For those who have never seen it and those who have never forgotten it.|May. 25, 1969|USA|113 Min.|X
Genre: Drama
Description: **Midnight Cowboy (1969) Film Synopsis and Overview**
**Storyline:**
Joe Buck, a young dishwasher from Texas, quits his job and moves to New York City with dreams of becoming a male escort. However, his initial attempts fall flat. He eventually lands an encounter with Cass, a wealthy middle-aged woman, at her upscale Park Avenue apartment. The interaction turns sour when Joe asks for payment, and Cass, insulted, reveals her own high-class background.
Soon after, Joe crosses paths with Enrico Salvatore “Ratso” Rizzo, a con artist with a limp. Ratso swindles Joe out of $20 by promising to introduce him to a pimp, who turns out to be a delusional religious extremist. Fleeing the situation, Joe tries to track down Ratso but loses him.
Struggling to make ends meet, Joe spends his days wandering the city aimlessly. Eventually, he is evicted from his hotel and loses his belongings. In a desperate attempt to earn money, he engages in an encounter with a young man in a movie theater, only to realize afterward that the man has no money to pay him. Although Joe threatens to take his watch, he ultimately lets him go.
Later, Joe finds Ratso again and confronts him. Ratso offers to let Joe stay in the condemned building where he is squatting. Reluctantly, Joe agrees, and the two form a partnership as hustlers. Over time, they develop a fragile friendship, but Ratso’s declining health becomes a growing concern.
The film includes flashbacks that reveal Joe’s troubled past. Raised by his grandmother after his mother abandoned him, Joe also shares a tragic romance with a girl named Annie. A traumatic incident in which he and Annie are assaulted by a gang of cowboys while in a parked car deeply scars him, leading to Annie’s mental breakdown and institutionalization. The flashbacks gradually uncover more details about this pivotal event, adding depth to Joe’s character.
**Key Themes:**
Midnight Cowboy explores themes of loneliness, friendship, and survival in the harsh realities of urban life. The bond between Joe and Ratso highlights the human need for connection, even in the most desperate circumstances.
Cast director: Burtt Harris
Cast actor: Jon Voight, Dustin Hoffman, Sylvia Miles, John McGiver, Brenda Vaccaro, Barnard Hughes, Ruth White, Jennifer Salt, Gilman Rankin, Gary Owens
Original name: Midnight Cowboy