Taxi Driver: Travis and the Final Scene

The 1976 film, Tax Driver, directed by Martin Scorsese and featuring Robert De Niro, is arguably one of the finest films produced in the last half century. Set in New York during the pre-Bloomberg era, the film captures New York in a time where it was as dangerous as it was dirty. Upon finishing watching Taxi Driver, I came to a couple of interesting realizations. First, we learn throughout the progression of the film that Travis is a Vietnam veteran. Through some of his facial expressions and dialogue, we learn that he feels unaccomplished, in part due to the fact that his service was neither recognized nor appreciated by virtually anyone. After taxi driving, failed experiences with women, Travis has some success through his heroic actions of taking down Sport and the mob. After being hospitalized and receiving a letter of thank you for his action, Travis returns to the taxi business and appears to have a level of satisfaction that we had not seen before from him. Scorsese communicated this satisfaction through the use of reintroducing Betsy, whom he had previously enamored. This time around, Travis was very composed and mature, considering the previous circumstances. He even was a gentleman, giving her the trip for no cost. Through the strategic use of the shot in the rearview mirror, we could see emotions flowing in Betsy’s eyes, as she stared Travis down with faint blurry eyes. All in all, the accomplishment of Travis in the film, the general reception to which the public praised him, were all factors that led to his satisfaction. His satisfaction left him at peace, which was captured in the famous final scene attached. Overall, the emotions of Travis, and his yearning for satisfaction and appreciation in life was something that seemed unattainable at one point for him, but he later earned it. Taxi Driver is the quintessential example of man’s quest to reach a goal, and Travis epitomized this quest.