaneously on the unforgiving streets of the era. A rough journey but utterly absorbing.