“Midnight Cowboy” is a story of young people living at the bottom, which won an Academy Award even though it was rated as an adult.

50 years since its creation, a powerful masterpiece that still stands out.

The film celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019, and the 4K version was released in Schlensinger's home country of England, making it a hot topic once again. The following review was published in the British newspaper, The Guardian (September/December 2019 issue).

``Schlesinger's camera looks at ``poor'' places that are rarely depicted in standard Hollywood films...And, as a British man, he brings a ``kitchen sink'' realism to this film. ”

The term "kitchen sink" was commonly used in British films in the 1960s. During this period, working-class films that featured kitchen scenes, such as Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960), started a new wave of films, but the realism of the common people For this reason, it was called a "kitchen sink drama" (a trend continued in films by Ken Loach and others).

Schlesinger was also a director of this era, so by bringing that kind of realism into his films, he probably wanted to make his viewers experience the harshness of life for people living on the bottom.

Adam Hollender, a Polish cinematographer who was chosen to work on the film at the recommendation of director Roman Polanski, set up a box on the street to house cameras and operators in order to convey a realistic sense of New York. Although the lens was only slightly visible, we were able to capture the raw scenery of the street without passersby noticing (No one noticed Voight or Hoffman during the shoot. We didn't use any extras and just let the passersby be. ). He reflects on the filming: ``Both the director and I wanted to capture New York from a fresh perspective as outsiders.We wanted to capture the real feeling of the city at the time.This is a film that is completely focused on reality. (From the May 27, 2018 issue of the Little White Lies website) Hollender later captured New York street scenes in Smoke (1995).

"Midnight Cowboy" (c)Photofest / Getty Images

The artist's party scene that the protagonists attend along the way is designed to resemble the loft of Andy Warhol, who was a star in the art world at the time, and stars of the Warhol family, such as Viva, also appear ( Warhol was actually scheduled to appear, but he was shot and was unable to appear.) It is during this party scene that Joe meets a rich woman (Brenda Vaccaro) and earns his first large sum of money as a male prostitute. The wild parties, with drugs, booze, sex, and everything in between, are a typical record of this era.

In the original story, the main character, Joe, looks in the mirror many times and talks to himself. He grows into an adult through a world where reality and fantasy coexist, and this film retains that touch of the original work. Along with realistic portrayals of poverty, the film also features fantastic images typical of the psychedelic era, making the film even more expansive. Schlesinger, a foreign director, also focuses directly on the plight of his protagonists, making his depiction of the alienation and loneliness of big American cities even sharper.

There are graphic depictions of homosexuality and male prostitution, but despite being told that the film would not be rated for adults if these scenes were removed, the producers and director refused and made this work. If you think about it, in 1969, there were some masterpieces like `` Easy Rider '' and `` The Wild Bunch '' that changed established values ​​and are still talked about for generations to come.

“The Wild Bunch” trailer

It was a time when challenges and changes had great meaning. This work was born in such an atmosphere. Director Schlesinger passed away in 2003, but he left these words in 1994: ``This is a movie that you would never be able to make today.'' A man dressed as a cowboy goes to New York and meets rich women. He wants to make money by meeting a man with a physical disability, and the man's pants end up getting dirty.When I talked to a certain executive and wondered what would happen if I came up with a project like this now, he flatly told me. I absolutely refuse such a project.'' (From "Vanity Fair" April 2000 issue)

``Midnight Cowboy'' was a risky project that was made possible because the times were changing. Thanks to the uncompromising efforts of the production team and actors, this movie became a timeless movie that will remain in people's hearts.

Text: Sawako Omori

Movie journalist. His books include "Lost Cinema" (Kawade Shobo Shinsha) and other books, and his translations include "Woody" (by D. Evanier, Kinema Junposha). Contributes to magazines such as ``Weekly Women'', ``Music Magazine'', and ``Kinema Junpo''. A research book based on the web series, `` Mini Theater Revisited, '' is also scheduled to be published.

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