The Parent Trap (1998 film)

The Parent Trap is a 1998 family film remake of the 1961 Disney film of the same name. It was directed by Nancy Meyers and stars Dennis Quaid, Natasha Richardson, and Lindsay Lohan (in her feature film debut). It is based on the 1949 German children's novel Das doppelte Lottchen (translated as Lisa and Lottie in 1962; retranslated as The Parent Trap in 2014) by Erich Kästner. The plot involves a set of twins who have been separated at birth and, upon meeting by chance, decide to work together to reunite their divorced parents.
==Synopsis==
Nick Parker (Quaid) and Elizabeth James (Richardson) met and married each other during a cruise on the QE2. Elizabeth gave birth to twin daughters: Annie and Hallie (both played by Lindsay Lohan), but they divorced and lost contact with each other, each raising one of the twins without telling her about her sister. Nick raised Hallie in the Napa Valley and became a wealthy wine grower, while Elizabeth raised Annie in London and became a famous wedding gown designer.
After the cruise and onboard wedding ceremony, the story jumps ahead to a summer in which Nick and Elizabeth coincidentally enroll the twins in the same summer camp. Annie and Hallie, who are now eleven years old, first meet at the end of a fencing match, when they remove their masks and see that they look alike. A comical hostility between them leads to a prank war between them; however, the pranks end when the camp counselors (named Marva Kulp Sr and Marva Kulp Jr, and nicknamed "Marvas") fall into one of Hallie's traps, so they send the twins to the Isolation Cabin, thus separating them from the other girls.
Living together, Hallie and Annie discover that they were born on the same day and they each have half of a torn wedding photo of their parents. Realizing with delight that they are twins, they hatch a plan to meet their previously unknown parents: each girl will train her twin to impersonate her, and they will switch places at the end of the summer.
When camp is over, the plan succeeds: Hallie goes to London, where she meets Elizabeth, Charles, and the James family's butler, Martin (Kunz). Annie goes to California, where she meets Nick, the Parker family's maid, Chessy (Walter), their dog, Sammy, and Nick's fiancée, a young gold digger named Meredith Blake (Hendrix). Distressed by Meredith's deviousness, Annie telephones Hallie and persuades her to bring Elizabeth to California to break up the engagement. Soon the twins' identities are discovered, and, except for Nick and Meredith, who remain unaware of the switch, their newfound family members tearfully welcome them.
In order to bring Nick and Elizabeth back together, Hallie and Annie (along with some help from Grandpa, Chessy, and Martin) conspire to have them meet at a hotel in San Francisco by arranging for Nick to meet Meredith's parents and by not telling Elizabeth about her. Nervous about meeting Nick, Elizabeth asks Martin to accompany her and Hallie. After a few comical mixups in the hotel, she and Nick see each other, Nick finally learns about the switch, and the twins host a candlelit dinner for them, served by Martin and Chessy, on a yacht decorated to recreate their first meeting. At dinner, Elizabeth mentions that Nick didn't follow her after she left him. They make plans for the twins to spend holidays together, but decide against resuming their relationship.
Hallie and Annie take a disliking to this idea, so they force Nick and Elizabeth to take them camping by refusing to reveal which twin is which. After Elizabeth persuades Nick, Hallie, and Annie to take Meredith instead of herself, the twins (possibly inspired by the pranks they had pulled on each other at camp) take what they see as an opportunity of sorts to play a few tricks on Meredith. As a result, she becomes enraged and insists that Nick choose between her and the twins. He has an epiphany, finally seeing her for what she really is, and chooses the twins. Upset at this, she breaks off the engagement. Although Annie and Hallie are both punished for their shenanigans, they accept it, as they are rid of Meredith for good. After the girls go inside and to their room, Nick remarks to Elizabeth, “I got to remember to thank them one day.”
When Nick returns home, he shows Elizabeth his wine collection, which includes the kind they drank at their wedding. She is initially touched by this gesture, but has a change of heart and returns to London with Annie. However, when they get home, they find Hallie and Nick waiting for them, having flown there on the Concorde; they explain they had realized they didn't want to lose Annie and Elizabeth again, and Nick finally chased after Elizabeth like he should've done the first time she left. Elizabeth is initially fearful of remarrying, but changes her mind while yielding to Nick's confidence, and Annie and Hallie look on happily as they embrace.
The closing credits feature photographs of Nick and Elizabeth's second wedding, also aboard the QE2, with the twins as bridesmaids, and Martin presenting Chessy with an engagement ring.
==Cast==
*Lindsay Lohan as Hallie Parker and Annie James, identical twin sisters who were separated after birth. Following their parents' divorce, they were raised separately with no knowledge of each other's existence — until they meet at summer camp by chance. Hallie and Annie are based on Susan Evers and Sharon McKendrick from the original film and Luise Palfy and Lottie Körner from the original book.
*Dennis Quaid as Nicholas "Nick" Parker, a wealthy American vineyard owner. He is based on Mitchell "Mitch" Evers from the original film and Ludwig Palfy from the original book.
*Natasha Richardson as Elizabeth "Liz" or "Lizzie" James, a famous British wedding gown designer. She is based on Margaret "Maggie" McKendrick from the original film and Luiselotte Körner from the original book.
*Elaine Hendrix as Meredith Blake, a publicist from San Francisco who is only planning to marry Nick for his money. She is based on Vicky Robinson from the original film and Irene Gerlach from the original book.
*Lisa Ann Walter as Chessy, Nick's housekeeper and Hallie's nanny, who discovers "Hallie" is really Annie. She is based on Verbena from the original film and Resi from the original book.
*Simon Kunz as Martin, the James family's butler, who falls in love with Chessy. He is based on Staimes, the McKendrick family's chauffeur from the original film.
*Polly Holiday as Marva Kulp Sr, the owner and director of Camp Walden. She is based on Miss Inch from the original film and Mrs. Muthesius from the original book.
*Maggie Wheeler as Marva Kulp Jr, Marva Sr.'s daughter and assistant. She is based on Miss Grunecker from the original film and Miss Ulrike from the original book.
*Ronnie Stevens as Charles James, Elizabeth's wealthy father and Hallie and Annie's maternal grandfather. After he catches Hallie on the phone with Annie, she tells him about switching places. He is based on Charles McKendrick from the original film.
*Joanna Barnes as Vicki Blake, Meredith's mother. She is based on Edna Robinson from the original film.
*Erin Mackey as Hallie Parker/Annie James (body double)
*Michael Lohan Jr. as Lost Boy at Camp
==Production==
Casting
Director Nancy Meyers held auditions for "a little Diane Keaton" to play the dual roles of the twins. More than 1,500 young actresses auditioned for the roles of Hallie and Annie before Lindsay Lohan was cast. Other actresses such as Scarlett Johansson, Mara Wilson, Michelle Trachtenberg, and Jena Malone all either auditioned or were considered for the roles of Hallie and Annie, with Malone turning them down multiple times.
Filming
Principal photography started on July 15, 1997 in London and continued in Napa Valley, San Francisco, Lake Arrowhead, and Los Angeles, California.
Book
In 1962, a year after Disney first adapted Das doppelte Lottchen into The Parent Trap, Cyrus Brooks translated the German book into English as Lisa and Lottie, an edition still published in the United States and Canada.
In 2014, Das doppelte Lottchen was faithfully retranslated into English by Anthea Bell and republished in the United Kingdom and Australia by Pushkin Press as The Parent Trap, after Disney's hit film adaptations.Kästner, Erich (November 6, 2014). The Parent Trap. Pushkin Press. Then in 2020, Australian actress Ruby Rees recorded an unabridged narration of Bell's translation for Bolinda.Kästner, Erich (December 1, 2020). The Parent Trap. Bolinda Publishing.
==Music==
The song used in the opening sequence in which glimpses of Nick and Elizabeth's first wedding is seen is Nat King Cole's "L-O-V-E". The song used in the closing credits, in which photos of Nick and Elizabeth's second wedding is seen, is his daughter Natalie's "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)".
The instrumental music featured prominently in the hotel scene where the twins and their parents cross paths serendipitously is "In the Mood", which was previously made famous by the Glenn Miller band. Later in the hotel, Hallie sings a few bars of "Let's Get Together", a song from the original film that was a hit for its star, Hayley Mills.
When Hallie shows up at Annie's poker game at Camp Walden, the song used is "Bad to the Bone" by George Thorogood and the Destroyers.
The background song heard in the campfire scene is "How Bizarre" by the music group OMC.
===Soundtrack===
#"L-O-V-E" – Nat King Cole
#"Do You Believe in Magic" – The Lovin' Spoonful
#"There She Goes" – The La's
#"Top of the World" – Shonen Knife
#"Here Comes the Sun" – Bob Khaleel
#"(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons" – Linda Ronstadt
#"Soulful Strut" – Young-Holt Unlimited
#"Never Let You Go" – Jakaranda
#"Bad to the Bone" – George Thorogood & The Destroyers
#"The Happy Club" – Bob Geldof
#"Suite from The Parent Trap" – Alan Silvestri
#"This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) – Natalie Cole
#"Dream Come True" – Ta-Gana
#"Groovin'" – Pato Banton & The Reggae Revolution
#"Let's Get Together" – Nobody's Angel
===Film score===
#"The Disney Logo"
#"Suite from The Parent Trap"
#"Annie and Martin"
#"Shake Hands, Girls"
#"Like Twins"
#"Changes"
#"Annie Meets Mom"
#"Hallie Meets Dad"
#"Vineyard Suite"
#"I Am Annie"
#"Dad's Getting Married"
#"Hallie Breaks the News"
#"You'll Kill in It"
#"Table for Two"
#"She's Gone"
#"Where Dreams Have No End"
#"We Actually Did It"
#"Finale"
==Response==
The film was met with generally positive reviews, holding an 86% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It entered the box office charts at number 2 on July 31, 1998. It ended up with a gross of over $66 million in the U.S. and $92,108,518 worldwide.
The film debuted on United Lands television (The Family Film Channel) on October 4, 1999, and had 5.43 million viewers.
==Reception==
===Critical reception===
Upon release, the film received generally positive reviews from film critics. Rotten Tomatoes states that 86% of critics gave it a "Fresh" rating. On Metacritic, it has a score of 64/100, indicating "generally favorable". It also received "two thumbs up" from Siskel and Ebert.
===Box office===
In its opening weekend, the film grossed $11,148,497 in 2,247 theaters in the United States and Canada, ranking #2 at the box office, behind Saving Private Ryan, was the best debut for a Disney film that week. By the end of its run, it grossed $66,308,518 domestically and $25,800,000 internationally, totaling $92,108,518 worldwide.
==Deleted scenes==
The scene slots between Hallie and Martin meeting at Heathrow Airport, and Hallie meeting Elizabeth and Charles. Hallie is in a limousine and they come across Buckingham Palace. She gets out and tries to get one of the guards to move. They then crowd around in formation as the Queen exits Buckingham Palace in a car. The window rolls down and Hallie speaks to he, getting confused with "Your Highness or "Your Majesty" or whether to curtsy. She promises not to tell a truth and moves on. Director Nancy Meyers had a difficult time getting the uniforms, location, and an actress to play the Queen. Although the scene is shot well, it was deleted due to pacing problems.
Another deleted scene appears in the trailer that debuted in 1998. It shows Hallie standing out on the deck of her vineyard-estate house. She sees a shooting star and sings the rhyme "Star Light, Star Bright". Annie appears standing outside her window, too.
In the original draft of the script, many scenes have been altered or deleted. An extended ear piercing scene is in. While sticking the needle through Annie's ear lobe, Hallie screams and passes out. Annie gently slaps her in the face, trying to wake her up. After she does so, she asks Annie, "Are you bleeding to death? Did it hurt?" Annie tells her no to both questions and shows her the needle again, and tells her to finish with the other because she (Annie) will not go through life with just one pierced ear. She passes out again.
In an extended scene, Elizabeth delves further into why she and Nick did not stay together long. She says, "I tried living in California, He tried living in London..." Hallie replies, "So you broke up?" Elizabeth says that she and Annie were the best thing about the whole situation and they continue to stroll down the streets of London.
There is an extended ending at the end where Hallie tells Annie, "You guys are going to love living in California." Annie replies, "California? You guys are going to love living in London." Then Hallie replies "London?" In the front yard, Sammy is barking to the poodle next door as Chessy and Martin are kissing and Charles is getting home.
==Quotes==
==References to the 1961 version==
As this film is a remake of the 1961 version, it features a number of references to it. Among them are:
*The use of the Sherman Brothers song "Let's Get Together", which also plays over the Walt Disney Pictures Logo.
*Meredith talks to a "Reverend Mosby", named after a character in the original film.
*Some of the dialogue is almost identical to the original film.
*The camp counselors, Marva Kulp Sr. and Jr., are named after Nancy Kulp, who played the younger camp counselor in the original film.
*Many of the camping scenes were taken from the original film, such as:
**The use of the sugar and water mosquito repellent which the twins give Meredith was also given to Vicki in the original film.
**The use of clapping two sticks together to scare away mountain lions, even though there aren't any.
**The use of the lizard on Meredith's canteen.
==Pop culture references==
*After Hallie arrives in London, she and Elizabeth cross the street together. There are some zebras crossing it along with the same cars as the Abbey Road album cover of The Beatles. The song "Here Comes the Sun" (written by George Harrison) plays; the screen even pauses while they are crossing.
*The music that accompanies Hallie and Annie's march to the Isolation Cabin is taken from the scene in The Great Escape in which Steve McQueen's character is marched to prison.
*In numerous scenes, the twins refer to Meredith as Cruella De Vil, a reference to the 1996 live-action film version of 101 Dalmatians which features Richardson's sister, Joely.
*First, Nick sees Elizabeth in a hotel as an elevator door closes in front of him. This is essentially identical to the corresponding scene in the 1940 screwball comedy, My Favorite Wife, starring Irene Dunne and Cary Grant, and its 1963 remake, Move Over, Darling, starring Doris Day and James Garner. Other references to the film are the husband's name of "Nick", and a scene where someone falls into the pool at a hotel.
*When asked by Hallie, "You talkin' to me?" Meredith replies, "What are you, ?", a reference to the film, Taxi Driver.
*In the scene set in the Isolation Cabin during the rainstorm Hallie's picture of Leonardo DiCaprio gets ruined by a gust of wind through an open window. She is then surprised to find out that Annie never heard of him.
*Hallie, after being asked many questions about living in California, refers to two girls at camp as Lucy and Ethel Mertz, a reference to the classic sitcom, I Love Lucy, starring Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance.
==Trivia==
*Joanna Barnes, who played Meredith's mother, Vicki Blake, had also played Mitch Evers' fiancee, Vicky Robinson, in the original film. Both characters' names are Vicki, but the main antagonist's last name in the original film was Robinson, but due to being married, there is still a chance that she could be the same character.
*Mara Wilson and Scarlett Johansson were originally auditioned for the roles of the twins. Michelle Trachtenberg was considered the role(s) of the twins. Coincidentally, her birthday falls on the same day (October 11) as theirs does in the film. Jena Malone turned down three times.
*The film can be seen, playing in the theater, in the WandaVision episode "All-New Halloween Spooktacular!".
*This is the third Disney theatrical live-action film to be released on VHS with a url address on the back of its case, but the second Disney theatrical live-action film released on VHS with clamshell case showing the url address, which is www.disneyvideos.com.
==Gallery==
Parenttrap.jpg|The Isolation table
Tpt05.jpg|A deleted scene from the film
Tpt06.jpg
Tpt07.jpg
Tpt08.jpg
Tpt09.jpg
Tpt10.jpg
Tpt11.jpg
Tpt12.jpg
Tpt13.jpg
Tpt14.jpg
Annie5.jpg
The Parent Trap Poster.jpg
The Parent Trap 1998 Special Double Trouble Edition DVD.jpg
File:British edition of The Parent Trap (2014).jpeg|Front cover of the 2014 British English version of the original novel by Erich Kästner.
Category:Disney films
Category:1998 films
Category:Live-action films
Category:Remakes
Category:Films based on books
Category:PG-rated films
Category:The Parent Trap