Midnight Cowboy is one of the most unique films I have ever seen. The film starts by introducing Joe Buck (Jon Voight) to us. We see him getting dressed in his cowboy suit and packing his suitcase. His suit is loud, with his bright shirt and cowboy hat, in an era that most people did not dress that way. He seems somewhat surreal and over the top. He goes to what seems to be his job and quits because he intends to travel to New York City from Texas. We are not quite sure what his intentions are. He mentions, to a friend, that he wants to become a male hustler when he arrives in New York. He meets many different people on the bus to New York. During this time, we see that Joe is essentially a nice person. There is a scene where he makes friendly gestures towards a kid. This scene is ironic because we get the impression that Joe is also a child. He seems very naive in almost every way. His naiveté is shown in the way he dresses, thinking himself to be a cowboy, in the way he acts, in the way he feels it is going to be easy to be a male hustler, and in the way he feels living in New York is going to be so much easier than living in Texas.
When Joe arrives in New York, he realizes that it was not going to as easy as he thought. He tries to get women to notice him and realize that he is a male hustler but to no avail. One woman does notice him and they have sex. Then she asks him for money for a cab before he asks for money for the sex. When he does, she breaks down and cries. Joe, being a genuinely nice person, offers her money for the cab and she eventually receives twenty dollars. This scene shows how naive Joe really is. Eventually Joe meets the other protagonist in the film, Rico Salvatore Rizzo a.k.a. "Ratso" Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman). Ratso seems to know the ropes and how the city works. He has one limp leg and he does not look like a very trustworthy person at first glance. Eventually, the two create a friendship after Joe needs a place to live and Ratso lets Joe live with him. Together, they meet hard times, without money and they live through a winter without heat.
Each main character has a plan or a dream. Joe wants to become a successful male hustler in order to become rich while Ratso wants to go to Florida and live there. It seems, while watching the film, that neither character will achieve his dream. It is sad, but realistic because, for most people, things do not work out the way they plan. In America, we have been taught that anyone can do anything; that is the American dream. This film shows quite the opposite. Joe never becomes a successful hustler and Ratso dies at the end of the film. Midnight Cowboy film mirrors Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper's Easy Rider. Both films deal with journeys and the destruction of the American dream. Both films have sad endings and do not leave the audience with any good feelings. At the end of the film, Joe's naiveté leaves him at the end of the film. When Joe and Ratso arrive in Florida, Joe has to be one in charge because Ratso is unable to walk. Joe buys new clothes and dumps his cowboy outfit. This is the first time we see him without it. After Ratso dies, we know that Joe has to fend for himself and grow up.
As I said before, this was a unique film. It had great performances by Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman. It was superbly directed by John Schlesinger. The film still seems to be odd to me but a likable film nonetheless. It will go down as one of the best modern classics out there. I recommend the film. Even though I am not sure everyone will like it, it is still a film everyone should see.
When Joe arrives in New York, he realizes that it was not going to as easy as he thought. He tries to get women to notice him and realize that he is a male hustler but to no avail. One woman does notice him and they have sex. Then she asks him for money for a cab before he asks for money for the sex. When he does, she breaks down and cries. Joe, being a genuinely nice person, offers her money for the cab and she eventually receives twenty dollars. This scene shows how naive Joe really is. Eventually Joe meets the other protagonist in the film, Rico Salvatore Rizzo a.k.a. "Ratso" Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman). Ratso seems to know the ropes and how the city works. He has one limp leg and he does not look like a very trustworthy person at first glance. Eventually, the two create a friendship after Joe needs a place to live and Ratso lets Joe live with him. Together, they meet hard times, without money and they live through a winter without heat.
Each main character has a plan or a dream. Joe wants to become a successful male hustler in order to become rich while Ratso wants to go to Florida and live there. It seems, while watching the film, that neither character will achieve his dream. It is sad, but realistic because, for most people, things do not work out the way they plan. In America, we have been taught that anyone can do anything; that is the American dream. This film shows quite the opposite. Joe never becomes a successful hustler and Ratso dies at the end of the film. Midnight Cowboy film mirrors Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper's Easy Rider. Both films deal with journeys and the destruction of the American dream. Both films have sad endings and do not leave the audience with any good feelings. At the end of the film, Joe's naiveté leaves him at the end of the film. When Joe and Ratso arrive in Florida, Joe has to be one in charge because Ratso is unable to walk. Joe buys new clothes and dumps his cowboy outfit. This is the first time we see him without it. After Ratso dies, we know that Joe has to fend for himself and grow up.
As I said before, this was a unique film. It had great performances by Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman. It was superbly directed by John Schlesinger. The film still seems to be odd to me but a likable film nonetheless. It will go down as one of the best modern classics out there. I recommend the film. Even though I am not sure everyone will like it, it is still a film everyone should see.