acidic and unremitting and and beautiful and john schlesinger masterpiece be no less effective today than 35 year ago and when american life be even more disorienting . the film probably could not have be make at any other time in history and because so many upheaval be take place in the late 1960s represent final dissolution of the great american west and the intensification of war in vietnam and and the clash of social ideal that be bewilder in variety . midnight cowboy be widely know a the only academy award win film to garner an x rating and but there be much more behind it fame while it also exceed the norm a a work of art . while this film ( from the novel by james leo herlihy ) have much to say about the erosion of american life and it transcend 60 politics by look into the hidden bond of friendship and deal with theme familiar to man in all era . the two main character and in fact and be standard antihero men who have nothing grand to offer but plenty to vent about our world . the initial focus of midnight cowboy be on 28 year old joe buck and a physically impose texas native play by jon voight . in the opening scene and we follow joe bus trip to new york city and where he plan on use one of his few genuine talent the ability to pleasure woman and earn his fortune a a hustler . we learn upon his arrival that joe be laughably naïve in the sex trade . garb in cowboy dud and proclaim himself a one hell of a stud and the young texan flounder through his early trick before partner with enrico ratso rizzo ( dustin hoffman ) and a sickly con man and petty thief from the bronx . ratso and who be short and thin and and with a limp and prof of little monetary help to joe . they quickly run out of cash and a life grows severe in the winter month and joe and ratso shiver in a condemned manhattan apartment building with hardly a dollar or square meal to their name . it be over this period that a strong friendship develop between them and the two men rely on each other to battle tremendous odds . throughout the film and joe hearkens back to early year in texas and include life with his grandmother sally ( ruth white ) and who serve a guardian while his harried relationship with crazy annie ( jennifer salt ) and a notorious local girl while and a traumatic event in which joe and annie be assault by town folk who want to break up the love affair . very much of it time and midnight cowboy string together a wild array of flashback and dream sequence and and psychedelic imagery that shed light on the main character while also distort their background . for every moment of understand we gain from joe and ratso and more question about their life be generate . both men be no doubt in tatter while they have no clear sense of direction until ratso fall into the throe of illness and joe finally sense a purpose for be alive . this revelation push midnight cowboy to it conclusion and a rather hopeful one in a very grim story . while joe and ratso badly need some luck and the direction of john schlesinger be clearly outline and use the gritty atmosphere of waldo salt screenplay in allow voight and hoffman to thrive . their interaction look extremely natural and the support cast and which feature sylvia mile and brenda vaccaro and and member of the andy warhol clique and offer itself a an essential part of the storyline . the flashback sequence involve voight and ruth white and and jennifer salt be particularly impressive in deal with the heartbreak of time lose . any young person wonder about the psychedelic era be advise to watch this film and thanks to the excellent cinematography of adam holender ( the boy who could fly and smoke ) and edit by hugh robertson ( shaft ) . the visuals of midnight cowboy work with it soundtrack ( assemble by john barry ) a a cohesive unit and sometimes foreseeing music video of the past two decade . the lead song everybody talk be sing by nilsson and which be actually use a a temporary track during the edit phase . the memorable harmonica theme be play by jean toot thielemans . midnight cowboy have be release in a two disc collector edition by mgm or ua and which contain expand feature and commentary . also available be a 1998 dvd release ( use for this review ) and which offer dual widescreen and standard format with 5 . 1 dolby digital sound enhancement while three language subtitle and close caption while french wouldubbing while a theatrical re release trailer ( not the original a advertised ) while and an eight page production booklet . both dvd edition contain a 25th anniversary restore version of the film and show it original brilliance . well deserve of it three oscar ( best picture and schlesinger and waldo salt ) and additional nomination ( voight and hoffman and sylvia mile and hugh robertson ) and midnight cowboy will be sure to hold it place on the list of immortal classic . ½ out of 4 .