Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- whimsical
- energetic
- classic movie night
- lighthearted weekend viewing
What critics said
Critics generally regard it as an entertaining, fondly remembered star vehicle whose strongest fantasy moments and Danny Kaye's precision are offset by dated excess and a tedious crime plot.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Walter repeatedly imagines himself as bold figures such as a captain or surgeon while navigating ordinary life.
Walter's accidental meeting with Rosalind places him amid spies and a hidden-treasure mystery.
The film combines Walter's fantasy episodes with Danny Kaye's song-driven comic performance.
Rosalind's arrival disrupts Walter's constrained domestic and social life and draws him into decisive action.
Films like The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and why
The Lady Eve
shared screwball comedy, fantasy escapism, romantic complications, and an ordinary protagonist pulled into extraordinary adventures
His Girl Friday
shared witty romantic comedy, mistaken identities, criminal entanglements, and brisk studio-era entertainment
The Court Jester
shared musical comedy, heightened fantasy sequences, and a performer-driven comic lead navigating romance and social pressure
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
shared escapist daydreaming, romantic adventure, and the transformation of an underestimated protagonist
Movie Details
- Director
- Norman Z. McLeod
- Release Date
- 1947-09-01
- Runtime
- 110 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (143)
Cast
- Danny Kaye
- Virginia Mayo
- Boris Karloff
- Fay Bainter
- Ann Rutherford
- Thurston Hall
- Gordon Jones
- Florence Bates
- Konstantin Shayne
- Reginald Denny
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty about?
- A timid pulp-fiction publisher escapes a stifling home life through extravagant daydreams before a dangerous romance makes adventure real.
- What is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty as mild.
- What did critics think of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty?
- Critics generally regard it as an entertaining, fondly remembered star vehicle whose strongest fantasy moments and Danny Kaye's precision are offset by dated excess and a tedious crime plot.
- Which films are like The Secret Life of Walter Mitty?
- Films with a similar feel include The Lady Eve, His Girl Friday, The Court Jester, and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.
- How long is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty?
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty runs 110 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Secret Life of Walter Mitty?
- In United States, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
