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Classic of the Week: Midnight Cowboy (1969)

Midnight Cowboy is a 1969 American buddy drama film directed by John Schlesinger, based on the 1965 novel of the same name by James Leo Herlihy. It stars Jon Voight as Joe Buck, a young Texan dishwasher, who quits his job and heads to New York City to become a male prostitute and Dustin Hoffman as Enrico Salvatore “Ratso” Rizzo, a poor con man, with whom Joe becomes friends and roommates with.

This film got an X rating, the equivalent of NC-17 or R today. It is the only adult film to win Best Picture at the Oscars. It has somewhat happy moments, but overall, it isn’t an uplifting film. That doesn’t make it bad. Voight and Hoffman are equally fantastic in their roles.

This film is filled with adult and controversial content, sex, drugs, stealing, prostitution, strip tease, homosexual moments, drinking and smoking and nudity and violence. Even today, it still shocks With it’s powerful and controversial moments. You see everything, nothing is covered up, complete nudity (at times up close), drugs up close, extreme violence, in your face, but it is all well done.

This film is one that, though extremely adult, is done tastefully, though certain sex scenes that are full on, seem a bit porn like. This film is not for everyone. Most conservatives don’t like it. But it still has its fans and still disturbs and amazes people today. It is quite slow at times, but does pick up. Many scenes are unsettling, the sex and drugs are over the top, but that’s the point of the movie.

This film has gone down to be an adult film, that is both disturbing and wonderful at the same time. Not many movies are like that. This story of a young male hustler in the Big Apple and a con man that become friends, doing illegal things, may not seem exciting and it isn’t supposed to be. It is not one that most people will flock to a theater or television screen to watch, but it is still great. It has gone done in history as one of the greatest films of all time.

From the theme song, “Everybody’s Talkin” by Harry Nilsson, to Ratso’s famous line spoken in a New York accent, “I’m walkin’ here,” this such an iconic film. One that should be on every movie lover’s must watch bucket list. This is a film that is so obscene, but yet, so powerful in the way it was portrayed. Many mature films are all sex or drugs, or both, this one has a lot of that too, but a lot of other things that make it special. This is shocked the world win it won Best Picture and deserved it. – Adults Only 4.5/5

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Classic of the Week: Dark Victory (1939)

Dark Victory is a 1939 American drama film directed by Edmund Goulding, starting Bette Davis, George Brent, Humphrey Bogart, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Ronald Reagan and Cora Witherspoon.

The plot follows the story of Judith Traherne, a young, carefree Long Island socialite and heiress with a passion for fast cars, horses, partying and too much drinking and smoking. She ignores her severe headaches and brief dizziness, double and blurred vision, but when she falls off a horse, then falls downstairs, her secretary and best friend Ann King insists she visit the family doctor, who sends her to a specialist. Dr. Frederick Steele does a diagnostic test on Judy and confirms that she needs surgery to remove a malignant glioma brain tumor.

Steele discovers the tumor can’t be completely removed and realizes Judy has less than a year to live. The result will be painless and fast, but she will experience complete blindness and will die. Steele lies to Ann and Judy about the success of the surgery. Ann becomes suspicious and confronts him and he admits. He tells Ann Judy mustn’t know ever. Ann agrees to stay silent and continue to fib. Judith and Steele fall in love and eventually engaged.

Her Stablemaster Michael O’Leary, who for years has been in love with her, tells her of her troubled behavior and she confessed that she is dying. Their words convince her that she’s should spend her final months happy with the man she loves. She apologizes to Steele, they marry and move to Vermont.

Thieves film although it came out in 1939, shows how a brain tumor can lead to blindness and how people cope with it, which can be applied to today’s world. Bette Davis does an outstanding job as Judith Traherne, making the character seem like a real person. She doesn’t leave out one single emotion.

George Brent is great as Dr. Frederick Steele. He loves Judy, although he knows he is going to lose her. He gives her a forever within the numbered days they have. Geraldine Fitzgerald is fantastic as Ann King, the secretary and best friend of Judy. She stays by her side throughout the entire film, helping her out along the way. She a wonderful friend.

Humphrey Bogart is good, not great as stablemaster Michael O’Leary. His role isn’t as big as most of his others were. He uses short sentences and he is supposed to be in love with Judy, but only says so in one scene. He could’ve done better in this character, but it have been the screenwriter’s fault.

There is no humor in this film at all. Your heart gets warmed, then broken. This movie isn’t a very happy one, in fact, it’s really pretty depressing, but that doesn’t make it bad. It isn’t one that can be watched over and over again, as it is very sad. But it is wonderful from start to finish. You want it to turn out fine in the end. Despite the depressing nature of this movie, it is still a classic that will always make you cry. It has passion, sadness and friendship. It is such a heartbreaking story, but is so well done. Bette Davis lives on! 4.5/5