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Imagine that while browsing through the classified ads in the newspaper, you come across the following tagline: “Ever want to be someone else? Now you can.” This slogan appears in a scene from the 1999 film, Being John Malkovich. In this scene, two characters set out to reap the rewards of a magical porthole they have found that transports lucky clients on a wild 15-minute ride into the body of actor John Malkovich. The magical porthole makes a reality of what we previously thought possible only in delusional states: literally inhabiting another person's body, seeing the world through his eyes, hearing one's own voice resonate with the dulcet tones of a trained actor.
The film tells the story of how puppeteer and office worker Craig Schwartz, along with his co-worker Maxine, decides to exploit this porthole for its commercial value by selling Malkovich “rides” after hours. Meanwhile, Craig's wife Lottie enters the porthole and, as Malkovich, proceeds to have an affair with Maxine. Craig, who is also in love with Maxine, responds to his wife's affair by putting her in a cage and taking over Malkovich's body completely. Craig creates a life for himself as Malkovich, furthering his own puppeteering career and winning over Maxine, whom he marries. Meanwhile, a group of elderly individuals have discovered a way