"I'm walkin' here!" Joe (Jon Voight) wanted to be a hustler in New York City; instead, he ended up getting hustled. The first (and only) X-rated film to win an Academy Award (for Best Picture, no less, as well as Adapted Screenplay and Directing), Midnight Cowboy is the story of Joe, a Texan who moves to NYC in hopes of becoming a male prostitute. There, he meets Rizzo (a.k.a. "Ratso") (Dustin Hoffman), a fast-talking bum who becomes his manager (and friend). Rizzo dreams of one day moving to Florida, where sunshine, women, and coconuts are plentiful.
Both Voight and Hoffman give exceptionally moving performances here (especially Hoffman, who is always a delight to watch). The chemistry between the two men is undeniable, even if both characters claim to be straight. Joe's peculiar visions (in stark black-and-white) give the film an eerie touch, while the finale is truly heartbreaking.
On an interesting note, after winning its Academy Awards in early 1970 (the film was released in 1969), the MPAA re-rated the film R in 1971. The film carries this rating to this day, although it is completely uncensored.
Rating: 4/4
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