THE PARENT TRAP
US, 1998, 110 minutes, Colour.
Dennis Quaid, Natasha Richardson, Lindsay Lohan.
Directed by Nancy Myers.
Hayley Mills did a wonderful job as twins in the original film in the 60s, a pert American twin and a proper English twin who suddenly meet and find out about each other (one living with her father, the other with her mother). They decide to change places and plot to bring their parents together again. It has now been pleasantly updated (and, for a modern fairy tale, they live in very affluent and successful circumstances) and made all the more poignant as marriage break-up has become so much more prevalent than in the 60s.
Lindsay Lohan does an excellent job as the twins, creating a lively personality for each. Natasha Richardson and Dennis Quaid are the parents. Humour, sadness, hope - a family film.
1. A popular story? The German origins in the story Lottie and Lisa? The popular film with Brian Keith, Maureen O'Hara and the young Hayley Mills in the 60s? Audience familiarity with the story?
2. The contrast with the settings: London and sophistication, Napa Valley and vineyard wealth? The atmosphere of the London home, the city of London? The openness of California, the valley, the house? The locations like restaurants as well as the summer camp? The musical score, the wide range of songs?
3. The title, the reference to the twins, their parents' separation, wanting to bring them together again, their successfully doing so?
4. The London household: Annie with her mother, age, experience, the butler, Martin? Her mother's work, life, busyness? Her relationship with her mother? The comparisons with Hallie, her relationship with her father, his work, success? Chessie as the manager of the household?
5. The summer camp in Maine, life at the camp, the girls there, those in charge? The routine of the camp? The encounter between the two girls, the comic touches, their astonishment? Their getting on well together? Their discussions, the realisation that they were twins? Their plan, deciding to take each other's place?
6. The vice-versa comedy, the American trying to be English, the English trying to be American? Lindsay Lohan's skill in creating the two different characters as well as each pretending to be the other? Annie and her being with her father, trying to adapt, learn to understand him, the various devices in order not to be detected? The encounter with Meredith Blake, her work as a publicist, her wanting to marry Nick? The clashes between Annie and Meredith? The contrast with Hallie in London, trying to be English, trying to understand her mother? The information about Nick and his remarriage?
7. Hallie and the discussion with Elizabeth, the truth? The mother's amazement? Her decision to go to America with her daughter?
8. The meeting, the ten years' absence, their appreciation of one another, memories of their separation? The twins and their presence, the father and his discovery of his other daughter? The move towards a happy ending?
9. The tricks on Meredith, her being a bad sport, her getting the huff and leaving? Her ultimatum to Nick, his choosing his daughters?
10. The characters of Martin and Chessie, the faithful retainers in each household, their attraction towards one another - their romance!
11. The happy reunion, the parents together again, the twins together again?
12. The predicability of the action, yet the charm with which it is performed and audiences identifying with the twins and their hopes for their parents getting together again?
