Quotations from Taxi Driver
Taxi Driver is a psychological thriller drama film about an honorably discharged U.S. Marine who becomes a taxi driver in order to deal with his insomnia. The film follows the life of Travis Bickle as he drives passengers around the boroughs of New York City, his time in "happy theaters", and his time being infatuated with a campaign volunteer. The movie displays some of the many hardships soldiers who came home after the Vientnam War had. Directed by Martin Scorsese. Starring Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Albert Brooks, and Cybill Shepherd.
Taxi Driver received high praise upon its release. Upon seeing the film the first time, Roger Ebert called it the greatest film he had ever seen. The movie went on to be a huge box office success and received four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor. Continue reading for some quotes from the film Taxi Driver.
[phone rings loudly]
Personnel Officer: Harry, answer that.
Personnel Officer: So whaddya want to hack for, Bickle?
Travis Bickle: I can't sleep nights.
Personnel Officer: There's porno theaters for that.
Travis Bickle: Yeah, I know, I tried that.
Personnel Officer: So now what do you do?
Travis Bickle: I ride around most nights - subways, buses - but you know, if I'm gonna do that I might as well get paid for it.
Iris: God, you're square.
Travis Bickle: Hey, I'm not square, you're the one that's square. Your full of shit, man. What are you talking about? You walk out with those fuckin' creeps and low-lifes and degenerates out on the streets and you sell your little pussy for peanuts? For some low-life pimp who stands in the hall? And I'm square? You're the one that's square, man. I don't go screwing fuck with bunch of killers and junkies like you do. You call that bein' hip? What world are you from?
Wizard: Hey Travis, this here's Doughboy. We call him that 'cause he'll do anything for a buck.
Doughboy: Hi Travis. Got change of a nickel?
Personnel Officer: How's your driving record? Clean?
Travis Bickle: It's clean, real clean. Like my conscience.
Wizard: Look at it this way. A man takes a job, you know? And that job - I mean, like that - That becomes what he is. You know, like - You do a thing and that's what you are. Like I've been a cabbie for thirteen years. Ten years at night. I still don't own my own cab. You know why? Because I don't want to. That must be what I want. To be on the night shift drivin' somebody else's cab. You understand? I mean, you become - You get a job, you become the job. One guy lives in Brooklyn. One guy lives in Sutton Place. You got a lawyer. Another guy's a doctor. Another guy dies. Another guy gets well. People are born, y'know? I envy you, your youth. Go on, get laid, get drunk. Do anything. You got no choice, anyway. I mean, we're all fucked. More or less, ya know.
Travis Bickle: I don't know. That's about the dumbest thing I ever heard.
Wizard: It's not Bertrand Russell. But what do you want? I'm a cabbie. What do I know? I don't even know what the fuck you're talking about.
Travis Bickle: Maybe I don't know either.
Passenger: Have you ever seen what a .44 Magnum will do to a woman's pussy? Now that you should see. What a .44 Magnum will do to a woman's pussy that you should see?
Travis Bickle: [Travis is trying his guns on the mirror] Huh? Huh?
[Draws]
Travis Bickle: Faster than you, fucking son of a... Saw you coming you fucking... shitheel.
[Reholsters]
Travis Bickle: I'm standing here; you make the move. You make the move. It's your move...
[Draws]
Travis Bickle: Don't try it you fuck.
[Reholsters]
Travis Bickle: You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? Then who the hell else are you talking... you talking to me? Well I'm the only one here. Who the fuck do you think you're talking to? Oh yeah? OK.
[Draws]
Betsy: You know what you remind me of?
Travis Bickle: What?
Betsy: That song by Kris Kristofferson.
Travis Bickle: Who's that?
Betsy: A songwriter. 'He's a prophet... he's a prophet and a pusher, partly truth, partly fiction. A walking contradiction.'
Travis Bickle: [uneasily] You sayin' that about me?
Betsy: Who else would I be talkin' about?
Travis Bickle: I'm no pusher. I never have pushed.
Betsy: No, no. Just the part about the contradictions. You are that.
Passenger: [to Travis] You see that window with the light? The one closet to the edge of the building? you know who lives there? Of course you don't know who lives there, but I'm saying "Do you know who lives there?" A Nigger lives there, and that isn't my apartment. My wife is in there and... I'm gonna kill her.
[Laughs]
Passenger: I'm gonna kill her with a .44 Magnum.
Betsy: Travis, I'm... how much was it?
[Travis clears meter]
Travis Bickle: So long.
Next: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
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