The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

When his job along with that of his co-worker are threatened, Walter takes action in the real world embarking on a global journey that turns into an adventure more extraordinary than anything he could have ever imagined.

Director:

Ben Stiller

Writers:

Steve Conrad (screenplay by), Steve Conrad (screen story by)

Stars:

Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Jon Daly

5 wins & 18 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ben Stiller	...	Walter Mitty
Kristen Wiig	...	Cheryl Melhoff
Jon Daly	...	Tim Naughton (as Jonathan C. Daly)
Kathryn Hahn	...	Odessa Mitty
Terence Bernie Hines	...	Gary Mannheim
Adam Scott	...	Ted Hendricks
Paul Fitzgerald	...	Don Proctor
Grace Rex	...	Cheryl's Co-Worker
Alex Anfanger	...	Ted's Toner Box Associate
Amanda Naughton	...	Female Editor
Adrian Martinez	...	Hernando
Nolan Carley	...	Western Union Employee
Joey Slotnick	...	Retirement Home Administrator
Shirley MacLaine	...	Edna Mitty
Gary Wilmes	...	Walter's Dad

Storyline

The manager of the negative assets sector of Life magazine, Walter Mitty, has been working for sixteen years for the magazine and has a tedious life, not going anywhere but from his home to his job and vice-versa. He is an escapist, daydreaming into a world of fantasy many times a day. Walter has a crush on the recently hired Cheryl Melhoff but he is too shy to invite her on a date and he is trying to contact her via online dating. The magazine is preparing to release its last printed edition and the loathsome manager of transition Ted Hendricks is preparing an inevitable downsizing over the next few days. Walter has been the liaison between the magazine and the mysterious independent photographer Sean O'Connell who has sent to him a package of negatives and a wallet as a gift for his work. Sean also suggests to the senior management the use of negative 25 for the cover of the last edition. However, Walter cannot find the negative that is missing. Walter has no means to contact Sean ...

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Plot Keywords:

life magazine | magazine | photographer | daydream | snow leopard | 

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Taglines:

Stop dreaming. Start living.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some crude comments, language and action violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan] Official Website

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English Spanish Icelandic

Release Date:

25 December 2013 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$90,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$12,765,508, 29 December 2013

Gross USA:

$58,236,838

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$188,133,322

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox, TSG Entertainment, Samuel Goldwyn Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Surround 7.1 Datasat Dolby Digital Dolby Atmos SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Walter enters the bar in Greenland, the song "Don't You Want Me" is playing as a karaoke song in the background. The song was also used to promote Zoolander 2 (2016) at Paris fashion week in 2015.

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Goofs

When Walter rides the bike, it has no rear foot pegs. When he crashes the rear wheel, is clearly still attached. After he gets back up, he throws the bike to the side of the road. The rear wheel is gone and foot pegs have been added to the the rear.

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Quotes

Ted Hendricks: Oh, hey, welcome... wait, sorry, not welcome. Not an employee.
Walter Mitty: Sorry. This is the picture Sean wanted, 25. You have two days to print for cover. Here's your quintessence.

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Crazy Credits

The making and authorized distribution of this film supported over 15,000 jobs and involved hundreds of thousands of work hours.

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Alternate Versions

The British theatrical version was pre-cut during post-production to secure a PG rating (an uncut 12 rating was available to the distributor). This version was the one released worldwide.

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Connections

Features The Smurfs (1981)

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Soundtracks

Escape (The Pina Colada Song)
Written by Rupert Holmes

User Reviews

Brilliant and motivating

Ben Stiller is Walter Mitty, a man who looks as if he does nothing, is nothing and is perceived as nothing. Except for during his little fantasies in which he is a hero, but during these weirds moments in which he dozes off, others write him off.

Until he finds a goal in life, which puts in him adventurous situations by accident, which transform him in the man he always was. A unique individual, an adventurer, a dreamer who fulfills his dreams and finds the appreciation he needs and deserves. But the appreciation doesn't come from other, but from himself.

What the movie does brilliantly, is make the watcher feel connected to Walter Mitty and feels with him. You'll find him goofy, but likable. Your respect for him will grow with every minute, and at the end of the movie, you'll love him. Maybe you even recognize your own milestone moments, mountains you have climbed, seas you have sailed, so we all are bigger than we are perceived, as long as you have that respect and confidence from within.

Props to Ben Stiller. Jim Carrey had his Truman Show, Will Ferrel had his Stranger Than Fiction. Ben Stiller's Walter Mitty should be in that group.