The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947)

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1. 

   Siskoid

   1947's The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a fair Danny Kaye showcase - for his singing and nervous slapstick - but it seems to miss the mark in terms of understanding what the original short story was about. In the story, Walter has such a dull life, he's forced to imagine himself the hero of various adventures. Here, Walter soon gets tangled into a film noir plot à la Maltese Falcon and starts to use his daydreams as inspiration or morale boosters so he can push through. But he can't call his life dull. (One might say the same of the 2013 version with Ben Stiller, except there, the point is to make Walter realize he should "seize the day"; there's no such lesson for Kaye to stumble upon.) It's all certainly amusing, if often over-played, and at times feels like a collage of vignettes, the visions interrupting the story more than supporting it. The use of Walter's job at a pulp magazine publishing company is a nice touch too. But as there is a better film version of this story... 6 years 3 months ago
2. 

   gulliver

   Terribly dated, but there could be a good remake in this. 13 years ago
3. 

   Emiam

   6 + / 10
   Not many similarities with the new version starring Ben Stiller (2013), which I think is better, but it is also a different genre (!). 3 years 3 months ago

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