The Parent Trap (1961)

"The nerve of her! Coming here with your face!"

"What are you gonna do about it?"

"Do? What in heaven's sake can I do, silly?"

"I'd bit off her nose.  Then she wouldn't look like you."

At summer camp, Boston teen Sharon McKendrick (Mills) and California teen Susan Evers (Mills) meet.  They immediately hate each other.  After fighting in public, they are forced to spend the rest of camp together.  One day, they discover that they are twins.  Their parents split when they are 1 year old and each took one of the girls.  They decided to switch places so that their parents will be forced to see each other again to switch them back.

Susan goes to Boston to live with their mother, Maggie (O'Hara).  They live with Maggie's parents, Charlies (Ruggles) and Louise (Nesbitt), in a beautiful home with a large staff.  They have a busy social and academic schedule, run by Louise.  Meanwhile, Sharon goes to the ranch in Monterey to live with their father, Mitch (Keith).  Life on the ranch is laid-back, and their housekeeper Verbena (Merkel) and ranch foreman Hecky (Denton) also live there.  Both girls are shocked to learn that their father has a serious girlfriend, Vicky Robinson (Barnes), which changes their plans.  Can they reunite their parents?


The film is based on the 1949 German novel "Das doppelte Lottchen" (translated "Lottie and Lisa") by Erich Kastner.  The novel has been adapted into 19 films since 1950, this was the 4th adaptation.

I enjoy this film.  The story is well-known, but the film keeps it interesting.  It is helped by a strong cast, led by Hayley Mills in the dual roles of the twins.  This was Mills 2nd of 6 films for Disney (following Pollyanna in 1960, which earned her an Academy Juvenile Award).  Maureen O'Hara is always wonderful.  This was Brian Keith's first comedy film and he is entertaining here.  Joanna Barnes is great as gold digger Vicky.  She also appeared in the remake, again as a character named Vickie (the mother of the gold digger character).  The rest of the cast is comprised of character actors that add to the film.

The film was written and directed by David Swift for Walt Disney.  It featured 3 songs written by Richard and Robert Sherman: "The Parent Trap", "For Now, For Always", and "Let's Get Together."  The opening credits feature the song "The Parent Trap", performed by Tommy Sands and Annette Funicello (who were filming Babes in Toyland).  Funicello also sings the recording of "Let's Get Together" which plays at the dance.  The song is later performed by Hayley Mills.

The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Sound Recording (for Robert O. Cooke) and Best Film Editing (for Philip W. Anderson).

The film was popular enough to make 3 made-for-TV adaptations, which all aired on the Disney Channel.  The sequels take place 20+ years later, focusing on Susan and Sharon and their marriages.  The Parent Trap II, in 1986, is about Sharon.  The Parent Trap III, in 1989, is about Susan.  The final film, The Parent Trap: Hawaiian Honeymoon, was also made in 1989.  I have never seen any of the sequels, but they sound interesting (in a made-for-TV film way).

This film was remade in 1998 with Lindsay Lohan playing both twins.  I prefer this film over the remake, but I do enjoy both.

The Parent Trap (1961) 128 minutes
Director: David Swift
Starring: Hayley Mills as Susan Evers / Sharon McKendrick
Maureen O'Hara as Maggie McKendrick
Brian Keith as Mitch Evers
Joanna Barnes as Vicky Robinson
Charlie Ruggles as Charles McKendrick
Cathleen Nesbitt as Louise McKendrick
Una Merkel as Verbena
Leo G. Carroll as Reverend Dr. Mosby
Linda Watkins as Edna Robinson
Ruth McDevitt as Miss Abbey Inch
Crahan Denton as Hecky