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American humorist James Thurber penned whimsical, telling fables about ordinary life in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. His most famous story was The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, about a mousy man, suffering under emotional persecution from his wife, who has elaborate heroic dreams. The character of Walter Mitty made such an impact on popular culture that the name came to stand for a daydreamer. Although Thurber didn't much care for this 1947 feature based on the story (the film added an overbearing mother), it was a memorable star vehicle for comedian Danny Kaye, launching him into a new level of popularity. Kaye was adept at playing the kind of dual roles required by this film, in which he is a milquetoast in real life and a he-man in his fantasies. The musical comedy, shot in Technicolor, was a hit, but it was scorned by Thurber, who believed it to be a vulgar bastardization of his work.