Midnight Cowboy: John Schlesinger Season

'Hey, I'm walkin' here!  I'm walkin' here!'

The overconfident Joe Buck (Jon Voight) leaves home and moves to New York City, his sights set on becoming a successful male gigolo.  Reality comes crashing down when he's hustled by street-smart conman 'Ratso' Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman), but the pair quickly form an unlikely bond.  When Ratso becomes dangerously ill, Joe finds himself prepared to do anything to protect him.

John Schlesinger's American debut begins as a comedy about naïve losers, but quickly becomes a powerfully touching story about two innocents swallowed up by the big city.  The film proved to be an overnight box-office smash, winning three Oscars (with Schlesinger taking home Best Director) and becoming the only X-rated film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Screening as the opening event of The Consummate Professional: John Schlesinger at 100, a UK-wide retrospective curated by Marc David Jacobs and Claire Nicolas and taking place from February to May 2026.

This special screening will be followed by a Q&A with John Schlesinger's nephew, BAFTA TV Award winner Paul Schlesinger, who is currently preparing his own adaptation of Midnight Cowboy for radio.  Hosted by Schlesinger season co-curator Marc David Jacobs.

Please note: Prompt start as no ads/trailers.

For more info on the season, visit https://schlesinger-100.webflow.io/