And I am not a movie snob. This movie was not dull and boring. Great acting and a great plot. And for 60s counterculture films, I find this miles ahead of Easy Rider. Famous for one line, and very deserved.
I always loved it, it has a great reputation and it makes it great.
I liked the characters. I felt sympathy for these "lovable" misfit/hustlers.
Engrossing and humorous.
this film is not "downbeat", and it is "deep"
here is an excellent analysis:
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Degree7» Fri Oct 31 2014 17:26:10 Flag ▼
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Post Edited:Fri Oct 31 2014 19:36:28 That's understandable if you had no emotional connection to the characters. But still, the movie had a lot to say. Sort of the naive optimism of young Joe Buck trying to make a name for himself on his own. The thin veneer of civilized society and how rather empty and meaningless it is for the people on the streets. One of the themes is to not judge a book by its cover (a timeless one). Ratso Rizzo is originally seen by Joe as a scheming, Jerk who's in it for himself, but is gradually revealed to be a sad, loveable guy dying of TB and living by himself in an abandoned building. Meanwhile, Joe's clients are seen as rich and successful at first, but turn out to be just a bunch of lonely, depressed shells inhabiting the city and willing to pay for cheap tricks. I guess the irony is that is what waits for you at the end of that life, and one of the character's recites this existential dilemma to Joe, "Isn't this all just taking advantage of lonely people?"
To be a hustler, there was clearly only darkness at the end of that path, and it was the "Miserable creature" Ratso that managed to save Joe from self-destruction. And Joe becomes a loving person to Ratso in his final hours. They both end up saving each other, and the sad part is that now Joe is back where he started, albeit in Florida and with a new lease on life. And so the question remains will he find happiness? The film is a grand analysis of the "American Dream", the shallowness of high society, and a realistic portrait of poverty and homelessness, in the same vein as a Steinbeck novel like "Of Mice and Men" or "Grapes of Wrath". But most of all, it is about the true value, the realism, of friendship
I love it. I don't hate it. I thought Dustin and Jon did excellent with their roles,I really got into this film. It has many funny scenes, and then the ending is very memorable and much more. Most of the film I sat thinking, what a great film I am watching.
shareLoved it. Great score too. Toots Thielemans work is haunting and beautiful.
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As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.
It's good to see people on IMDB who recognize great films despite the subject matter being depressing. Midnight Cowboy is a cinematic masterpiece!
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I too love this film and have for many years. However, I don't think it's depressing. Rizzo does achieve his dream of going to Florida. Yes, he dies when he is is almost to Miami but he doesn't die in NYC, and he is aware he is in Florida even as he becomes more and more ill. Without Joe, he wouldn't have realized his dream, he still would have died, and he would have been uncared for and alone in NYC.
As for Joe, he did get out of the small town to the big city, his dream, and he did get to hustle as well. Sure, Joe was emotionally hurt (Voight's performance was brilliant and subtle), yet he learned from his experiences. In the end, because of his friendship with Rizzo, he was going to begin a new and different life, a life that would allow him to leave his past finally in the past.
Dustin Hoffman also gave a great performance, but I think Jon Voight's is overlooked, because his character appeared to be simple and dumb. But there was a lot going on in Voight's eyes. His character was as multilayered as Hoffman's, and more difficult to perform because of Joe's appearance of simple-mindedness.
But of course, these are my opinions. I never represent myself as an authority! I do enjoy these discussions and exchange of ideas. I learn quite a lot from them.
"Wow. Our town has only had a Whole Foods for three weeks and we already have our first gay kids."
spot on!
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