>I've always had a problem with the part of the movie where
>Travis takes Cybil Shepard's character to the porn theater. I
>find it hard to believe. I find it hard to believe that
>Travis would have been so stupid as to take her there in the
>first place. Especially at that point in the story.

Those places were more common back then for couples. it wasn't 'the norm' but much more common. we're talking about the 70s here. Its the first time porn was out in the open to the public. there were no VCRs or anything so that's where you had to go. Travis was obviously socially clueless. he had no frame of reference, no friends, no internet to seek out information. all he knows is that he's seen other couples come to the theater.

>I also find it hard to believe that Cybil Shepard's character
>would have walked into the theater with him at all. It
>clearly wasn't playing a musical that night. And she
>definitely wasn't into porn.

She was young and semi-curious. she didn't know what to expect. She went out with Travis because he was different (plus they emphasize in the script that Travis is a pretty good looking guy). Travis introduced her to part of his world and it was all she needed. That was the moment she made the distinction between different and creepy. Given the results, it was an important scene.

>I also think the movie is a bit too fond of the character.
>Sometimes I even get the feeling he's speaking *for* the
>filmmakers. . . or at least for writer Paul Schrader. Perhaps
>not for Scorsese.

if it was too fond of its character, why would they think their character is 'stupid enough' to take his date to a porn theater? ;)