Midnight Cowboy (1969)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Steven C

  
  John Schlesinger's "Midnight Cowboy" is a relic from the 60s. An important film for exemplifying the collision between French and American New Wave cinema. It's also one of the most controversial and daring choices for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. With… More
  John Schlesinger's "Midnight Cowboy" is a relic from the 60s. An important film for exemplifying the collision between French and American New Wave cinema. It's also one of the most controversial and daring choices for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. With strong performances from Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman and a series of obtuse and interesting flashbacks and montages, "Midnight Cowboy" is still very much worth a look, at least for it's historical context.

• Spencer S

  
  With the historic implications, I believed this would be a film concerning sexual revolution in its purest form. Instead of romanticizing the role of prostitution, it directly shines a light on the naive nature of wandering youth, the value of education, the role of a flawed childhood… More
  With the historic implications, I believed this would be a film concerning sexual revolution in its purest form. Instead of romanticizing the role of prostitution, it directly shines a light on the naive nature of wandering youth, the value of education, the role of a flawed childhood on workers in the sex industry, and poverty in what was modern day New York. Complete with interspersed flashbacks to Joe's time in Texas (but leaving much to be figured out by the watcher) and scenes between johns and the women he unsuccessfully bedded, this is an art house film years before its time. The use of graphic material was essential, as it helped weave in the bold emotions of Joe Buck and his compatriot, Ratso Rizzo. The two become dependent on one another, their dreams of Miami, or of being a kept man in New York City, twined together and yet crumbling around their feet.Poignant, and painful to watch, this is more than simple exploitation. It centers on what desires people have, and how they are fulfilled.

• Reid V

  
  A fantastic movie that really solidified the excellence of Dustin Hoffman. Even if you don't care for the story, Hoffman's performance alone is worth revisiting this film over and over and over again.

• Lanning :

  
  This won Best Picture and Best Director for John Schlesinger in 1969. Interestingly, Both Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight were nominated for Best Actor. Hey, two out of five nomination slots ain't bad -- although I'm glad that doesn't happen often. Unfortunately, they… More
  This won Best Picture and Best Director for John Schlesinger in 1969. Interestingly, Both Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight were nominated for Best Actor. Hey, two out of five nomination slots ain't bad -- although I'm glad that doesn't happen often. Unfortunately, they were up against John Wayne for his starring role in <i>True Grit</i>, and the rest, as they say, is history. <p> Sylvia Miles as Cass was also nominated -- for Best Supporting Actress -- but Goldie Hawn took home the trophy for her work in <i>Cactus Flower.</i> Much as I love Hawn, if you read my recent comment about Catherine Burns in <i>Last Summer,</i> you'll know that I think Burns should have come out on top. <p>Was this THE best film of 1969? I don't know. If I'd had a vote, I'd have to say . . . that <i>Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid</i> is quite a film; I can watch it over and over again. It's great entertainment. <i>MIdnight Cowboy</i> on the other hand is one tough watch to handle. I really have to be in the right frame of mind to take the mental beating it hands out. Maybe that does make it better? Who knows . . .

• Thomas J

  
  A depressing movie filmed in a cutting edge style (for 1969) that shows even dreams with low expectations can have a high price.

• AJ V

  
  A brilliant drama, my favourite movie from 1969, and a classic. The story is great, the characters are well rounded and realistic and played by great actors. This is a classic movie, don't miss it.

• Dan S

  
  A truly special and monumental film concerning an inexperienced male gigolo (Jon Voight) and how he battles to live on the streets of NYC with a petty robber. This is certainly one of the best films of the 60's, thanks to two megawatt performances from both Voight (who you could… More
  A truly special and monumental film concerning an inexperienced male gigolo (Jon Voight) and how he battles to live on the streets of NYC with a petty robber. This is certainly one of the best films of the 60's, thanks to two megawatt performances from both Voight (who you could argue has never been better) and Hoffman (although "Rain Man" remains his ultimate turn, he's unbelievable here). This is the ultimate "drifter" movie, about two guys who struggle to find their place in the world and as a result, end up becoming close friends despite their mutual distaste for what one another partakes in. The ending is somewhat predictable but that doesn't make it any less devastating, it's certainly a movie drenched in darkness and depression, with a fair amount of Lynchian aspects (the party scene especially) thrown in for good measure. All in all, an utter masterpiece, and a must see.

• Eric S

  
  Brilliant piece of dramatic cinema which deservedly swept the 1969 Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay based on a 1965 novel of the same name. The film follows a young Texan named Joe Buck well portrayed by Jon Voight who's resemblance to… More
  Brilliant piece of dramatic cinema which deservedly swept the 1969 Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay based on a 1965 novel of the same name. The film follows a young Texan named Joe Buck well portrayed by Jon Voight who's resemblance to his daughter Angelina Jolie is quite evident in his breakthrough role as the dishwasher who quits his job, dresses himself as a rodeo cowboy, and heads to New York City in the hope of leading the life of a male hustler. The naive Texan is rather unsuccessful in his attempts to be hired by wealthy women until he finally makes his first deal with the help of a third-rate con man known as Enrico "Ratso" Rizzo(Dustin Hoffman). Joe ends up giving the broken down woman $20. Initially, Ratso cons Joe into giving him twenty dollars for introducing him to a well-known pimp who turns out to be nothing more than a religious fanatic. Of course, Ratso flees the scene as quickly as they arrived despite the fact that polio had crippled one of his legs. The following day, the failed hustler is locked out of his hotel room for not paying the bill, so he hits the streets where he couldn't be more out of his element in hopes of making some money hustling. He spots the unsuspecting Ratso at a lunch counter in which he shakes him down for for every penny he has which turns out to be sixty-four cents. As a result, Ratso offers Joe a place to stay which is in his dingy apartment in a condemned building. Ratso offers to help Joe by teaching him how to pickpocket as well as other methods of stealing, and to even help Joe get hired as a "stud". Ratso's dream has long been to get out of NYC and go to Miami, Florida where he would cease to be known as "Ratso", and live a better life. Joe and Ratso become good friends who really careabout one another and rely on each other in a world where they just can't seem to make ends meet. A very memorable scene from this film is of Ratso and Joe crossing the street where they are nearly run into by a taxi cab. An enraged Ratso says, "I'm walkin' here!" This was improvised by Dustin Hoffman who wanted to say, "We're filming a movie here!", but decided to stay in character and deliver the perfect line which is #27 on AFI's 100Years...100 Movie Quotes. Another interesting little fact about this film is that well-known character actor M. Emmet Walsh is an uncredited, pre-fame extra.

• Fernando Rafael Q

  
  Bold choice for a 'Best Picture' (1969) winner. The editing in MIDNIGHT COWBOY's flashback/imaginary sequences may make the film appear incredibly dated, but the performances by Jon Voight as naive "cowboy" Joe Buck and, especially, Dustin Hoffman's as… More
  Bold choice for a 'Best Picture' (1969) winner. The editing in MIDNIGHT COWBOY's flashback/imaginary sequences may make the film appear incredibly dated, but the performances by Jon Voight as naive "cowboy" Joe Buck and, especially, Dustin Hoffman's as pathetic and, at the same time, endearing sleazeball Enrico 'Ratso' Rizzo make this film timeless.

• Jonathan H

  
  What is the biggest difference between the films of the American New Wave of the 60s/70s and today? The answer is rather simple: characters. Today, we no longer have interesting characters. We have special effects, CGI, sex symbols, or talking heads. But back then, we had real… More
  What is the biggest difference between the films of the American New Wave of the 60s/70s and today? The answer is rather simple: characters. Today, we no longer have interesting characters. We have special effects, CGI, sex symbols, or talking heads. But back then, we had real characters -- characters that are timeless and who're talked about even to this day. People like Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver, and back in 1969, Joe Buck (Jon Voight) and Ratso Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman) in Midnight Cowboy. Known as one of the major films that signified the shift from "Classical Hollywood" to "New Hollywood," this film has not only aged remarkably well, it does what all great films do: it stays with you for a long time after it's over. Director John Schlesinger wisely directed this film in an unobtrusive manner and simply let Hoffman and Voight put on an acting clinic as they communicate back and forth with each other in this beat down, raggedy, ugly, greasy apartment. The result is two of the loneliest people in the history of cinema. This film is unflinching and uncompromising in its depiction of the seedy and depressing byproduct of a capitalistic, class-stratified society. Loneliness, abandonment, and neglect are rarely shown with this much depth, this much realism (even more remarkable considering when it came out). It's a heart wrenching yet beautifully poignant film that is so unconventional, so unfamiliar, and so different, it simply cannot be ignored. Thankfully, films like this will always persevere, even as we continue to drift into more and more cinematic mediocrity. Thank God we had British Kitchen Sink directors like Schlesinger and Richardson, and auteurs like Coppola and Scorsese, who used the French New Wave as a model to make some of the greatest, most penetrating films Hollywood has ever seen. The late 60s/70s were truly the last golden years, and Midnight Cowboy is a big reason why.

• Randy T

  
  I'd like this one a lot more if it weren't for Jon Voight's over-acting. He's not a Texan, he's someone's stereotypical perception of a Texan. Hoffman, however, is his usual brilliant self. 'Ratso Rizzo' is now firmly entrenched in American… More
  I'd like this one a lot more if it weren't for Jon Voight's over-acting. He's not a Texan, he's someone's stereotypical perception of a Texan. Hoffman, however, is his usual brilliant self. 'Ratso Rizzo' is now firmly entrenched in American pop culture as one of the most memorable characters in Hollywood history. He's disgusting yet likable, repulsive yet empathetic. <i>Midnight Cowboy</i>: controversial, ground-breaking, classic.

• Conner R

  
  Definitely a movie that deserves all of the praise it gets. It delivers a still risque topic (seen again in My Private Idaho) of male hustling/homelessness. It's a story that is based on the complete loss of innocence and love. John Voight goes from being a earnest country boy… More
  Definitely a movie that deserves all of the praise it gets. It delivers a still risque topic (seen again in My Private Idaho) of male hustling/homelessness. It's a story that is based on the complete loss of innocence and love. John Voight goes from being a earnest country boy trying to make a quick dollar, to a ruthless man who will do anything for those he loves. Even if it means knocking some elderly man's false teeth out.

• Anthony L

  
  An American classic, Voight and Hoffman are brilliant. This must have one of the best (and saddest) endings ever, and the soundtrack is just as good! brilliant!

• Robert C

  
  Just rewatched this one and realized that I had never given it a written review, so... While this is far from a perfect film, it really is a very poignant piece of work. Once you get past the cast of almost cartoonish caricatures, you will find a very sad and (I feel) a very… More
  Just rewatched this one and realized that I had never given it a written review, so... While this is far from a perfect film, it really is a very poignant piece of work. Once you get past the cast of almost cartoonish caricatures, you will find a very sad and (I feel) a very moving story. In a nutshell: - no matter how hard you try, life seldom goes exactly as planned - love can be found in the most unusual of places

• Leigh R

  
  Interesting...

• Jon L

  
  Wow, I'm really torn about this movie. I'm not sure what to think of it. It's definitely one of the trippiest moves I have ever seen. I was constantly being changed from a feeling of positivity for the two characters in this film, to a feeling of pity and regret and… More
  Wow, I'm really torn about this movie. I'm not sure what to think of it. It's definitely one of the trippiest moves I have ever seen. I was constantly being changed from a feeling of positivity for the two characters in this film, to a feeling of pity and regret and then back again. This movie is one to watch for avid movie lovers, but I would not recommend it for everyone.

• Jennifer X

  
  For some reason I though this movie was going to be more risque because of the X rating, and it wasn't. But I suppose it was more daring for its time. It wasn't the sex fiend gigolo rat race I expected, but instead an incisive look into unorthodox human relationships and how… More
  For some reason I though this movie was going to be more risque because of the X rating, and it wasn't. But I suppose it was more daring for its time. It wasn't the sex fiend gigolo rat race I expected, but instead an incisive look into unorthodox human relationships and how dreams are permanently deferred. Bleak, bleak, bleak, but also surprisingly uplifting. Also, the entire time I kept thinking how CRAZY SIMILAR Jon Voight looks to Angelina Jolie, especially when they smile. Shame about the estrangement!

• Chris G

  
  The film industry changed in 1969 and one of the tides the industry felt was and X-Rated film winning best picture that year- Midnight Cowboy. The film is basically a fish out of water story. Joe Buck (Jon Voight) travels to New York City in pursuit of his dream ob as a gigolo. He… More
  The film industry changed in 1969 and one of the tides the industry felt was and X-Rated film winning best picture that year- Midnight Cowboy. The film is basically a fish out of water story. Joe Buck (Jon Voight) travels to New York City in pursuit of his dream ob as a gigolo. He soon finds that it isn't as easy it he thought it was going to be and ends up sharing a condemned room with street wise Ratso Rizzo (a terrific Dustin Hoffman) who is a cripple and a thief. Some of the sequences in Midnight Cowboy seem dated to the late '60's flower power crusade, but the film itself overcomes the time warps you feel when watching. Hoffman and Voight are excellent with Voight playing the bumpkin Joe Buck as the fresh of the farm rube he is. John Schlesinger delivers a gritty tale of old New York, shattering the concepts of the city seen as a clean utopia in Hollywood productions before it. To call Midnight Cowboy a buddy picture would not do the film the justice it deserves. They're not really buddies at all. Joe and Ratso are really clinging to each other like a pair of life perservers tied together. They make each other better and they make each other worse.

• Curtis L

  
  I didn't know what to expect. The characters were fun, Jon Voight especially. I guess I didn't really catch the point of the movie other than how Joe's character changes from a nice guy getting taken advantage of to a guy beating up an old man for money to help his… More
  I didn't know what to expect. The characters were fun, Jon Voight especially. I guess I didn't really catch the point of the movie other than how Joe's character changes from a nice guy getting taken advantage of to a guy beating up an old man for money to help his friend.

• Aaron N

  
  Joe Buck: Uh, well, sir, I ain't a f'real cowboy. But I am one helluva stud! For a movie credited as the only 'X' rated best picture winner, there isn't anything here that hasn't been topped in the extreme seen today, however this was re-rated as R, so… More
  Joe Buck: Uh, well, sir, I ain't a f'real cowboy. But I am one helluva stud! For a movie credited as the only 'X' rated best picture winner, there isn't anything here that hasn't been topped in the extreme seen today, however this was re-rated as R, so whatever. This is a good movie, featuring two very good lead performances from Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman. The story involves a Texas man, Joe Buck, who dresses as a cowboy (Voight) leaving his town to go to New York City, where he has aspirations of becoming a male prostitute and hustler, oh to dream... Once arriving, with a small amount of money and his own radio, he walks around the streets seeking some lovin' but finds little success. Eventually, he runs into a sickly/crippled hustler, Ratso (Hoffman), who after conning him once, becomes his only friend in the city. The majority of the movie follows these two around, living a poor life, doing small time robberies when they can, trying to survive. As the film moves on Ratso deteriorates in health more and more. Throughout the film, we are also shown dreams and flashbacks of Joe's life, seeing that he has had a troubled past and has gotten into some sticky situations. With the theme song "Everybody's Talkin," sung by Harry Nillson, the movie sort of takes a breezy approach to the life of what are basically bums in New York, things do have periods of getting darker, but for the most part, the chemistry between Joe and Ratso makes this a good movie. As mentioned, these two leads are very good. Hoffman's versatility as a character actor once again shows here, and its also nice to look back at the times when Voight was a really good actor. Director John Schlesinger does a good job at showing off New York from these guy's level as well. Ratso Rizzo: Frankly, you're beginning to smell and for a stud in New York, that's a handicap.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings