In Martin Scorsese's 1976 film Taxi Driver, Travis Bickle (played by Robert De Niro) gives a fake name—specifically "Henry Krinkle"—when he is being interviewed by the Secret Service or when he is attempting to buy illegal weapons. This act serves as a profound psychological indicator of Travis's increasing alienation and detachment from reality. Throughout the film, Travis is a man without a true identity, a war veteran struggling with severe PTSD and social isolation in a decaying New York City. By adopting a pseudonym, Travis is essentially attempting to "erase" his real self and reinvent himself as a righteous, vigilante "hero" who is above the law. The name "Henry Krinkle" also highlights his awkwardness and lack of social grace; it sounds intentionally banal and forgettable, much like Travis himself feels in the eyes of the world. Giving a fake name is a key step in his transformation into a political assassin, as it allows him to hide his true intentions and his growing mental instability from the authorities while he descends further into his self-destructive and violent delusions of grandeur.