John Schlesinger's Oscar-winning film, which features brilliant performances by Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman, brought an unusually gritty realism to the screen and offered a then-rare portrait of New York's street scene. Joe Buck (Jon Voight - DELIVERANCE, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE), a male prostitute from Texas, heads to Manhattan where he hopes to find plenty of wealthy women willing to pay for the services of a handsome man. When he arrives, the naive country boy befriends Ratso Rizzo (Hoffman ¿ THE GRADUATE, KRAMER VS. KRAMER), a tubercular, homeless con artist who dreams of moving to Florida. As they go about trying to get the money Ratso needs, the two men see and confront all the seediness, corruption, and cruelty that flourish in the big city.
MIDNIGHT COWBOY is a gritty portrayal of low level hustlers, one that pushed the boundaries of what was permissible during the late 60s and would become the first 'X' rated film to win Best Picture at the Oscars. The British Schlesinger (BILLY LIAR, MARATHON MAN) was also award the Oscar for Best Director. The film has aged extremely well and its themes are as poignant today as they were when it was first released.