The Parent Trap (1998 film) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Parent Trap
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Nancy Meyers
Produced by	Charles Shyer
Screenplay by	David Swift Nancy Meyers Charles Shyer
Starring	Lindsay Lohan Dennis Quaid Natasha Richardson
Music by	Alan Silvestri
Cinematography	Dean Cundey
Editing by	Stephen A. Rotter
Studio	Walt Disney Pictures
Distributed by	Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Release date(s)	July 29, 1998 (1998-07-29) (United States)
Running time	128 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$15 million
Money made	$92.1 million

The Parent Trap is a fun American romantic comedy film from 1998. It was written and directed by Nancy Meyers and also produced by Charles Shyer. This movie is a new version of a 1961 film, and both are based on a German book from 1949 called Lottie and Lisa by Erich Kästner.

The film stars Lindsay Lohan in her very first movie role, playing two identical twin sisters. Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson play their parents. The story follows the twin sisters, Hallie Parker and Annie James, who were separated when they were babies. They meet by chance at a summer camp and decide to switch places to get their parents back together.

The Parent Trap came out on July 29, 1998. It was a big hit at the box office, making $92.1 million from a $15 million budget. Critics really liked the movie, and many praised Lindsay Lohan's amazing performance as both twins.

What Happens in The Parent Trap?

The story begins in 1986 when Nicholas Parker, an American winery owner, and Elizabeth James, a British wedding dress designer, get married on a ship called the Queen Elizabeth 2. Soon after, they have identical twin daughters, Annie and Hallie. But they get divorced and each parent takes one twin. Nick raises Hallie in Napa Valley, California, and Elizabeth raises Annie in London, England.

Twins Meet at Summer Camp

Almost twelve years later, in the summer of 1998, Nick and Elizabeth accidentally send their daughters to the same summer camp. Hallie and Annie meet and instantly dislike each other. They play lots of pranks on each other. After one prank goes too far, they are sent to a special cabin as punishment until camp ends.

While stuck together, they discover they are twin sisters! They come up with a big plan: to switch places. This way, each girl can meet the parent she has never known. Their main goal is to reunite their parents. Hallie pretends to be Annie and flies to London to meet their mother, their grandpa Charles, and the family butler Martin. Meanwhile, Annie pretends to be Hallie and flies to Napa Valley to meet their father, Hallie's nanny Chessy, and their dog Sammy.

New Girlfriends and Family Secrets

When "Hallie" (who is really Annie) arrives in Napa Valley, she learns that her dad, Nick, has a new girlfriend named Meredith. Meredith is a publicist who doesn't like kids and seems to be interested in Nick's money. Nick plans to marry her.

"Annie" (who is really Hallie) tries to call her sister from a phone booth but is caught by her grandpa Charles. He convinces her to tell their mom, Elizabeth, the truth about who she really is. Back in Napa Valley, Chessy, Hallie's nanny, starts to notice "Hallie's" strange behavior. "Hallie" then tells Chessy that she is actually Annie, but they decide not to tell Nick yet.

Parents Reunite by Accident

"Annie" tells Elizabeth that Nick wants to meet her in San Francisco to switch the girls back. So, Elizabeth and Martin travel there. At the same time, "Hallie," Nick, and Meredith also travel to the same hotel to talk about wedding plans.

Nick sees Elizabeth for the first time in years. They both realize their daughters tricked them into meeting again. Nick also finds out that he has had Annie with him since camp ended. Meanwhile, Chessy and Martin meet and start to like each other.

Camping Trip and Happy Endings

Hallie and Annie try to help their parents fall in love again by renting a yacht, just like their parents did when they first met. But it doesn't work. As a last try, the twins demand a three-day family camping trip. They refuse to say which twin is which until after the trip.

Elizabeth tricks Meredith into going on the camping trip instead of her, which makes the girls upset. During the trip, Hallie and Annie play many harmless tricks on Meredith. Meredith gets very angry and tells Nick he has to choose between her and his daughters. Nick finally sees Meredith's true colors and chooses his girls. He breaks off the engagement and cancels the wedding.

Back in Napa Valley, Nick shows Elizabeth his wine collection, including the bottle from their wedding. They both realize they still have feelings for each other but decide to go their separate ways. Elizabeth and Annie then board a flight for London. But when they get home, Nick and Hallie are already there! They took a faster flight on the Concorde. Nick tells Elizabeth he made a mistake by not going after her before. They kiss, and the girls happily say, "We actually did it."

During the credits, photos show Nick and Elizabeth getting remarried on the Queen Elizabeth 2. Annie and Hallie are bridesmaids, and Martin proposes to Chessy.

Meet the Characters

• Lindsay Lohan plays both Hallie Parker and Annie James. They are eleven-year-old twin sisters who were separated after they were born. They grew up without knowing about each other until they met at summer camp. Erin Mackey was Lindsay Lohan's acting double for scenes where both twins appeared together.
• Dennis Quaid as Nicholas "Nick" Parker, the twins' father. He is a rich American vineyard owner.
• Natasha Richardson as Elizabeth "Liz" James, the twins' mother. She is a famous British wedding dress designer.
• Elaine Hendrix as Meredith Blake, a 26-year-old publicist who wants to marry Nick for his money. She doesn't like children.
• Lisa Ann Walter as Chessy, Nick's housekeeper and Hallie's nanny. She falls in love with Martin and is the first to figure out that "Hallie" is actually Annie.
• Simon Kunz as Martin, the James family's butler. He falls in love with Chessy.
• Polly Holliday as Marva Kulp Sr., the owner and director of Camp Walden.
• Maggie Wheeler as Marva Kulp Jr., Marva Sr.'s daughter and assistant.
• Ronnie Stevens as Charles James, Elizabeth's rich father and the twins' grandfather. He learns about the switch from Hallie.
• Joanna Barnes as Vicki Blake, Meredith's mother.
• J. Patrick McCormack as Les Blake, Meredith's father.

Other actors in the film include Kat Graham as Jackie, a friend of Annie at Camp Walden. Vendela Kirsebom appears as a model. The director's daughters, Hallie Meyers-Shyer and Annie Meyers-Shyer, also have small roles. Lindsay Lohan's brother Michael plays a boy at camp, and her mother Dina and other siblings Aliana and Cody have quick appearances at the airport. The film's camera director, Dean Cundey, plays the captain of the Queen Elizabeth 2 who marries Nick and Elizabeth.

How the 1998 Film Connects to the 1961 Original

The 1998 version of The Parent Trap has many fun nods to the original 1961 movie.

• The characters Marva Kulp Sr. and Marva Kulp Jr. are named after Nancy Kulp, who played a camp counselor in the 1961 film.
• Both movies feature Nabisco snacks. In the 1998 film, the girls love Oreos, while in the 1961 film, they eat Fig Newtons.
• In a scene by the pool, Meredith talks on the phone to someone named Reverend Mosby. This was a character in the 1961 film.
• Joanna Barnes appears in both films! She played Vicky Robinson in the 1961 movie and Vicki Blake in the 1998 version.
• The Stafford Hotel is named after a boy from the 1961 film.
• Before Hallie meets Meredith, she sings a bit of "Let's Get Together", a famous song from the 1961 movie.
• Both films feature bunk houses at camp named Arapahoe.

Music in The Parent Trap

The movie features a great mix of songs that help tell the story.

• The opening scene, showing Nick and Elizabeth's first wedding, uses the song "L-O-V-E" by Nat King Cole.
• The end credits, showing photos of their second wedding, feature "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)" by Nat King Cole's daughter, Natalie Cole.
• When the girls and their parents almost meet at the hotel, you can hear the famous song "In the Mood" by the Glenn Miller band.
• The song "Let's Get Together" is also heard at the beginning and end of the movie.
• When Hallie arrives at Annie's poker game at Camp Walden, the song "Bad to the Bone" by George Thorogood and the Destroyers plays.
• As Hallie and Annie walk to the Isolation Cabin, the main theme from "The Great Escape" plays.
• The song playing in Meredith's car when she arrives at the Parker home is "Parents Just Don't Understand" by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince.
• During the campfire scene, "How Bizarre" by OMC is heard.
• Near the end, when Annie, Elizabeth, and Martin say goodbye to Hallie, Nick, and Chessy, the song "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" by Ray Charles & Betty Carter plays.

Movie Soundtrack

Film Score

All songs written and composed by Alan Silvestri. 

Box Office Success

The Parent Trap first showed in Los Angeles on July 20, 1998. During its first weekend, the movie made over $11 million in the United States and Canada. It was the second most popular movie that weekend, right after Saving Private Ryan. Overall, the film earned over $66 million in the U.S. and Canada, and another $25 million internationally. This brought its total worldwide earnings to over $92 million.

Awards and Recognition

The film and its cast received several awards and nominations. Lindsay Lohan, in particular, was praised for her performance as both Hallie and Annie.

Future Remake Plans

In 2018, The Hollywood Reporter announced that The Walt Disney Company was planning to make new versions of several films for its streaming service, Disney+. The Parent Trap was one of the movies mentioned for a possible remake.

Cast Reunion

On July 20, 2020, the cast of The Parent Trap had a special online reunion. Katie Couric hosted the video chat for the film's 22nd anniversary. Lindsay Lohan, Dennis Quaid, Elaine Hendrix, Lisa Ann Walter, Simon Kunz, Nancy Meyers, and Charles Shyer all took part. This reunion helped raise money for chef José Andrés' charity, World Central Kitchen, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dennis Quaid later released a longer version of the reunion on his podcast.

See also

In Spanish: The Parent Trap (película de 1998) para niños