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Amazon.co.uk Review
The first, and only, X-rated film to win a best picture Academy Award, John Schlesinger's Midnight Cowboy seems a lot less daring today (and has been reclassified as an R), but remains a fascinating time capsule of late-1960s sexual decadence in mainstream American cinema. In a career-making performance, Jon Voight plays Joe Buck, a naive Texas dishwasher who goes to the big city (New York) to make his fortune as a sexual hustler. Although enthusiastic about selling himself to rich ladies for stud services, he quickly finds it hard to make a living and eventually crashes in a seedy dump with a crippled petty thief named Ratzo Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman, doing one of his more effective "stupid acting tricks," with a limp and a high-pitch rasp of a voice). Schlesinger's quick-cut, semi-psychedelic style has dated severely, as has his ruthlessly cynical approach to almost everybody but the lead characters. But at its heart the movie is a sad tale of friendship between a couple of losers lost in the big city, and with an ending no studio would approve today. It's a bit like an urban Of Mice and Men, but where both guys are Lenny. --Jim Emerson
Video Description
DVD Special Features
8 page booklet revealing an insight into the making of the film
Chapter Search
Original Theatrical Trailer
Soundtrack: English/German/Spanish/French/Italian
Subtitles: English/German/Spanish/Dutch/Finnish/Swedish/Norwegian/Danish/Portuguese/French/Italian/Hard of Hearing - English
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
26 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This film is proof of what a great cast and director can do when inspired by a great script. Jon Voight (in his first major feature) is superb as Joe Buck, the naive twentysomething who comes to New York to seek his fortune by becoming a gigolo to the wealthy women of NYC. Invariably the dream goes sour, especially after he is ripped off by con man Ratso Rizzo (Hoffman) who eventually see's Joe as a lost soul just like him and a friendship forms. Voight is terrific and it is a shame that he now plays a Hollywood 'Rent a Villain' when he is capable of a performance like this. Hoffman too is fantastic and brilliantly grubby as the underclass who is suffering from TB. As a snapshot of the 60s Scheslinger portrays a New York that is both wealthy yet contains abject poverty. His location shooting of the city is atmospheric in a way that only Scorsese has since been able to capture (in Taxi Driver). Overall a film that is both poignant, political (remember the civil unrest in the country at the time) and a study of humanity in the face of abject misery and suffering. A classic film that uses its musical soundtrack brilliantly to get just the right feel to each scene. Incidentally, considering that the two stars and the director are still alive (as is Brenda Vaccaro in a small but important role as one of Joe's 'clients'), why don't MGM go to town and put together a definitive version of this DVD with commetaries etc? It would be well worth it!
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
Jon Voight stars as the likeable but not-too-bright Joe Buck, a dishwasher from Texas who decides to move to New York and work as a hustler.
The film is a very cheery affair to start with and an absolute joy to watch due to Voights fantastic performance and the characters endless enthuiasm. As Joe Buck starts to realise that his dream job isn't all it's cracked up to be and the money runs out he bumps into "Ratso" Rizzo, a small time conman. Over time they develop a strong friendship and are one of the best on screen partnerships since Butch and Sundance. Dustin Hoffman's performance is deeply moving and he's very funny when he has to be. Ratso is one of his career best performances along with those in Rain Man and The Graduate. Overall this is a beautiful peice of film making and a touching story. Highly recommended for anyone who loves movies.
The film is a very cheery affair to start with and an absolute joy to watch due to Voights fantastic performance and the characters endless enthuiasm. As Joe Buck starts to realise that his dream job isn't all it's cracked up to be and the money runs out he bumps into "Ratso" Rizzo, a small time conman. Over time they develop a strong friendship and are one of the best on screen partnerships since Butch and Sundance. Dustin Hoffman's performance is deeply moving and he's very funny when he has to be. Ratso is one of his career best performances along with those in Rain Man and The Graduate. Overall this is a beautiful peice of film making and a touching story. Highly recommended for anyone who loves movies.
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
Absolute class. From the crisp acting to the passionate directing John Schlesinger's moving adaptation of James Herlihy's bestseller is a movie that stuns and amuses to great extent. Dustin Hoffman is brilliant as a small time con man with big dreams of the Florida high life, and Jon Voight proves his acting talent as a Texan with dreams of his own, and as they wind their friendship through 'get rich quick' schemes and the sleazy side of the big apple, this film has emerged as a cult classic, with a top notch soundtrack, an unforgettable ending. And the all round pure heart that should be embodied into every film. It is an overlooked masterpiece and one of the best productions of all time.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Midnight Cowboy
I found this movie to be very enjoyable. Shows how tough it can be in New York if you don't have anything. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Bring_back_the_60s
Cowboy
Strong performances all round, giving an accurate picture of life in New York at the time. The director was considered very bold in taking on this story and came up with a moving... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Steve
Only two good guys
True masterpiece of cinema; the best film of sixties, something subversive artistically , that has aged well as a very good wine and not as other films of its time which that have... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Victor Diaz Murillo
OLD BUT GOLD
Super story telling and characterisation. Film shows the stark contrast between the fascade of the external appearance and the depth of true life values. Read more
Published 3 months ago by BOZO
Great film
For years I'd never got to see this film all the way though, finally got a copy what a great film. Jon Voight as Joe Buck and Hoffman as "Ratso" Rizzo what a performance, it's... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Landy Man
Academy Award
This is a masterful film from John Schlesinger. But not the first, or only, 'X' rated film to win the Best Picture award at the Oscars, as stated here. Read more
Published 6 months ago by P. J. Ashley
Still impressive
Famed for being the only `X-rated' movie to win an Oscar, this bleak drama, dotted with moments of dark humour, has lost nothing since it was released in 1969. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Tyke
Midnight Cowboy
Dustin Hoffman is a superb actor, I could watch him read a phone book and he puts in another masterful performance, worth watching the film for him alone. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Jim Jim
fabulous
No internet in those days - he had no idea what he was going into - but went anyway. Classic!!
Published 20 months ago by Victoria J. Sievey
MIDNIGHT COWBOY
This film is an all time classic. Just had to add it to our collection.
Published 20 months ago by Wendy Hall
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