Midnight Cowboy story
Midnight Cowboy is a 1969 American drama film directed by John Schlesinger, adapted by Waldo Salt from the 1965 novel by James Leo Herlihy. The film stars Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight, with supporting roles played by Sylvia Miles, John McGiver, Brenda Vaccaro, Bob Balaban, Jennifer Salt and Barnard Hughes. Set in New York City, Midnight Cowboy depicts the unlikely friendship between two lost and lonely hustlers: naïve prostitute Joe Buck (Voight) and ailing con man Rico Rizzo (Hoffman), referred to as "Ratso".
24 total · 5 choice · 10 major · 9 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| poverty in society | choice | The story concerns the impoverished male prostitute Joe Buck and his crippled Italian-American friend, Rico Rizzo, trying to survive in New York City. They were homeless and squatted in an abandoned building. The story illustrated the depths of desperation they experienced as winter arrived, there was no prospect of gaining employment, and their dwelling was about to be demolished. |
| prostitution in society | choice | The story concerns Joe Buck who thought he could make himself a living in New York City by selling himself to rich lonesome women. When that failed he tried selling himself to men instead. The story makes a point of highlighting the uncertainties, risks, and indignities prostitutes may encounter. |
| prostitution vs. poverty | choice | The story concerns Joe Buck who thought he could make himself a living in New York City by selling himself to rich lonesome women. Joe turned to ever seedier forms of sex work after he was kicked out from his hotel room and faced living on the streets. |
| what it is like to be homeless | choice | The story concerns the impoverished male prostitute Joe Buck and his crippled Italian-American friend, Rico Rizzo, trying to survive in New York City. They were homeless and squatted in an abandoned building. The story illustrated the depths of desperation they experienced as winter arrived, there was no prospect of gaining employment, and their dwelling was about to be demolished. |
| what it is like to be impoverished | choice | The story concerns the impoverished male prostitute Joe Buck and his crippled Italian-American friend, Rico Rizzo, trying to survive in New York City. They were homeless and squatted in an abandoned building. The story illustrated the depths of desperation they experienced as winter arrived, there was no prospect of gaining employment, and their dwelling was about to be demolished. |
| abandonment | major | In flashback it was revealed that Joe had been abandoned by his mother and left to be raised by his grandmother. This helps explain his unconventional attitudes to sex and intimacy. |
| child abuse | major | The flashbacks suggest that Joe had been sexually, and otherwise, abused in various ways as a child. This helps explain his unconventional attitudes to sex and intimacy. |
| childhood trauma | major | Joe was tormented by the troubled childhood that he'd experienced growing up in rural Texas. This was presumably a strong motivating force behind why he got up and left to start a new life New York City. |
| coping with having been raped | major | Joe having been raped by a gang of cowboys in the past explained his present character. |
| coping with the death of a friend | major | The conclusion of the story was that Rizzo died next to Joe on the highway bus ride to Florida. |