Film Notes
     Unfortunately, Jim Emerson was not as impressed with Dustin Hoffman's performance and John Schlesinger's directing style as most other people, but he is entitled to his incorrect opinion. "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, Amazon.com)
     Director John Schlesinger originally wanted actor Michael Sarrazin for the "Joe Buck" role, but he was already committed to They Shoot Horses, Don't They? It went to then-unknown Jon Voight instead, establishing the 31-year-old as a major "young" talent. Midnight Cowboy was Dustin Hoffman's first film after his star-making turn in The Graduate. To achieve that distinctive Ratso Rizzo limp, Hoffman placed pebbles in his shoes. Everybody's Talkin' was featured on Harry Nilsson's 1968 album "Aerial Ballet." Nilsson's intended theme for Cowboy was I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City, written by Nilsson specifically for the film. Film was named one of the year's 10 Best English-language films by the National Board of Review, one of the year's 10 best foreign films by Japan's Kinema Jumpo, and the best non-European film of 1970 by Denmark's Bodil awards. Schlesinger received best foreign director of 1969-70 from two Italian awards, the Davids and the Silver Ribbons. Hoffman was named best actor of 1969-70 by Italy's David Awards. Voight was named Best Actor by the New York Film Critics and the National Society of Film Critics. Voight received the Best Actor British Academy Award for both Midnight Cowboy and John and Mary. A restored print of Cowboy was re-released to theaters in late February 1994 to commemorate the film's 25th anniversary. Cowboy was the first major studio release to sport an X rating and was the first X-rated film to win the Best Picture Academy Award. It was re-rated "R" by the MPAA in 1971. Additional cast members: Gil Rankin (as Woodsy Niles), T. Tom Marlow (Little Joe), George Epperson (Ralph), Al Scott (Cafeteria Manager), Linda Davis (Mother on the bus), J. T. Masters (Old cow-hand), Arlene Reeder (The old lady), Jonathan Kramer (Jackie), Jan Tice (Freaked-out lady), Peter Scalia (Grocer), Vito Siracus (Grocer), Peter Zamagias (Hat shop owner), Arthur Anderson (Hotel Clerk), Tina Scalia (Laundromat lady), Alma Felix (Laundromat lady), Richard Clarke (Escort service man), Ann Thomas (The frantic lady), Joan Murphy (The waitress), Al Stetson (Bus Driver), Gastone Rossilli (Hansel McAlbertson), Ultra Violet, International Velvet, William Dorr, Cecelia Lipson, and Taylor Mead. Shot in Technicolor. Variety listed the film's running time as 119 minutes, and gave the film an "R" rating.