Midnight Cowboy
“For those who have never seen it and those who have never forgotten it.”
Synopsis
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.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2021-06-05
Top Cast
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Dustin Hoffman
Ratso
Jon Voight
Joe Buck
Sylvia Miles
Cass
John McGiver
Mr. O'Daniel
Brenda Vaccaro
Shirley
Barnard Hughes
Towny
Ruth White
Sally Buck
Jennifer Salt
Annie
Gilman Rankin
Woodsy Niles
Gary Owens
Little Joe
T. Tom Marlow
Little Joe
George Eppersen
Ralph
Al Scott
Cafeteria Manager
Linda Davis
Mother on the Bus
J.T. Masters
Old Cow-Hand
Arlene Reeder
The Old Lady
Georgann Johnson
Rich Lady
Jonathan Kramer
Jackie
Release History & Theatrical Window
July 30, 1969
Wide Cinema Exhibition
December 10, 2003
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$3.6M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$44.8M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
12.44x
+$41.2M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- John Schlesinger
- Screenplay & Story
- Waldo Salt
- Original Score
- John Barry, Toots Thielemans
- Original Title
- Midnight Cowboy
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English, Italian
- Runtime
- 1h 53m
- Production Budget
- $3.6M
- Worldwide Gross
- $44.8M
- Production Studios
- Florin Productions, Jerome Hellman Productions, United Artists
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
John Schlesinger
Waldo Salt, James Leo Herlihy
John Barry, Toots Thielemans
Adam Holender
Hugh A. Robertson
Jerome Hellman
Department Leadership Roster
Waldo Salt
Screenplay
John Schlesinger
Director
Adam Holender
Director of Photography
Hugh A. Robertson
Editor
Jerome Hellman
Producer
John Barry
Original Music Composer
Ann Roth
Costume Design
John Robert Lloyd
Production Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NC-17: Adults Only — No one 17 and under admitted.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.
Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.
Adults Only — No one 17 and under admitted.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Midnight Cowboy.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Midnight Cowboy.
Academy Awards
Best Movie
North American Cinema
Auto-generated by festival-lists — do not edit by hand.
Movie Collection
英国电影学院奖最佳影片
BAFTA Award for Best Film 英国电影学院奖（BAFTA）历届最佳影片。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:43:09 UTC+8)*
奥斯卡历届最佳影片
Oscar Winning Films: Best Picture 奥斯卡历届最佳影片。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:42:59 UTC+8)*
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:40:36 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About Midnight Cowboy
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Midnight Cowboy about?
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.
Who directed Midnight Cowboy?
Midnight Cowboy was directed by John Schlesinger.
Who stars in Midnight Cowboy?
The principal cast of Midnight Cowboy includes Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight, Sylvia Miles, John McGiver, Brenda Vaccaro.
When was Midnight Cowboy released and how long is it?
Midnight Cowboy was released in 1969 with a total runtime of 1h 53m.
What was the box office and production budget of Midnight Cowboy?
Midnight Cowboy had a reported production budget of $3.6M and grossed $44.8M at the worldwide box office (12.44 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for Midnight Cowboy?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Midnight Cowboy was composed by John Barry, Toots Thielemans.
Is Midnight Cowboy based on a book or true story?
Midnight Cowboy is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "James Leo Herlihy".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Midnight Cowboy?
Midnight Cowboy holds official age classifications: CA: R; DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: 12 (Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.); GB: 18 (Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.); US: NC-17 (Adults Only — No one 17 and under admitted.).