How ‘Midnight Cowboy’ Captivates Battling Sexuality in 1969

Written by Aliyah Rivero

Photography & Graphics by Mavis Parks

Modeled by Owen Corp, Rachael Mueller, Aliyah Rivero, Resse Tackett, Cole Vest, & Sky Wolfe

Spoilers ahead

TW: Mentions of sexual abuse and rape

“Midnight Cowboy,” directed by John Schlesinger, is a classic must-see film. If you were to search for the movie, you would find numerous awards, including a BAFTA award for best film in 1970. This film, according to Britannica, was “the only X-rated …movie to win an Academy Award for best picture (the movie’s rating was later changed to R).” These awards are well-deserved as this film is widely considered to be ahead of its time with presentations of heavy topics such as fragile masculinity, queerness, and male sexuality. Despite being released in 1969, the film's cinematography and soundtrack are incredible and ahead of its time..

The movie follows a starry-eyed Joe Buck, played by John Voight, with a dream of becoming a “hustler” or as the New York Times put it, “a high-class gigolo.” He moves to Manhattan to find successful women whom he could make a profit out of through his body, though he quickly finds out that it is difficult to find women who would be willing. Due to his unfortunate luck, he meets Enrico Rizzo “Ratso,” played by Dennis Hoffman, in what's presumed to be a gay bar, who talks Joe into it, as long as he gets a cut, so that they can both make a profit and help each other out. Ricco “Ratso” is a character who takes pride in his individualistic traits. Through the film's progression, it’s clear he has a strong desire for connection just as much as Joe does. I did not enjoy Hoffman’s character initially because of his slick nature, however, you quickly learn he does what he needs to survive. In the end, he ended up becoming my favorite character.

Audiences learn a lot about Joe Buck through flashbacks throughout the film. These flashbacks can get uncomfortable but are crucial to understanding his character. We see moments of his childhood as well as early adulthood with what could be understood as hints of abuse. In these flashbacks, he was a victim of sexual abuse from his grandmother and her many lovers, as that is who he had grown up with. This contributes to his struggle in relationships with women and his overly-saturated cowboy persona, considering those were the examples of men who were around him most often and his main guardian betrayed him at a young age. 

He can continuously be found posing in the mirror or defending this persona to Ricco, who calls him out. Joe also says, “I ain't a for real cowboy, but I am one hell of a stud!” He often uses his looks and body as a defense mechanism for other areas that he may be lacking in. This can be taken as to why he wants to go on to New York to “get with” these older women because of his abuse. I believe that Schlesinger did a superb job at showing these traits in the flashbacks since the character's actions are well justified, especially after watching it a second time. The next series of flashbacks was of Joe Buck and a girlfriend getting caught in the act while Joe is assaulted by a group of men along with his lover Annie tragically being raped, which leads to her getting taken away, presumably to a ward. This could possibly contribute to Joe’s internal fear of abandonment, which is often seen because he is constantly looking for some sense of control. This matter is a challenging thing for him to grasp because nothing follows the plan he had in mind when he sets off from Texas to New York. 

Unfortunately, there is not much to Ricco's past, but his character reveals that same sense of desertion that Joe has, and the two have a rough start but soon develop a close bond with each other because they are all they have. There are implications of the two having feelings for each other, however, Joe especially has internalized homophobia that can be seen due to his quick anger at any mentions of him being queer. This is best portrayed when fails to perform with a woman after a party. When she questions him about being gay, he tackles her, and they have almost hateful sex. He uses this overly masculine persona to cover this queerness, and he uses his body as a way to guard himself. 

Joe Buck's relationship with Ricco is the most meaningful one that was shown in the whole film. While they had no sexual relations, they had a loving bond with each other. In the end, Joe takes Ricco to Florida as his dying wish. They had a tie and a care for each other that neither had experienced before. Ricco even envisions Joe in his fantasy, where they end up on a beach together. Many argue that they have a deep friendship; however, I can say from personal experience that I do not look at my friends the way that Ricco and Joe do. I believe the two did help each other grow. At the end of the movie, due to Ricco's illness, he becomes incontinent and pees himself. Joe stops by a gas station to purchase both of their new clothing. There is a close-up scene of Joe throwing away his cowboy clothes and boots into a trash can, which I find touching because that is a symbol of progression, especially considering Joe’s past. 

“Midnight Cowboy” was brilliantly shot, with the start of the movie feeling hopeful and light and the mood dimming and color palette altering as it continues. The song “Everybody’s Talkin” by Harry Nilsson plays perpetually, with the first time being when we are first introduced to Joe, then again as he heads off to New York and so on until he sells his radio. The song is about having a difficult time connecting to others and wanting to head off somewhere else with a desire for something new. I believe this was an excellent choice, and the times that they played it were intentional to where the storyline was at. Additionally, there are beautiful artistic shots, including my personal favorite, the scene when Joe took pills at a party that two gothic folks invited him to after taking his picture in a diner. I found this entire scene mesmerizing and quirky. Joe is having the time of his life, while Ricco is progressing in illness and is uncomfortable with all the people around him. This shows the difference in their abandonment issues because Joe wants to experience other people's validation while Ricco finds comfortability in seclusion. The film feels authentic and humanistic with how it portrays its characters and the intimacy of each scene. One of the most iconic moments is when Ricco almost gets hit by a vehicle and he slams the hood, saying, “I’m walkin’ here!” This is often referenced in other media pieces, or you may have joked around and said it too, not knowing it was from this film. I know I have!

There is so much to “Midnight Cowboy” that urges viewers to watch due to its significance in regards to film and culture. It dives deep into identity and individuality so that the viewer can be immersed in the relationship between Joe and Ricco, and truly feel the interrelations between these characters. Though it was released in 1969, it includes topics and themes that are still relevant today. In short, this movie handles heavy concepts with grace and a clear artistic vision, additionally the use of symbolism makes for a wonderful watch.