The Parent Trap (1961)

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  • THE PARENT TRAP


    DIRECTED BY DAVID SWIFT
    PRODUCED BY GEORGE GOLITZEN
    WALT DISNEY PRODUCTIONS



    Information from IMdb


    Plot Summary
    Hayley Mills plays twins who, unknown to their divorced parents, meet at a summer camp. Products of single parent households, they switch places (surprise!) so as to meet the parent they never knew, and then contrive to reunite them.
    Written by Stewart M. Clamen


    Full Cast
    Hayley Mills .... Sharon McKendrick/Susan Evers
    Maureen O'Hara .... Margaret 'Maggie' McKendrick
    Brian Keith .... Mitch Evers
    Cathleen Nesbitt .... Louise McKendrick
    Charles Ruggles .... Charles McKendrick (as Charlie Ruggles)
    Una Merkel .... Verbena
    Joanna Barnes .... Vicky Robinson
    Linda Watkins .... Edna Robinson
    Ruth McDevitt .... Miss Inch
    Frank De Vol .... Mr. Eaglewood
    Crahan Denton .... Hecky
    Leo G. Carroll .... Rev. Dr. Mosby
    Nancy Kulp .... Miss Grunecker
    Kay Cole .... Betsy, Sharon's Camp Inch roommate (uncredited)
    John Mills .... Mitch Evers' golf caddy (uncredited)
    Lynette Winter .... Ursala, Camp Inch roomate (uncredited)


    Writing Credits
    Erich Kästner (book "Das Doppelte Lottchen")
    David Swift (written by)


    Produced
    George Golitzen .... associate producer (as George Golitzin)


    Original Music
    Paul J. Smith


    Cinematography
    Lucien Ballard


    Trivia
    The screenplay originally called for only a few trick photography shots of Hayley Mills in scenes with herself; the bulk of the film was to be shot using a body double. When Walt Disney saw how seamless the processed shots were, he ordered the script reconfigured to include more of the special effect.


    The title song was performed by Tommy Sands and Annette Funicello. They were on the lot shooting Babes in Toyland.


    For the scene where Maureen O'Hara and Charles Ruggles are speaking in the bedroom, Ruggles didn't have any place to put the ashes of his cigarette so, on his own, he decided to put them in his hand.


    Susan Henning took on the role as Hayley Mills' body double for several of the twin shots in the film. As part of her contract, she signed away her rights to be credited. At the wrap party, Walt Disney presented her with a small statue of Donald Duck, called The Duckster, in recognition of the "best unseen performance on film." Only 2 other Ducksters have ever been awarded. To her credit, Ms. Henning did later star with Elvis Presley.


    The "isolation" cabin that Sharon and Susan stay in at camp is named "Serendipity".


    This was Brian Keith's first comedy participation.


    Pelléas and Mélisande are the title characters in a Symbolist play (by Maurice Maeterlinck and was first performed in 1893.


    Daphnis and Chloe are the title characters in the only known work of the 2nd century AD Greek novelist and romancer Longus.


    Awards: Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations


    Goofs
    Revealing mistakes: The Thunderbird Mitch Evers is driving is in park.


    Continuity: When Susan is about to hatch the plan in the tent, she is eating a Popsicle. As she moves around the room, the Popsicle disappears.


    Continuity: In the isolation cabin while the twins are getting acquainted: Susan's shoes change from white sneakers to blue flats (that Sharon had been wearing).


    Audio/visual unsynchronized: While performing "Let's Get Together" with Sharon, Susan plays an acoustic guitar, but the sound it makes is distinctly that of an electric guitar.


    Revealing mistakes: While singing "Let's Get Together," twice Sharon's hand momentarily disappears crossing over into Susan's frame.


    Continuity: When Susan is telling Sharon her plan to switch places, Sharon is holding the ice cream spoon in her hand. In the next shot the spoon disappears.


    Revealing mistakes: Obvious body double for Susan when the table collapses as she and Sharon cat-fight at summer camp.


    Continuity: When Vicky is offered the canteen of water with the lizard perched on top, the canteen lid is open. When Vicky throws the canteen back, the lid is on.


    Continuity: The length, shade, and style of Sharon's hair changes in some rear shots of her during camp (it's the stand-in actress.)


    Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Susan is supposedly playing the guitar, her fingers aren't moving.


    Continuity: The position of Susan's hand, between shots of her holding her guitar.


    Revealing mistakes: During close-up shot of both twins with food smeared over their faces, it is obvious one girl is not Hayley Mills, even under all the goop.


    Continuity: After Mitch falls into the pool, he talks with one of the twins and puts his wet hand on her shoulder, getting the shoulder of her dress wet. A second later the dress is dry in the spot where he put his hand.


    Revealing mistakes: Inside rear view mirror on Mitch's Thunderbird disappears and reappears on close shots and long shots.


    Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Maggie descends the outdoor stairs, they are visually made of stone or stucco, but the sound is that of hollow, wooden steps.


    Anachronisms: As Susan is being driven to Sharon's home in the Rolls Royce it has a shallow curved rear window, on the interior scenes the rear window is deep and rectangular.


    Revealing mistakes: In the isolation cabin, when the window blows open and the girls try to close it, the stand-in's face is revealed.


    Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Soon after Sharon arrives at Susan's home (pretending to be Susan), Verbena says something about washing all of Susan's dirty camp clothes, but is seen putting many of them directly into the dressers in Susan's room without washing them first.


    Plot holes: Mitch, Susan, and Sharon arrive home early from the camping trip and find that Maggie had made enough stew for Mitch and Susan to share the next evening, but Maggie didn't know they were coming home early.


    Continuity: At the isolation cabin, just after the rainfall, the Sharon and Susan go outside and the cabin exterior and grounds are dry. They then go back inside, and figure out they are twins, Sharon momentarily goes back outside, and the cabin exterior is wet, as expected after a strong rainfall.


    Continuity: Ater the fight at the dance, a shot shows Sharon and Susan on the ground, covered in food. Susan's dress, which Sharon had cut the back out with scissors earlier, is brand new, as if it had never been cut.


    Continuity: Immediately after the rainstorm, Sharon and Susan step outside. Everything is dry, as if it never rained.


    Audio/visual unsynchronized: When the twins' mother (Maureen O'Hara) is singing the song the song that was played on her first date with their father, her lips do not match the words that are being sung.


    Revealing mistakes: When Sharon and Susan are singing "Let's get together" you can see that Sharon is not pressing down on the piano keys.


    Revealing mistakes: When Sharon (really Susan) is in the Rolls Royce in Boston, you can see the buildings, like apartment houses, through the back window. In the shot from the outside of the car, the street is shown, and there are none of the buildings that are seen from inside the car. It is an open street.


    Memorable Quotes


    Filming Locations
    Big Bear Lake, Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA
    Bluff Lake, Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA
    Boston, Massachusetts, USA
    Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, USA
    Cedar Lake, Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA
    Lake Arrowhead, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA
    Monterey Peninsula Airport - 200 Fred Kane Drive, Monterey, California, USA
    Monterey, California, USA
    Pebble Beach, California, USA(Golf course scenes)
    Walt Disney's Golden Oak Ranch - 19802 Placerita Canyon Road, Newhall, California, USA

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

    Edited 6 times, last by ethanedwards ().

  • The Parent Trap is a Walt Disney film.
    It stars Hayley Mills, Maureen O'Hara and Brian Keith
    in a story about teenage twins and their divorced parents.
    The screenplay by the film's director David Swift was based upon the book
    Lottie and Lisa (Das Doppelte Lottchen) by Erich Kästner.
    Kastner derived his version from a Deanna Durbin film Three Smart Girls.
    The Parent Trap was nominated for two Academy Awards,
    was broadcast on television, saw three television sequels,
    was remade in 1998 with Lindsay Lohan, and has been released to VHS and DVD.
    The original film was Mills' second of six films for Disney.


    Good all round family fun,



    User Review


    Author: Rebecca from Tennessee

    Quote

    This movie always brings me back to my childhood days, it is perfect for whenever I feel nostaglic! This version is WAY better than the 1998 remake, for the remake is too silly and cheesy (at least for me!) I always enjoy this movie, and feel good at the end because I have traveled back in time to my younger days. I hope my children will feel the same in the near future.

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

    Edited 3 times, last by ethanedwards ().

  • This movie is right up there among our family's favorite movies of all time! And unlike the commentator above (Rebecca from Tennessee), we really thought the 1998 remake was very well done, and had some nice connections to the original.


    Maureen O'Hara's performance is absolutely delightful, and shows her comedic talents so well, along with her romantic side. Brian Keith really shined in this one, too!


    Can you tell we really like this movie?? Huh? Huh? Yeah!


    Chester :newyear: and the Mrs. :angel1:

  • This is my favorite Disney movie. I really enjoy the Keith and O'Hara matchup. They work the screen so well. They have such great chemistry, and Hayley Miles was fantastic playing the twins. That is hard work.

    A great classic and I can't think of anyone who can play Maggie McKendrick better than Maureen. I must say that the supporters were great as well.

    Cheers :cool:



    Quote

    "When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it"

    - John Wayne quote

    Edited once, last by Hondo Duke Lane ().

  • Liked it years ago and still do, good honest entertainment

    Greetings from North of the 49th

  • :wink_smile:

    Upon reading the script, Maureen was conquered. This comedy turned with the young Hayley Mills and Brian Keith, was a great popular success and, even today, we take great pleasure to see her. The shoot lasted three months in a very good atmosphere, leaving a lot of Walt Disney creative freedom to the actors. Hayley, who is only 14 years old, plays beautifully ...

    One short video

    and Original trailer

    Tell me if you have problems to read

    Unconditional's Maureen O'Hara !
    French-English translation: poor !!!
    :blush:

    Edited 2 times, last by Romy ().