John Barry’s Oscar-winning score for 'Midnight Cowboy' features the harmonica as its emotional core. Played by Toots Thielemans, the instrument represents the loneliness and the 'lost' nature of the movie legends Joe Buck and Ratso Rizzo. The harmonica’s soulful, wandering melodies provided a stark contrast to the busy, uncaring streets of New York City. Thielemans was a jazz legend who was famous for playing the chromatic harmonica, which allows for more complex melodies than a standard blues harp. This choice proved that the harmonica could be more than just a folk or blues instrument; it could carry the sophisticated emotional weight of a cinematic masterpiece, defining the sound of 1960s 'New Hollywood.'