In the 60’s, New York City was gritty and extremely seedy. Unsavory characters lurked on street corners that only gave the illusion of safety. Garbage and rats lined the streets. Strip clubs were rampant on Times Square. People begging for a handout or just passed out on the streets could be seen everywhere. It was a brutal time when those who had enough didn’t bother to help those who didn’t. Stepping over passed-out people who were lying on the ground was considered normal behavior. And the advice given to all who dwelled in the “Big Apple” was to walk briskly, with intention, and hold on tight to your purse or wallet. Above all, do not make eye contact. This is what my aunts and uncles would repeatedly say to me whenever I visited and wanted to venture into the city. Native New Yorkers were tough.
While growing up, I always loved watching films about where I was born. I enjoyed how direct and blunt the populace in Manhattan was. I got a kick out of the many dialects heard within just a few-mile radius. I used to try to copy how my relatives spoke. I didn’t want to have a “southwestern drawl” as they would tell me. I would never claim I currently live in Arizona. In my mind, once a New Yorker, always a New Yorker. It was who I was at the center of my core.
I emulated and copied whatever I heard from the movies as well. The best and most memorable was whenever you cross a street corner and a taxi or any vehicle stops too close, bang on their hood and shout out, “Hey, I’m walkin’ here. I’m walkin’.” Funny thing is, fast-forward forty years, when I used to lead student tours to NY, on every single trip there would be at least one student who would repeat that same movement and line as we all crossed busy intersections. Now that reinforces how powerful and memorable cinema can be.
Friendship is usually hard to come by in big cities. The natural mentality of city dwellers is not to trust anyone or get too close or involved. Now, as I am older, I don’t believe this is just how it is in overpopulated areas. I think this mentality is rampant across our country and the world. This is one of the many reasons a relatively small film in 1969 made waves. Disregarding the gutsiness of the plot and the filth and homelessness beneath the surface, MIDNIGHT COWBOY was essentially a film about two sad souls who forged a bond amid horrendous conditions and naïveté. This very difficult piece of celluloid struck a common chord with the public and would eventually be awarded an Oscar for Best Picture. The irony never alludes me.
MIDNIGHT COWBOY was actually nominated for six more Oscars, winning two: Best Director (John Schlesinger) and Best Screenplay (Based on writing from another medium). It was financially successful (grossing $45 million) even though it was initially rated X for its risqué subject matter and brief nudity (It was later changed to an R). Today’s audience would warrant a whole other rating system and wouldn’t flinch at all.
Dustin Hoffman was cast as Ratso at first against Schlesinger’s judgment. Hoffman wanted this part so badly that he had to work to change the director’s mind. Hoffman had just completed THE GRADUATE, and Schlesinger thought he looked too goody-goody for this role. It changed after Hoffman convinced Schlesinger to meet him on a street corner in NY to talk. Hoffman dressed in a filthy rag, making himself appear dirty and disheveled. He stood on that corner in front of Schlesinger and worked the crowd, begging for money or food. Schlesinger never recognized him until Hoffman walked over. He was offered the part on the spot.
Obviously, he took the role of Ratso very seriously. He visited slum shelters and homeless encampments for several months. He put pebbles in his shoe to never forget his limp, and when he coughed as often and hard as the character demanded, Hoffman sometimes vomited as well. Dentures were created to give him the look of rotting teeth. He embodied this poor, broken-down soul. Hoffman looked and acted like he had been on the streets for years.
Jon Voight was cast as Joe Buck, the narcissist, wannabe hustler, mainly because he was still an unknown. Schlesinger didn’t want anyone to recognize him. It worked beautifully and catapulted his acting career. He received only the minimum base SAG salary for his work. He never complained and worked tirelessly to perfect his Texas drawl. In Joe’s mind, he was “one hell of a stud.” He wore only four shirts throughout the film, each in a vibrant, silky fabric, until the final bus ride, when reality finally hit him. This was the first time audiences also saw him as “Everyman” without wearing those huge cowboy hats. Together with Hoffman, they were an outstanding duo, each receiving an Oscar nomination for their interpretations of two highly unlikely friends. (Hoffman did win a BAFTA for Best Actor.)
The cast featured major talented actors, including Sylvia Miles, John McGiver, Brenda Vaccaro, Bernard Hughes, and Ruth White. They all acted from their gut and heart to complete this degrading world, depicting the bowels of our society. Their performances showcased how far humanity had slipped. At times, it was hard to watch, but that was the authenticity of their acting. It was simply so well done.
This film reminds me of the saga of George and Lenny in Steinbeck’s brilliant novel, OF MICE AND MEN. Two men who have dreams of a better, kinder life while working against the system. Ratso and Joe were the modern-day George and Lenny. None of them had a chance.
Filming MIDNIGHT COWBOY in New York City also felt like adding another character to the cast. The look and feel of those alleyways and cold, condemned buildings was visceral and palatable. I wanted to put on an extra layer of clothing while watching Joe and Ratso brave that blizzard. Outstanding cinematography.
MIDNIGHT COWBOY is not a flawless film. The final frame leaves audiences hanging about what happens next for Joe Buck. It is hard to settle in and accept this tragic story, even though the music wanted audiences to believe EVERYBODY’S TALKIN’. Not so. There is no happy takeaway. You live. You die. And all that happens in between is sometimes just noise and, quite frankly, garbage. Humans are meant to connect and intersect with one another. Joe and Ratso were just too damn late to change their doomed trajectory. In my mind, this is a huge lesson that must not be forgotten.
MIDNIGHT COWBOY is a sordid, tragic classic. It shines a spotlight on a class of people most would consider “less” than ourselves. Shame on all of us. There are some days, any one of our lives could come crashing down. Our current society needs to recognize this possibility. It is imperative to truly see each other, even when we are just merely crossing an unmarked intersection.
MIDNIGHT COWBOY is available on TCM.
