5 Minutes: Taxi Driver

3:40-8:45

In this specific scene of Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver, we experience the many themes of the story as well as ideals and beliefs of the protagonist, Travis Bickle played by Robert De Niro. These are communicated through Bickle's emotions and actions. In the beginning of the scene, we see Bickle mocking the secret service man; he crosses his arms like him and lies about his name and address, indicating his trust in the government or police. This emotional struggle was assisted through the city of New York and his isolation from society. Travis Bickle highlights his dissatisfaction with America (New York in general) through his distrust of a higher ranking police intelligence. His actions with the secret service man shows that Bickle does not regard the seriousness of the "protection" of America. In the following scene, Bickle constructs his firearm apparatus and toys around with his weaponry. He is tired of the compiling negativities of his society and decides to take matter into his own hands by ridding the problems himself, much more radically than others. His monologues shows his flaws in his character, presenting a sense of realism and relating. This contributes to his character of an anti-hero, with flaws and solving his internal problems in an unorthodox manner. His stutter and "practicing" of his lines reveal that his character is indeed a questionable one allowing the audience to further analyze his persona. These five minutes of the film are quite important to the development of Bickle's character nearing the climax of the film; by providing the motives of Bickle's, the change in Bickle's need to react is communicated to the audience.