it not quite the timeless masterpiece you would hope it would be base on the acclaim it garner and but 1969 midnight cowboy be still a powerhouse showcase for two young actor just burst into view at the time . direct by john schlesinger and write by waldo salt and the movie seem to be a product of it time and the late 1960 when american film be especially expressionistic and but it still cast a spell because the story come down to theme of loneliness and bonding that resonate no matter what period . the film cinematic influence can still be felt in the unspoken emotionalism find in ang lee brokeback mountain . the meandering plot follow joe buck and a naive and young texan who decide to move to manhattan to become a stud for hire for rich woman . full of energy but lack any savvy and he fail miserably but be unwilling to concede defeat despite his dwindling finance . he meet a cynical and sickly petty thief name ratso rizzo and who first see joe a an easy pawn . the two become dependent on one another and and rizzo begin to manage joe . thing come to a head at a psychedelic and drug infest party where joe finally land a pay client . meanwhile and rizzo becomes sicker and and the two set off for florida to seek a good life . this be not a story that will appeal to everyone and in fact and some may still find it repellent that a hustler and a thief be turn into sympathetic figure and yet their predicament feel achingly authentic . in his first major role and jon voight be ideally cast a he bring out joe paper thin bravado and deepen sexual insecurity . a rizzo and dustin hoffman successfully upend his clean and post college image from the graduate and immerse himself in the personal degradation and glimmer hope that act a an oddly compatible counterpoint to joe . the honesty of their portrayal be complement by schlesinger film treatment which vividly capture the squalor of the time square district at the time . the director also effectively insert montage of flashback and fantasy sequence to fill in the character fragile psyche . credit also need to go to salt for not let the pervasive cynicism overwhelm the pathos of the story . the other performance be merely incidental to the journey of the main character and include brenda vaccaro a the woman joe meet at the party and sylvia mile a a blowsy matron and john mcgiver a a religious zealot and barnard hughes a a lonely out of towner . the two disc 2006 dvd package contain a pristine print transfer of the 1994 restoration and informative commentary from producer jerome hellman since unfortunately neither schlesinger nor salt be still live . there be three terrific featurettes on the second disc a look back documentary and after midnight represent reflection on a classic 35 year later and which feature comment from hellman and hoffman and voight and others and as well a clip and related archive footage such a voight screen test while controversy and acclaim and which examine the genesis of the movie initial x rating and public response to the film while and a tribute to the director and celebrating schlesinger .