Taxi Driver
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Taxi Driver is a 1976 drama film directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd. It drew a wide audience and shaped its genre.
Plot
In New York City, former Marine and Vietnam War veteran Travis Bickle takes a job as a night-shift taxi driver to cope with his chronic insomnia and loneliness, frequently visiting adult movie theaters on his breaks, and keeping a diary in which he consciously attempts to include aphorisms such as "you're only as healthy as you feel". He becomes disgusted with the crime and urban decay that he witnesses regularly in the city and dreams about getting "the scum off the streets", recording these dreams in his diary. His narration throughout the film is largely conveyed through voice-over excerpts from his diary, which reveal his deteriorating mental state and deepening alienation from society. Travis becomes infatuated with Betsy, a campaign worker for Senator Charles Palantine, who is running for president. Travis enters the campaign office where she works and asks her to join him for coffee, to which she agrees.
Production
Written by Paul Schrader, the film was produced by Bill/Phillips Productions. Bernard Herrmann composed the score. Michael Chapman handled the cinematography. The film runs 114 minutes. The crew and editing refined every shot.
Reception
On a budget of $1,900,000, Taxi Driver grossed $28,579,636 worldwide at the box office. A critic consensus praised its screenplay and score.
Legacy
Its legacy endures through a remake, a sequel and a lasting franchise; later cinema cites its influence and symbolism.
See also
References
- "The 100 Greatest Films of All Time". topfilms100. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
- Ebert, Roger. The Great Movies. Broadway Books.
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