Cinematographic anniversaries are trendy. Films made 40, 45 or 50 years ago celebrate their birthdays with digital versions of the original films, sometimes even recovering scenes forgotten on assembly or removed by censorship or self-censorship. It is a great opportunity for me to see for the first time some of the important creations of the cinema of the world at that time, films that were unlikely to be brought on the screens of Communist Romania where I was living in the 1960s or 1970s. In many cases, these are real revelations, a good example being ‘Midnight Cowboy‘, directed by John Schlesinger. The film, recovered under excellent technical conditions, is extremely fresh and at the same time authentic, giving viewers a time travel opportunity in the 1960s America, with music and landscapes of the period, with its people and their sins.
The story in the film is very contemporary, and I think that a remake (which I hope will not be done) should not change too much from the scenario. The two main heroes live on the edge of the Big Apple society, trying to make a living in the masculine version of the oldest profession in the world supplemented by a semi-homeless life and small robberies. The mirage of the great city quickly turns into a struggle for survival, in which the strange friendship between two strange people is a lifeline that helps them survive, even for a while. The social radiography and the psychological characterization are exceptional. These were the years in which American cinema, including that of big studios, was shifting from the self-censorship based on moral patterns to a more modern and realistic approach to the America of contrasts. This film is rightfully considered a landmark in this evolution.
I could write an essay on the interpretation of the two actors, Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman, and it would be deserved. For Voight , the role of Texas cowboy Joe Buck who came to conquer New York and is hiding terrible traumas behind his innocent smile was his first important role, the one that launched his career. Hoffman was coming after the success of ‘The Graduate‘ and the role of the cynical crook ‘Ratso’ not only consolidated his career but also helped him avoid stereotypes of distribution. This was his first or greatest composition role, others were to follow. Can I say these are two interpretations of anthology? I said it. And there are many other reasons to see ‘Midnight Cowboy‘, one of the most contemporary movies I’ve seen lately, although it was done 50 years ago.