50 Greatest Movie Scenes Ever

7. You Talkin' To Me? - Taxi Driver

Taxi Driver Robert De Niro
Paramount

"You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me?"

It's become one of the most well-known and oft-repeated movie quotes of all time, but while it's an icon in its own right, it works much, much better in the context of the movie itself.

The mirror sequence serves as something of a bridge between the two parts of Travis Bickle; it's where we get to see the transformation from a man who is struggling to fit into the world, into a far more violent, bloodthirsty being, play out almost in real time.

It's a fascinating, frightening dive into Bickle's psyche, as he becomes "a man who would not take it anymore". It's some of the finest acting of Robert De Niro's entire career: from improvising the dialogue, to the unhinged delivery and increasingly manic expression on his face, it's no wonder it's become a pop-culture mainstay. It isn't so much memorable, as it is purely haunting.

[JH]

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