MovieChat Forums > The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) Discussion > my theory on why #25 wasn't on the final...

my theory on why #25 wasn't on the final cover

posted 11 years ago by laserredg
83 replies | jump to latest

Throughout the entire movie we get the sense that negative #25 will not be shown to the audience. I still think this was true. When Walter barges into the exec meeting to give #25, we see what may have been the final cover that displayed “The End of Life”. Walter then asks Ted what is Life’s motto. Here is the exact quote…..

“Do you know our motto?”
“This thing that you do Ted where you come into a place and push people out? You should know that those people worked really hard to build this magazine. They believe in the motto.”

Forward to where they show us the published final cover and it displayed “Dedicated to the people who made it.” My theory is that the execs changed the cover based on Walter’s speech to Ted and didn’t use #25. Of course the argument then is how the execs got the photo of Walter for the final cover but that is another topic for debate.

[–] Laurie-Maes-520-570538 9 years ago

Isn't the timeline also off, to have that photo of Walter be the actual #25?

Timeline:
-> Walter gets the camera roll+wallet from Sean with a note to look inside and #25 in it.
-> Fernando notices #25 is missing
-> Walter is looking for clues as to where Sean is located , looking at the negatives by the fountain.
-> At that point Sean presumably takes the picture of him sitting outside the Time building

How did Sean put that picture of Walter in the wallet, if he hadn't even taken it yet?
And if he put the picture in the wallet later, at what point in the movie was he able to do that?

This has me thinking #25 wasn't the picture of Walter.

Can anyone correct me please? I feel like I'm missing something..

[–] Mickyfinn 9 years ago

What you are missing is that your assumption that the picture of Walter outside the building was taken when you think it was. It was taken before then (as were the other pics including Walter's mom's piano). She explains as much when he realizes the picture is of the piano. She says Sean was asking about Walter's schedule and Sean got the shot of Walter reviewing a set of negatives, not Sean's.

You just have to be resigned-
You're crashing by design

[–] pippin_evil_genius 8 years ago

Your theory makes no sense, TC. It was clearly 25.

It's a fun thought, but it's simply wrong.

[–] cm8040 8 years ago

Walter Mitty: Hey, do you know our motto?
Ted Hendricks: Life... I'm lovin' it.
Walter Mitty: That's not it. That's McDonald's.

[–] bokeh-11672 8 years ago

I watched the movie and enjoyed it. My first thought was that due to his speech the cover photo was changed. I came over to IMDB to see if someone could explain it better to me. After reading this thread I rewatched the snow leopard and cover scenes and it now makes sense to me. Sean O'Conner was assigned to shoot the Life employees. Thats why he was in NY. Since Walter was his contact, he's the only photographer still shooting film, he visited Walters Mother to get insight and his schedule. Also since he has a bond with him he singles out #25 and requests that it receive cover consideration. He has obviously taken other pictures of employees for there to be a photo essay on the people who made Life as the cover states. The cover photo is of Walter doing his work looking at a contact sheet, holding the loupe glasses in his hand. It was a negative in a protective sleeve that was placed in the wallet. Thats my take and it makes the movie even better in my opinion. The only problem is how much insight are we supposed to have viewing a movie in real time!

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