A comedy-drama film based on James Thurber's short story, starring and directed by Ben Stiller. It follows Walter Mitty 's quest to find a missing negative print and its elusive photojournalist for Life magazine's final issue. Stop dreaming. Start living. A timid magazine photo manager who lives life vicariously through daydreams embarks on a true- life adventure when a negative goe... A short summary of James Thurber's The Secret Life of Walter Mitty . This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty . When he's not daydreaming, the not-so- secret life of Walter Mitty is the opposite of his heroic alter-ego's; he's just an everyday guy facing imminent career downsizing, who's too timid to ask out ...