Review Archives

1 | 2 | 3

Today's Date is:

The Parent Trap - Vault Disney Collection

Disney's original version of "The Parent Trap" has survived over the decades, earning itself a classic status through television viewings and new generations of movie lovers discovering films of yesteryear. It's a simple film, told with wit, sophistication, and warm-heartedness by the best in the business, Walt Disney, whose films have long since been the penchant for family entertainment. ***

Following up on her sublime success in "Pollyanna," which was released one year earlier, Hayley Mills once again brings her tenacious charisma to the screen as not one, but two characters, twins who, through chance, discover that they are sisters separated from one another when their parents divorced twelve years ago. Sharon and Susan cross paths at a summer camp, and spend the first half of their stay bickering and quarreling until they are put in isolation with one another as their sole company. ***

With nothing else to do, they begin talking about their parents, Sharon about her wealthy, aristocratic mother in Boston, Susan about her down-to-earth, best friend-type father in California. Soon enough, they make the discovery of their kinship, and devise a plan to switch places after summer camp in order to become better acquainted with the parent each never knew they had, which they will later use as a ploy to get the two of them back together once again, and hopefully once and for all. ***

Playing the two characters fluidly and with incredible ease, Mills exacts a warm brand of charm that keeps the film light and airy. She is required to play different traits, such as the mannerisms and voice differentiations between the two girls, and she does it so well that it actually feels as if there were two completely different actresses playing the parts. Essentially, she makes the movie, and carries it to great heights. ***

The parents are played by Maureen O'Hara and Brian Keith, who share such a great chemistry onscreen that even without the patented Disney happy ending syndrome, it seems inevitable for them to end up together in the end. As Maggie, O'Hara is warm and comfortable in the role; it's easy to see why she landed the role of the mother in "Spencer's Mountain" two years later. As Mitch, Keith builds a wall of confidence that convincingly comes down when he and Maggie must accept the fact that their feelings for one another never really dissipated. ***

The story itself is well-told, filled with delightful moments of humor and romance. The subplot involving the gold-digging soon-to-be second wife Vicky provides for much of the second's half humor, as Sharon and Susan come up with various methods of making her look completely foolish while ruining her resolve to put up with them. The camping trip sequence of events is still as funny and enlightening as it ever was, and the character of the priest is an absolute riot when Maggie arrives in California to unknowingly stir up some good-natured trouble. In the end, we have come to care for the characters, and want nothing more than to see that promised happy ending. ***

Surviving three made-for-TV sequels and a remake that actually manages to capture the spirit of the original, this "Parent Trap" still is, and always will be, one of Disney's most delightful and cherished films. A true classic, in every sense of the word.

"The Parent Trap" has been significantly cleaned up for the DVD format. The image is well-defined for the most part, exhibiting overall good color tones and solid blacks. The sound design is mostly towards the front channels, with meager surround engagement during the musical numbers and score.

The material supplied with "The Parent Trap" is a well-packaged combination of interviews and technical revelations that look behind-the-scenes with care. ***

Disc Two kicks off with the featurette "The Parent Trap: Caught in the Act," which details everything about the movie. The interviews with cast members Maureen O'Hara, Joanna Barnes, Hayley Mills, and even the stand-in actress during the twin scenes, Susan Henning, go into things like how the movie has aged over the years, its effect on their careers, and the overall reaction to the movie that they continue to see from fans. Much of the special effects discussion here is also explored in "Lost Treasures: Who's the Twin?," in which Henning continues to talk about the various sequences in which she played opposite Mills, and "Seeing Double," which reveals the technical advancements the movie made by using methods like a vintage bluescreen photography and split-screen. ***

On a side note, anyone who says the effects aren't completely convincing should take a closer look. In my opinion, not even the eye-popping effects of a movie like "Pearl Harbor" can match the composure of the scenes in this film. ***

Much of what makes up this DVD is a collection of archive material and period paraphernalia. The photo galleries encompass production stills and behind-the-scenes photos, while the trailers, TV spots and radio archives are just some of the promotional material run during the film's theatrical release. "Disney Legend: Hayley Mills" is a collection of interviews from various ators like Dean Jones from "That Darn Cat," and her fellow cast members from this film and others, regailing their experiences and delight in working with her. "The Sherman Brothers" is an interview with the composers of the film's music and songs, and "Titlemakers" reveals the process through which the title sequence came to be. "Kimball and Swift: The Disney Years" is a recollective interview with Swift and animator Ward Kimball, and "Let's Get Together" is a series of movie scenes cut to the song of the same name.