“Taxi Driver” (1976)De Niro in 'Taxi Driver'

MPAA Rating: R
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert De Niro, Cybill Shepherd, Jodie Foster, Harvey Keitel, Joe Spinelli

The Gist: There are thousands of cabbies in New York. Thank God there’s only one Travis Bickle.

The Story: Travis Bickle (De Niro) is an ex-Marine and recently returned Vietnam vet, living in the Big Apple. He’s plagued by insomnia and bitter contempt for the denizens of New York City’s underbelly. Travis becomes a cab driver, putting in 12-hour overnight shifts to stay busy. But, his workaholic ways aren’t enough to suppress his encroaching madness. Two unfortunate females cross his path. Betsy (Shepherd), is an attractive campaign worker for Sen. Charles Palantine, a presidential candidate. Iris (Foster), is a 12-year-old prostitute. Travis develops an obsession with both of them, then arms himself to the teeth. The results will not be pretty.

The Review: “Taxi Driver” is a product of Hollywood’s ’70s golden age. Big studios were willing to support adventurous work, and Scorsese and screenwriter Paul Schrader explored dark, uncharted realms. The result: a flawless nightmare. De Niro takes center stage as one of cinema’s most disturbing villains, and the movie follows his descent from mere eccentricity to stark raving psychosis. Travis is like a homicidal Don Quixote, with a yellow Checker cab for a steed. Bernard Herrmann’s unconventional musical score emphasizes this, juxtaposing the frightening reality with Travis’ deluded self-image as a romantic hero. Scorsese’s visual approach married film noir, French new wave and documentary style filmmaking to create a whole new visual language. Foster, a precocious genius at 14, possessed the hallmarks of a future film icon.

The Classic Quote: Personnel Officer (Spinelli): “How’s your driving record?” Travis: “It’s clean. It’s real clean. Like my conscience.”

(Jorge Sosa is a staff writer for the Hutchinson Leader. He can be reached at sosa@hutchinsonleader.com)