The Parent Trap (1998)

Identical twins, separated at birth and each raised by one of their biological parents, discover each other for the first time at summer camp and make a plan to bring their wayward parents back together.

Director:

Nancy Meyers

Writers:

Erich Kästner (book), David Swift (screenplay),

Stars:

Lindsay Lohan, Dennis Quaid, Natasha Richardson

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lindsay Lohan	...	Hallie Parker / Annie James
Dennis Quaid	...	Nick Parker
Natasha Richardson	...	Elizabeth James
Elaine Hendrix	...	Meredith Blake
Lisa Ann Walter	...	Chessy
Simon Kunz	...	Martin
Polly Holliday	...	Marva Kulp, Sr.
Maggie Wheeler	...	Marva Kulp, Jr.
Ronnie Stevens	...	Grandpa Charles James
Joanna Barnes	...	Vicki Blake
Hallie Meyers-Shyer	...	Lindsay
Maggie Emma Thomas	...	Zoe
Courtney Woods	...	Nicole
Kat Graham	...	Jackie (as Katerina Graham)
Michael Lohan	...	Lost Boy at Camp

Storyline

Identical twins Hallie and Annie were separated at birth when their parents divorced. After the two meet at summer camp, they begin plotting to reunite their estranged parents.

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Plot Keywords:

twin | summer camp | girl | california | cabin | 

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Taglines:

Twice the Fun, Double the Trouble.

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Drama | Family | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some mild mischief

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

29 July 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Disney's The Parent Trap

Filming Locations:

23 Egerton Terrace, Kensington, London, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

£496,161 (UK) (11 December 1998)

Gross:

£4,996,756 (UK) (5 February 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Meyers/Shyer Company, Walt Disney Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

127 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The scene where Annie and Hallie are lying in bed and the camera pans from the moon, to the parents' picture, to the twins took six hours to get it right. Lindsay Lohan' had to change from Annie to Hallie, and back all the time.

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Goofs

When Annie goes to jump in the lake naked we don't see the bathing suit. In the next shot when she is on the dock, we can see a faint outline of one.

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Quotes

Grandpa Charles James: [Annie smells him] What are you doing?
Hallie as Annie: Making a memory! Years from now, when I'm all grown up, I'll always remember my grandfather and how he always smelled of...
[smells him again]
Hallie as Annie: peppermint and pipe tobacco.

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Crazy Credits

During the credits, pictures from the twins' parents' wedding are shown.

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Connections

Referenced in Poor Paul: It's a Poor Paul Wedding (2009)

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Soundtracks

"Bad To The Bone"
Written by George Thorogood
Performed by George Thorogood & The Destroyers
Courtesy of EMI Records

User Reviews

Classic Disney Comedy

School holidays can be deadly for older cinema patrons but sometimes there are films for children that are well worth a visit for adults. Unusually, The Parent Trap is a children's film that can even be recommended for children by the most morally bound parent - although there is a divorce that may need to be explained away. The Parent Trap is cute, sugary and funny - and unashamedly so. The Parent Trap was originally made in 1961 starring Haley Mills as a pair of twins who accidentally meet when they are eleven years old. Their parents divorced when they were babies. They then connive to get their parents back together. This is classic Disney material and the formula can and does work very well indeed in this modern version. Heaven only knows how the special effects are done but I suggest that you just forget about that and settle back and enjoy the film. You won't have any choice anyway. I was convinced that the twins must have been played by real life twins and I'm sure that I won't be the only one to fall for that particular Parent Trap. Young Lindsay Lohan plays the girls, (both of them!) complete with fabulous accents, sunny bright and distinctive personalities, appealing red hair, freckles and a great sense of fun. One of the girls has become a Londoner and one a Californian and the girls also sport very commendable English and American accents, as well as composites of the two accents when the girls switch places. It's also pleasing to see young girls being given the sorts of lightly rebellious antics to frolic with as are usually reserved for young boys. The story begins in a New England summer camp where practical jokes are the go, although the film is careful to keep nastiness well out of the way. It would be hard to accuse Lindsay Lohan's twins of any serious crime in any case. The girls decide to switch places so they can each meet their Mum and Dad. In true Hollywood style both parents are rich and attractive and they of course each have hired help (Lisa Anne Walter and Simon Kunz) who are of course are going to fall in love. But then we must have the wicked stepmother and this is provided by Meredith, a gold digger who's out to score the very rich hand of Dad. She's played with appropriate relish by Sharon Stone look alike Elaine Hendrix. The story really revolves around the parents, played by Natasha Richardson and Dennis Quaid. We can settle back and wait for the inevitable to happen, because we just know that this is going to be one of those "happily ever after" efforts where Mummy and Daddy will again fall in love and properly become parents for these two very cute and loving girls. But along the way be prepared for some very solid laughs and a wonderfully animated and motivated lizard.