---
name: "Paul Schrader"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/paul-schrader"
fi1m_id: "paul-schrader"
imdb_id: "nm0001707"
tmdb_id: 1035
wikidata_id: "Q363989"
roles: ["Writer","Director"]
born: "22 July 1946"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 5
average_fi1m_score: 92
average_as: "writer"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-10-04T16:47:05.336333+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Paul Schrader

## Identity

Paul Schrader

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/paul-schrader
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** paul-schrader
- **IMDb ID:** nm0001707
- **TMDB ID:** 1035
- **Wikidata ID:** Q363989
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Schrader, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q363989, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001707/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1035

Writer and director. Born 22 July 1946 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Writer, Director
- **Born:** 22 July 1946, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
- **Active:** 1976–present
- **Also known as:** Paul Joseph Schrader
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 5: 3 directing, 2 writing
- **Frequently works with:** [Martin Scorsese](https://film.one/person/martin-scorsese.md), [Robert De Niro](https://film.one/person/robert-de-niro.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar nomination
- **Average Fi1m score:** 92, as writer, over 2 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 92 (1), 1980s 80 (3), 2010s 86 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Schrader, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q363989, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001707/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1035

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Raging Bull*](https://film.one/film/raging-bull.md) (91)
- **Netflix:** [*First Reformed*](https://film.one/film/first-reformed.md) (86)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Paul Schrader

> Paul Schrader makes lonely men frighteningly understandable. We value the patience and dark humour of his writing, though his devotion to their distress can leave the other people in his films with too little room to speak.

In *Taxi Driver* (1976), Travis Bickle has our attention before he has earned our trust. Robert De Niro’s reserve lets Schrader’s writing draw us close without making that closeness comfortable. We were frightened by how readily we felt sorry for Travis when the film had given us reasons to distrust him. Schrader’s jokes briefly ease the strain without making the man easier to live with. Martin Scorsese and editors Tom Rolf and Melvin Shapiro give us little relief from his company.

That concentration on one man also drives *Raging Bull* (1980), another collaboration with Scorsese, though Jake LaMotta’s companions make themselves harder to overlook. In the screenplay credited to Schrader and Mardik Martin, Jake gives other people little chance to be heard. Cathy Moriarty’s watchful Vickie and Joe Pesci’s quick-talking Joey help those encounters hold our interest beside De Niro. The writing needs what these actors supply: other people whose thoughts matter even when Jake has no interest in them.

Directing, which he began with *Blue Collar* (1978), gave Schrader more ways to put a man’s private thoughts on screen. In *Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters* (1985), he sets black-and-white biography beside theatrical versions of the novels, with Ken Ogata holding the shifts together. The changes of style help us understand a writer who wants his life to justify his writing. Yet the beauty of those novel sequences can make his obsessions too persuasive. Schrader needs to question Mishima’s convictions as closely as he examines his work.

*First Reformed* (2018) brings the scrutiny back to long, quiet scenes and Ethan Hawke’s Pastor Ernst Toller, whose ability to comfort others is failing. Schrader gives his faith, guilt and environmental despair time to become uncomfortable, and Hawke makes the severity quietly frightening. It falters when the screenplay presses the connection between the church and environmental harm so firmly that the characters seem arranged to secure our agreement. Those passages, and the more extravagant choices, are less convincing than the patient attention to Toller.

*The Card Counter* (2021) and *Master Gardener* (2023) extend that later concentration on isolated men. We have no objection to returning to such company, provided the people around them are allowed to interrupt. Start with *Taxi Driver*, then try *First Reformed* for the quieter discomfort.

## Biography

Paul Schrader is an American screenwriter, film director and critic. He wrote the screenplay for *Taxi Driver* (1976) and the screenplay for *Raging Bull* (1980).

Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Schrader attended Calvin College and studied film at UCLA. He worked as a film critic and scholar, publishing *Transcendental Style in Film: Ozu, Bresson, Dreyer* (1972), before beginning screenwriting in 1974. He made his directorial debut with *Blue Collar* (1978), co-written with his brother Leonard Schrader.

Schrader has directed numerous films, including *American Gigolo* (1980), *Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters* (1985) and *First Reformed* (2017). He has collaborated repeatedly with Martin Scorsese on screenplays including *The Last Temptation of Christ* (1988) and *Bringing Out the Dead* (1999).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, theguardian.com, britannica.com.*

## On Fi1m (5)

### Directed (3)

- *First Reformed* (2018), Fi1m 86, Director, Writer — [page](https://film.one/film/first-reformed.md)
- *Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters* (1985), Fi1m 86, Writer, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/mishima-a-life-in-four-chapters.md)
- *American Gigolo* (1980), Fi1m 64, Writer, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/american-gigolo.md)

### Wrote (2) — the average rests on these

- *Raging Bull* (1980), Fi1m 91, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/raging-bull.md)
- *Taxi Driver* (1976), Fi1m 92, Writer — [page](https://film.one/film/taxi-driver.md)

## Complete filmography (49)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Basics of Philosophy* (2026), Director, Writer
- *Vulcanizadora* (2025), Thanks
- *Oh, Canada* (2024), Director, Screenplay
- *Master Gardener* (2023), Director, Writer
- *American Gigolo* (2022), series, Characters, Executive Consultant
- *There Are No Saints* (2022), Executive Producer, Screenplay
- *The Card Counter* (2021), Director, Writer
- *Paul Schrader: Man in a Room* (2020), Thanks
- *First Reformed* (2018), Writer, Director — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/first-reformed.md)
- *Dog Eat Dog* (2016), as El Greco · Director
- *American Johns* (2015), Thanks
- *Dying of the Light* (2014), Director, Screenplay
- *Venice 70: Future Reloaded* (2013), Director
- *The Canyons* (2013), Director
- *Walk of Fame* (2012), Thanks
- *Adam Resurrected* (2008), Director
- *The Walker* (2007), Director, Screenplay
- *Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist* (2005), Director
- *Auto Focus* (2002), Director
- *Bringing Out the Dead* (1999), Screenplay
- *Forever Mine* (1999), Director, Writer
- *Affliction* (1998), Director, Screenplay
- *Touch* (1997), Director, Screenplay
- *City Hall* (1996), Writer
- *Untitled: New Blue* (1995), Director, Writer
- *Witch Hunt* (1994), Director
- *Light Sleeper* (1992), Director, Writer
- *The Comfort of Strangers* (1990), Director
- *Patty Hearst* (1988), Director
- *The Last Temptation of Christ* (1988), Screenplay
- *Light of Day* (1987), Director, Screenplay
- *The Mosquito Coast* (1986), Screenplay
- *Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters* (1985), Director, Writer — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/mishima-a-life-in-four-chapters.md)
- *Cat People* (1982), Director, Screenplay
- *Raging Bull* (1980), Screenplay — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/raging-bull.md)
- *American Gigolo* (1980), Director, Writer — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/american-gigolo.md)
- *Old Boyfriends* (1979), Writer, Executive Producer
- *Hardcore* (1979), Director, Writer
- *Blue Collar* (1978), Director, Screenplay
- *Rolling Thunder* (1977), Original Story, Screenplay
- *Obsession* (1976), Screenplay, Story
- *Taxi Driver* (1976), Writer — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/taxi-driver.md)
- *The Yakuza* (1974), Screenplay
- *The Doors of Perception*, Director, Writer
- *Life from the Other Side*, Screenplay
- *Amber Light*, Writer
- *Bait*, Screenplay
- *Non Compos Mentis*, Director, Writer
- *Three Guns at Dawn*, Writer

## Gallery

- ![Paul Schrader](https://film.one/media/person/59511/gallery-f19f571a2fb2.jpg) Paul Schrader — Jay Dixit, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1b/Paul_Schrader_at_the_2024_Toronto_International_Film_Festival_%28cropped%29_2.jpg/1280px-Paul_Schrader_at_the_2024_Toronto_International_Film_Festival_%28cropped%29_2.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![cast at 83rd Venice International Film Festival in Venice, Italy for the film THE BASICS OF PHILOSOPHY . (2026)](https://film.one/media/person/59511/gallery-a17a0bf0a3ae.jpg) cast at 83rd Venice International Film Festival in Venice, Italy for the film THE BASICS OF PHILOSOPHY . (2026) — LucaFazPhoto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/Bill_Pullman%2C_Daniel_Zovatto%2C_Dana_Delany%2C_David_M._Wulf%2C_Braxton_Pope%2C_Paul_Schrader%2C_Sofia_Boutella%2C_Jack_Huston_at_the_83rd_Venice_FILM_festival-1.jpg/1280px-Bill_Pullman%2C_Daniel_Zovatto%2C_Dana_Delany%2C_David_M._Wulf%2C_Braxton_Pope%2C_Paul_Schrader%2C_Sofia_Boutella%2C_Jack_Huston_at_the_83rd_Venice_FILM_festival-1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Oh, Canada Director, Paul Schrader, at 2024 Cannes Film Festival press conference](https://film.one/media/person/59511/gallery-7a1872675459.jpg) Oh, Canada Director, Paul Schrader, at 2024 Cannes Film Festival press conference — Ariela Ortiz-Barrantes, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Director_Paul_Schrader_at_Oh%2C_Canada_Press_Conference_at_2024_Cannes_Film_Festival.jpg/1280px-Director_Paul_Schrader_at_Oh%2C_Canada_Press_Conference_at_2024_Cannes_Film_Festival.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jim Boeven (right) at The Canyons premiere with Paul Schrader (2013)](https://film.one/media/person/59511/gallery-ed087caaeeef.jpg) Jim Boeven (right) at The Canyons premiere with Paul Schrader (2013) — I have permission from Jim Boeven to upload this photo. I will forward the appropriate release to permissions-commons@wikimedia.org, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/Jim_Boeven_at_Canyons_Premiere_with_Paul_Schrader.jpg/1280px-Jim_Boeven_at_Canyons_Premiere_with_Paul_Schrader.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Paul Schrader](https://film.one/media/person/59511/gallery-4d6e72a93d15.jpg) Paul Schrader — Image via TMDB
- ![Paul Schrader](https://film.one/media/person/59511/gallery-5e6d53d8f4cc.jpg) Paul Schrader — Image via TMDB
- ![Paul Schrader](https://film.one/media/person/59511/gallery-d74bb866296d.jpg) Paul Schrader — Image via TMDB
- ![Oh, Canada Press Conference at 2024 Cannes Film Festival with Uma Thurman, Paul Schrader, Richard Gere and David Gonzales.](https://film.one/media/person/59511/gallery-e4423778d01d.jpg) Oh, Canada Press Conference at 2024 Cannes Film Festival with Uma Thurman, Paul Schrader, Richard Gere and David Gonzales. — Ariela Ortiz-Barrantes, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/13/Oh%2C_Canada_Press_Conference_at_2024_Cannes_Film_Festival.jpg/1280px-Oh%2C_Canada_Press_Conference_at_2024_Cannes_Film_Festival.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Paul Schrader](https://film.one/media/person/59511/gallery-46f3e62f7d4a.jpg) Paul Schrader — Image via TMDB
- ![Paul Schrader](https://film.one/media/person/59511/gallery-dbabcef4a43a.jpg) Paul Schrader — Image via TMDB
- ![Paul Schrader](https://film.one/media/person/59511/gallery-4c22bf32485d.jpg) Paul Schrader — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated

- 2019: Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated), for *First Reformed*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/paul-schrader