THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY
US, 1947, 110 minutes, Colour.
Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo, Boris Karloff, Fay Bainter, Ann Rutherford, Florence Bates, Reginald Denny.
Directed by Norman Z. Mc Leod.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a classic story by humorist James Thurber. It was an ideal vehicle for Danny Kaye and his style of comedy, verbal patter, impersonations. Here he plays a comic book writer who spends his time daydreaming. He also has an overprotective mother. He imagines himself as a hero with great adventures (which would make him at home in the cinema post-Superman of 1978 and all the Marvel Comics characters). There were plans to have a remake in 2009 with Mike Myers (Austin Powers) as Walter Mitty.
Danny Kaye had been successful on the Broadway stage. He had made a transition to film with Up In Arms, Wonder Man, The Kid From Brooklyn and was to have great success especially during the 1950s with On the Riviera, Hans Christian Andersen, The Inspector General but, especially, Knock on Wood and The Court Jester. Virginia Mayo appeared with him in several of his early films. There is a good part for Boris Karloff, bringing his memories of Frankenstein, and a contrast with the gentle Fay Bainter as Walter Mitty’s mother. Director Norman Z. McLeod? had been making films since 1928. during the 1940s and 50s he made quite a number of comedies including The Kid From Brooklyn, Road to Rio, The Paleface, with Bob Hope, as well as My Favourite Spy and Let’s Dance with Fred Astaire and Betty Hutton.
1. The classic status of this comedy? A Danny Kaye film with the classic presentation of his comedy style? The character of Walter Mitty and his place as a byword of the man with fantasies? The background of James Thurber and his ironic insights into the American male?
2. The qualities of Danny Kaye's comic style, his presence, clowning, humour, music and song? The place of this film within his career?
3. The film as a comedy of the forties: glamorous, slapstick humour, verbal, musical? The role of fantasy? The parody of cinema styles?
4. The film an a piece of Americana? The mood of post-war America, the presentation of New York and the way of life in the city, Walter Mitty and his work, transport, home, office? Walter Mitty as identifiable with?
5. Danny Kaye's interpretation of Walter Mitty as the ordinary man, the everyman of contemporary America, the type, his dreams? His being bound into the world and his desire to escape? Fantasy and realism?
6. The humour of the presentation of Walter in real life: his home life, the attitudes and comments of his mother, fiancee? His travelling, work? His admiration for the girl of his heart from afar? His shyness and awkwardness? The irony of his eventually meeting the girl? The quality of comedy detail?
7. Comment on the impact of the fantasies and Danny Kaye's humour? the R.A.F. pilot, the Mississippi river boat gambler, the eminent surgeon, mad musician. tough envoy, hat designer? The 'Anatole of Paris' song? Virginia Mayo's presence in these fantasies?
8. The character of the girl? In fantasy, in reality? Her satire in the fantasies? James Thurber and his insight into the battle of the sexes?
9. How humorous and interesting were the final incidents, the plotal Boris Karloff's presence and the sinister values? The threats to Walter Mitty?
10. How satisfactory the resolution and tho feeling that the audience was left with? Audiences identifying with Walter Mitty and his ambitions and dreams?
