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The Parent Trap
1961 129 min United States of America G 6+
★7.7
Comedy, Family, Romance
Director: David Swift
🎭 Based on
«Lottie and Lisa»
byErich Kästner
Trailers
Description
Two identical twin sisters, separated at birth by their parents' divorce, are reunited years later at a summer camp, where they scheme to bring their parents back together. The girls, one of whom has been living with their mother and the other with their father, switch places after camp and go to work on their plan, the first objective being to scare off a gold-digger pursuing their father.
US Gross:
$25.15M
Worldwide:
$29.65M
Starring
Hayley Mills
Actor
Maureen O'Hara
Actor
Brian Keith
Actor
Awards
Academy Awards 1962
— Best Film Editing
Golden Globe 1962
— Best Picture (Comedy)
Academy Awards 1962
— Best Sound
Golden Globe 1962
— Best Actress (Comedy or Musical)
Key opinion
The 1961 version of The Parent Trap is widely regarded as a foundational family classic, anchored almost entirely by Hayley Mills' impressive dual performance. While the film’s charm and wit are frequently praised, modern viewers may find its nearly two-hour runtime excessive and certain social depictions outdated.
| Acting | Hayley Mills delivers a standout dual performance that remains the heart of the film, effectively distinguishing the two sisters' personalities. | |
| Originality | The film acts as a quintessential piece of Disney-era cinema, establishing a premise and thematic foundation that contemporary remakes have struggled to replicate. | |
| Screenplay | The witty dialogue and clever ensemble interactions effectively convey timeless messages about the importance of maintaining family bonds. | |
| Pacing | The pacing is divisive, as some find the near two-hour runtime and focus on adult melodrama to be an exhausting drag on the film's lighter comedic elements. | |
| Production | Technical efforts like camera work and green screen usage are technically ambitious for their time but occasionally struggle to maintain visual realism. |