Reply to a review of the movie Midnight Cowboy

Midnight Cowboy

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	j.l.hunter@ wrote:
	Midnight Cowboy is at once, ultimately, a sad, depressing, unflinching look at broken dreams and a sometimes-funny, hopeful, flinching look at the human condition. Set in New York in a seemingly suspended period that I call Anytime, is a tale of hope and hopelessness, life and death, dreams and nightmares, and finally, betrayal and ultimate loyalty. Dated by fashions and news subjects (and yet timeless) this Anytime is a perfect metaphor for the lost souls of an often-bleak cityscape. Since the only focus in this film is on the seedy underbelly of this fabled city that never sleeps, the scenes that we see of the other side of New York life, namely the glimpses of the privileged elite, are soulless and transparent, the scenes themselves without life. Is the American Dream only a dream, or perhaps, in reality, a nightmare? Does the American Dream exist at all in this sordid, pandering place of both Hell and (maybe) hope? If the American Dream does exist in this Dickensonian-style masterpiece (a la Oliver Twist, although without the happy ending) it is well hidden in the dark, nightmarish vision that we are presented in this movie. Are we to believe that Joe (Jon Voight) is an idealistic, wannabe-cowboy-hero-without-a-clue, or are we to believe that he is in reality a possibly (even unknowingly) bisexual, disaffected youth who dreams in spite of himself and his circumstances? Why go to New York? Why not go to Hollywood? Joe, we are soon to learn, has some strange ideas as concerns life and his ability to survive it. Basically, Joe is working from the misconception that any hard work, even hustling, will be well rewarded. Joe lands in New York as an idealistic, albeit somewhat immoral, personification of a dreamer. He is soon disillusioned by his newfound Eden. The first person that he finds to hopefully help him sort out his New York existence is a flawed, sickly con man, himself. Enrico Ratso Salvatore Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman) is the antithesis of almost everything that Joe hopes to become. What is not immediately apparent to either of them is the fact that they are in some respects an absurd, distorted Yin and Yang; they need each other, whether they know it or not. The two anti-heroes are perfectly matched, even though flawed, complements. Ratso and Joe soon embark on a Euripides-esque search for a modern analog of the Golden Fleece. Unfortunately for both of our anti-heroes, the gods seem to be in opposition to their quest, unlike Jason and his Argonauts. Failure leads to disappointment until the team of misfits seems to stumble into their promised land. Based once again on Joes good looks, another set of New Yorks denizens is ready to take advantage of Joe, not realizing (nor apparently caring) that Ratso has the same idea about them and their fancy spread. From Ratsos side of the tracks, every missed opportunity is an inexcusable lapse in his ability, and indeed, possibility to survive. This one fortunate episode notwithstanding, Ratsos illness soon takes a serious turn for the worse, dashing Joess hopes of at last becoming a successful hustler. It is at this point that Joes basic morality, decency, and true loyalty (that, perhaps, even he did not know he possessed) stand out. Unfortunately, in Joes quest to help his friend, all of the disappointment, double-dealing, and building rage born of his disillusionment are unleashed on an unsuspecting, mild-mannered, unhappily-homosexual, out-of-town paper manufacturer. It is a final act of desperation that will hopefully ensure Ratsos survival. Alas, none of our flawed protagonists dreams are to come true. In the final scene, an emotionally crushed and by-now-morally-bankrupt Joe is left alone to deal with all that he has done and all that he has become. What will become of Joe? One can only imagine, but his future looks as bleak as his meager existence since his move to New York. (10/10)
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