Even if you haven’t seen John Schlesinger’sOscar-winningMidnight Cowboy, you have heard some of its dialogue. In fact, one ofMidnight Cowboy’s lines is so famous that many people don’t realize it originally came from a movie at all. “I’m walkin' here!” ad libbed by Dustin Hoffman has become a New York stereotype and a household phrase at large. Despite the reach of the iconic quote,Midnight Cowboyitself does not necessarily have the same reputation. The film may havewon the Academy Award for Best Picturein 1969, but it arguably has not emerged as a mainstream classic in the years since.
Now, don’t get us wrong,Midnight Cowboyis a great and important movie. Chronicling the struggles of a male sex worker in New York City, it has been repeatedly praised for its raw performances, ahead-of-its-time screenplay, and unique style. So, why has it become so “obscure,” even as a recipient of cinema’s most well-known prize? Well, it is likely becauseMidnight Cowboyalso happened to be one of themost controversial winners in Oscar history.
What Is ‘Midnight Cowboy’ About?
Wide-eyed cowboy Joe Buck (Jon Voight) decides to leave his home in Texas and head to the Big Apple, where he will make a new life for himself as a hustler (which is 1960s-speak for sex worker). Struggling to find his footing, Joe crosses paths with a con man named Rizzo (Hoffman). Over time, the two form an unlikely friendship and symbiotic business partnership. Joe has a variety of experiences with rich older clients, including men and women, all of which defyhis expectations of the American Dream.
Joe and Rizzo start living together in poverty as squatters, discovering the grime and truth of their adulthood. The two men sleep together, starve together, and do everything they can to survive the unrelenting New York winters together, even when Rizzo starts to grow increasingly ill.Midnight Cowboyis a singular film in American, queer, and film folklore, equal parts a love story and a journey of severe self-discovery for a rare early masculine-yet-vulnerable character.
Why Was ‘Midnight Cowboy’ Controversial?
Midnight Cowboyis the only X-rated Best Picture winner. Today, an X-Rating isequivalent to an NC-17rating, meaning it is “for adults only.“Midnight Cowboywas initially rated-R, but upon the recommendation of a psychologist, it was changed to X. What was it aboutMidnight Cowboythat warranted an X-rating, you may ask? Short answer: it did not. It was classic censorship! IfMidnight Cowboywere released today, it would not be rated X. In fact, the rating was changed as soon as 1971.Midnight Cowboyhas no more nudity, drugs, or violence than other R-rated films. The distinction betweenMidnight Cowboyand other mature films of its era was that it had gay sex scenes.Midnight Cowboy’s X-rating and concurrent stifling of its presence from the zeitgeist were purely homophobia. Executives and psychologists were concerned about “possible influence on youngsters.”
The film’s concentration on sex work did not help its case, as the Hays Code had only been lifted the year before, in 1968. Part of the New Hollywood Era of filmmaking,Midnight Cowboywas intentionally concerned with being more socially conscious than Academy favorites that came before. It was boundary-pushing, provocative, and sexually liberating, and that scared conservative America.Of course, their plan sort of backfired, and when they changedMidnight Cowboy’s rating to X, interest in the film increased tenfold. IfMidnight Cowboyhad never been rated X, it may never have garnered enough attention to take home Best Picture.
Nowadays, it is mostly reduced to a trivia fun fact, butMidnight Cowboy’s rating and win marked a seminal moment in the history of artistic expression. Once an X-rated movie wins Best Picture, traditional rules go out the window. True, that has never happened again, butMidnight Cowboywas a trailblazer, so that, though incrementally,movies likeMoonlight(2016) andAnora(2025)could have a fighting chance.
Beyond being a significant event in the world of media censorship,Midnight Cowboyalso just freaked people out because of how heartbreaking its depiction of American society was. Showing young men having to resort to seedy work, getting sick, and engaging in the underbelly of New York was all accurate, and it was all terrifying.Midnight Cowboywas truly a product of its time, but with each passing year, it becomes clearer that maybe the world was just not ready.
Midnight Cowboyis now streaming on Max.
Midnight Cowboy
