Taxi Driver

At the beginning we see signs of Travis Bickle's mental instability when he takes a job as a taxi driver at night, spends mornings in porn theaters, and in between drinks heavily and pops pills. It isn't until he is rejected by Betsey how socially inept Travis is. Loneliness and alienation causes him to become increasingly disturbed, eventually driving him to become violent. In a heroic effort he intends to shoot the presidential candidate and himself. After his efforts fail he instead plans to save Iris from her atypical lifestyle. We know Travis took part in the Vietnam War, but never find out what happened to him which may explain his flaws.

Martin Scorsese forces the viewer to gather an opinion on whether or not Travis was a hero by the end of the film. Sport is perceived as a bad person by society's standards for what he does, but we see he treats Iris with care in the scene where they dance together. Iris tells Travis briefly in the scene at the diner there is nothing for her at home, and shows no interest in leaving New York. After Travis murders Sport and his gang, we don't hear from Iris. She goes back home to Pittsburgh, and the only remaining sign of her is a letter her father wrote to Travis


Viewers debate over interpretation of the end of the film. Did Travis die at the end and fantasize his heroism? Is society so disgusted by Sport's 'job' they praised Travis as being a hero instead of a criminal?

Trivia

• Robert De Niro worked twelve hour days for a month driving cabs as preparation for this role. He also studied mental illness.
• Director Martin Scorsese claims that the most important shot in the movie is when Bickle is on the phone trying to get another date with Betsy. The camera moves to the side slowly and pans down the long, empty hallway next to Bickle, as if to suggest that the phone conversation is too painful and pathetic to bear.

Sources:

IMDB