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Trailer

Midnight Cowboy

1969Movie1 h 53 minNC-17

Drama
82
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.8Metacritic797.9Rotten Tomatoes89%88%

A deeply moving, relentlessly bleak drama movie about everyday modern life and the mind, with standout performances and score.

Good for friends night · thought-provoking · adults

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for warmth, comfort or laughs.

Movies with

Story

For those who have never seen it and those who have never forgotten it.

Joe Buck is a wide-eyed hustler from Texas hoping to score big with wealthy New York City women; he finds a companion in Enrico "Ratso" Rizzo, an ailing swindler with a bum leg and a quixotic fantasy of escaping to Florida.

Feels like

  • Gritty Urban Drama
  • Tragic Friendship
  • Iconic Performances
  • Social Realism
  • Melancholic Atmosphere
  • Counter-Culture Portrait
  • Emotional Devastation
  • Memorable Soundtrack
  • Character Study
  • New York City Setting

Cast

24 of 34

Crew

Directed by
John Schlesinger
Written by
Waldo Salt, James Leo Herlihy
Produced by
Jerome Hellman
Music by
John Barry, Toots Thielemans

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

May 25, 1969 · 1 h 53 min · NC-17

Released
May 25, 1969
Runtime
1 h 53 min
Age rating
NC-17
Content
Sexual Content, Strong Language, Drug Use, Violence, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Drama
Original language
English
Also spoken
Italian
Made in
United States
Budget
$4 million
Box office
$45 million
Available in
85 countries
Keywords
based on novel or book

Tropes

Dumb Blonde, Foreshadowing, Odd Friendship +9

  • Dumb Blonde
  • Foreshadowing
  • Odd Friendship
  • "Ray of Hope" Ending
  • Slippery Soap
  • Creator Cameo
  • Imagine Spot
  • Momma's Boy
  • The Film of the Book
  • Smoking Hot Sex
  • The Big Rotten Apple
  • Dies Wide Open

12 of 73 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

6 questions, like "Where can I stream Midnight Cowboy?"

Questions about Midnight Cowboy

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Midnight Cowboy?

fuboTVMGM+PhiloKanopyHooplaTubi TV

In the United States, Midnight Cowboy streams on fuboTV, MGM+, and Philo, and it is free with ads on Kanopy, Hoopla, and Tubi TV. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, and Plex. It also streams in 31 other countries.

Is Midnight Cowboy worth watching?

82
GreatGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 82 (IMDb 7.8, Rotten Tomatoes 89%, and Metacritic 79).

Is Midnight Cowboy plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (9 of 10) and pathos (9 of 10) more than on its plot.

Will I feel good after watching Midnight Cowboy?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 9 of 10 for bleakness and 8 for melancholy, against 2 for hopefulness.

Was Midnight Cowboy a box office hit?

Budget$4 million
Box office$45 million

Yes, a big one: it cost about $4 million to make and earned $45 million worldwide, 12.4 times its budget.

What tropes does Midnight Cowboy use?

Dumb BlondeForeshadowingOdd Friendship"Ray of Hope" EndingSlippery SoapCreator CameoImagine SpotMomma's BoyThe Film of the BookSmoking Hot SexThe Big Rotten AppleDies Wide Openand 61 more

TV Tropes lists 73 tropes for it, including Dumb Blonde, Foreshadowing, and Odd Friendship.