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Digging Deeper: Second Scene Analysis of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty


In the first Scene Analysis video, you saw how the director, Ben Stiller, used cinematic techniques to establish Walter Mitty as a character, all without a word of dialogue.  Amazing!

          At the start of the film, Walter’s life is conservative, limited, and lonely.
Now, you will watch another scene analysis video of a scene later in the film.  In this video, you will learn about a pivotal moment in Walter’s transformation.

Record your responses to the questions from the Note It section to your Walter Mitty Observation Chart.

  View

  • Before you watch the second film analysis video, cue your DVD to approximately 00:45:00. You should see a shot of Walter internally framed in the window of the bar in Nuuk. Watch the scene for roughly a minute and a half until you see a shot of the helicopter flying from left to right over an expanse of ocean.
  • Next, watch the second Scene Analysis video. Record your answers to the questions in the Note It section at the end of your Walter Mitty Observation Chart. Again, keeping your notes together in one document will help you find information easily when you complete your assignments.

  Note It

While you view the second Scene Analysis video, consider the following questions:


  1. What is significant about Cheryl’s appearance in this scene?

  2. Why did the director choose to have Cheryl sing “Space Oddity” in the karaoke bar?

  3. How are the crossroads in the scene significant in Walter’s transformation (3:55)?

  4. Why did the director use a point-of-view shot when Walter looks back at the town of Nuuk (4:58)?

  5. How has actively viewing a film changed your experience in appreciating film?