A small time male prostitute (Jon Voight) leaves his home and moves to New York with naïve plans of making it rich, only to find the city rinses him dry.
Voight plays Joe Buck, the aforementioned Gigolo, whose simple-minded attempts to sell himself for money yield him little results in the Big Apple, where everyone is a hustler - even middle-aged women who invite Joe back for sex, only to ask to borrow a couple of bucks from him!
Joe soon crosses paths with another hustler, named Ratso (Dustin Hoffman), who initially scams Joe, pretending to set him up with a certified pimp - who turns out to be a mad preacher. After making their peace with each other, Joe and Ratso come to rely on each other within NYC - Joe learning the ropes from his experienced buddy, whilst Ratso’s declining health makes him reliant on Joe’s help. The two attempt to survive the city’s sinister apathy towards them, whilst making bigger plans to escape to Florida.
A touching, vibrant and enduring film, Midnight Cowboy is one of the few “classic” movies, that deserves its acclaim. The filming still seems modern, the script is tight and clean shaven, and the pure humanity that shines through the two main characters (even though its sleazy and gormless) is thoroughly engaging.
If you are a fan of sixties/seventies noir dramas, or even just a good drama, Midnight Cowboy is a cinematic masterpiece.
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