The Secret Book/Movie of Walter Mitty

Did you notice my last Book Blurt talks about movies as well? Now this could be because of the fantastic proliferation of book to movie adaptations that we are currently enjoying. It could also be because I watch a lot of movies (and many of them are based on books right now). But, it might also be because I'm reading The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle, and even though I'm loving it, it's taking me awhile to get through it. 

But enough back story (except for my next few sentences which are also introductory, and happened in the past). I watched The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (directed by and starring Ben Stiller), with my peeps at the Hayden Discount Cinema a couple months ago, and I loved the film. I then preceded to purchase the movie when it hit Blu-Ray, and have shown it to many of my other friends and family. As you may or may not know, I get easily excited about things anyways, but I really, really like this flick, so I've shared it with quite a few people. 

The movie centers around Walter Mitty, a Negatives Asset Manager (handles all the film picture negatives) at Life Magazine (which actually closed in 1972 if you can believe it), who randomly zones out to imagine a much more interesting life for himself. This whiplash from reality to fantasy made for a fascinating trailer, and sets up a movie with an interesting premise. What would happen to someone who daydreams too much, if their life actually became interesting? Answer; a really awesome movie about courage, grabbing life by the horns, and heading into the unknown (which also includes the fantabulous song by David Bowie, Major Tom). 

Now how does that factor into anything to do with a book? As it turns out, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty was actually made into a movie starring Danny Kaye back in 1947, and before that, it began its life in 1939 as a short story by James Thurber. Instead of a film negative guru, or a daydreamer caught in a conspiracy (Kaye's version), Thurber's very short story features an ordinary man taking his wife on a shopping trip. 

Between buying overshoes and paying the parking attendant, Mitty is a naval captain, an airplane pilot, a sought after surgeon, and possibly the most interesting man in the world. While the most recent version of Mitty doesn't have anything to do with the book (except the shared title), I don't fault the movie in any way. The movie takes Thurber's concept of a man who dreams on his feet, and turns it into a comedic, fantastical modern adventure. 

If I wasn't so busy as a plucky space cowboy, I would suggest that you read the short story, watch Danny Kaye make a lovable fool of himself (which I still need to do), and then round off your Mitty experience with Stiller's newest adaptation that I've enjoyed watching again and again and again and again and...