Episode 334: Taxi Driver (1976)

Taxi Driver (1976)Watch the trailer!

For Thanksgiving, a uniquely American holiday, we turn to two films about a uniquely American location: New York City! First up, it's director Martin Scorcese and writer Paul Schrader's ode to the largest city in the United States, and how even in such a massive collection of people, loneliness can still drive a person slowly insane. The film "Taxi Driver" follows Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro), a vietnam veteran who can't sleep, so he decides to put his insomnia to work and takes a job as a taxi driver. On his travels, he runs across two very different ladies and has two very different reactions to them. First is Betsy (Cybil Shepherd), a campaign worker for presidential-hopeful Senator Charles Palantine (Leonard Harris), who he attempts to woo despite his very pronounced social awkwardness. The second, however, is still a girl, 12-year-old Iris (Jodie Foster), a streetwalker who Travis decides he needs to rescue. Intertwined throughout his relationships with the two ladies, Travis tries to find purpose amidst the dirty and garbage-strewn streets of New York. Also starring Albert Brooks, Harvey Keitel, and Peter Boyle.



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