Taxi Driver
Taxi DriverTaxi Driver explores the psychological madness within an obsessed, twisted, lonely individual, who misdirectedly lashes out with frustrated anger and power like an exploding time bomb at the world which has alienated him. Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro), an enigmatic, loner enters into the personnel office of a cab company. He applies as a driver in the taxi company to drive the taxi night shift, because he is an insomniac: "I can't sleep nights" and he finds nothing meaningful to do during the days. As a therapeutic solution to his life, Bickle even offers to work Jewish holidays and ride into the city's sleaziest areas - he explains that he might as well get paid for wandering around the city.
Through the conversations between the employer and Bickle it is revealed that Bickle is a licensed chauffeur, healthy 26-year-old ex-marine who got an honorable discharge. He ends up getting the job and the movie jumps to his an apartment. The apartment looked trashed and dirty. Once in the apartment De Niro narrates about how filthy and dirty the streets are and that he�s making pretty good money but more importantly staying busy. He is disgusted by the world and it�s sleaziness and states that " One day a real rain will come and wash all this scum off the streets.
Bickle works long hours sometimes from 6pm to 8am and while working is very disgusted by the city. In his free time though he represents everything that he hates about the city. He goes to the triple x theatre and even tries to pick up the concession stand worker. As he narrates he tells of how he is trying to find his own identity in the crowded city.
Then one day, out of the monotony, walks a girl in which Bickle develops a severe crush. He observes her from afar viewing her as an untouchable dream girl. A few days pass and Bickle gathers the courage to walk confidently in to the campaign headquarters, of presidential candidate Charles Palatine, where his crush, Betsy (played by Cybil Sheppard) works. He says he wants to volunteer in order to talk to her and when she says ok he tells her that he is not really interested in volunteering but wants to take her out for coffee and pie. She agrees and tells him to be back at 4pm that day. The date went well and he called her and got her to go to the movies with him on his day off a couple of days later. In the next scene, Bickle�s fare gets in and he recognizes him as presidential candidate Palantine who he realizes had been in his cab before with a hooker. When Bickle asks if he is in fact Charles Palantine, Palantine says "yes" and asks Bickle what he thinks the biggest problem of the country is? Bickle states that he disgusted with...
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