The Parent Trap (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
The premise for this Disney's, 'The Parent Trap' (directed by David Swift) is simple, but exceedingly well done. 13 yr. olds Sharon McKendrick & Susan Evers (both Hayley Mills) are as different as night & day; and they become instant enemies when they meet at summer camp. Prim & proper Sharon grew up in Boston, Massachusetts with mother Maggie (the luminous Maureen O'Hara), while tomboy Susan lives in California on a vast ranch with father Mitch (amiable Brian Keith). After causing a ruckus at camp, the 2 of them are forced to stay in the same cabin as punishment, & unexpectedly discover they're identical twins (separated as babies when their parents divorced). On a lark, this duo decides to change their hair/clothes/speaking styles & swap so they can be with their opposite parents.
They also hope to reunite their parents so they can all be together at last. Susan goes to Boston to get to know her beautiful, but lonely mother Maggie. And Sharon heads out to the ranch, where she discovers that Mitch is about to marry bitter gold-digger Vicky Robinson (Joanna Barnes), a younger woman who's interested in the $$ millions that he has in the bank. In an act of desperation, Sharon summons Susan & Maggie to the California ranch, & the 2 girls hatch a last-ditch scheme to sabotage their dad's new marriage plans and to get their parents back together for good. But the road to reconciliation is a bumpy one. Everything culminates in a humorous camping trip in which the girls try desperately to get rid of Vicky & to get their parents to become a couple once again.
I absolutely adore this movie. It may be a bit old-fashioned by today's standards, but it's utterly charming & funny, thanks to the heartfelt performances. I loved the cheeky interplay btwn. Brian Keith & Maureen O'Hara. I'm reminded of the scene in which he gets a black eye. I also enjoyed the scene where the girls recreate their parents' 1st date at an Italian restaurant with a gypsy violinist. The whole set-up is both humorous & sweet. Una Merkel is lovely as Brian Keith's long-standing housemaid. Joanna Barnes is suitably vile as the snake-like Vicky. When she slaps one of the girls out of exasperation, it's a great "ah-hah!" moment.
Hayley Mills believably portrays both Sharon & Susan; who understandably have differing personalities. And she absolutely shines in the film's memorable musical number, "Let's Get Together" (which represented the high point of Mills' short-lived singing career). There are other songs in the film, but that is the big one. Some trick photography (special effects) was used to show both versions of Mills in the same frame at once; and I think it was handled deftly. The production values are stellar. The aforementioned climax/last Act involving the elaborate camping trip is awesome. And I just look back on this movie with great fondness. More live-action Disney films should have an ounce of the cinematic magic that this one has. Simply put, it's a film that brings a smile to my face just thinking about it.
They also hope to reunite their parents so they can all be together at last. Susan goes to Boston to get to know her beautiful, but lonely mother Maggie. And Sharon heads out to the ranch, where she discovers that Mitch is about to marry bitter gold-digger Vicky Robinson (Joanna Barnes), a younger woman who's interested in the $$ millions that he has in the bank. In an act of desperation, Sharon summons Susan & Maggie to the California ranch, & the 2 girls hatch a last-ditch scheme to sabotage their dad's new marriage plans and to get their parents back together for good. But the road to reconciliation is a bumpy one. Everything culminates in a humorous camping trip in which the girls try desperately to get rid of Vicky & to get their parents to become a couple once again.
I absolutely adore this movie. It may be a bit old-fashioned by today's standards, but it's utterly charming & funny, thanks to the heartfelt performances. I loved the cheeky interplay btwn. Brian Keith & Maureen O'Hara. I'm reminded of the scene in which he gets a black eye. I also enjoyed the scene where the girls recreate their parents' 1st date at an Italian restaurant with a gypsy violinist. The whole set-up is both humorous & sweet. Una Merkel is lovely as Brian Keith's long-standing housemaid. Joanna Barnes is suitably vile as the snake-like Vicky. When she slaps one of the girls out of exasperation, it's a great "ah-hah!" moment.
Hayley Mills believably portrays both Sharon & Susan; who understandably have differing personalities. And she absolutely shines in the film's memorable musical number, "Let's Get Together" (which represented the high point of Mills' short-lived singing career). There are other songs in the film, but that is the big one. Some trick photography (special effects) was used to show both versions of Mills in the same frame at once; and I think it was handled deftly. The production values are stellar. The aforementioned climax/last Act involving the elaborate camping trip is awesome. And I just look back on this movie with great fondness. More live-action Disney films should have an ounce of the cinematic magic that this one has. Simply put, it's a film that brings a smile to my face just thinking about it.