The Parent Trap

 The Parent Trap 1961

• Director: David Swift
• Seen by this director: Pollyanna
• Based on the book by Erich Kästner
• Cast: Hayley Mills, Brian Keith, Maureen O’Hara, Una Merkel, Leo G Carroll
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Hayley Mills – The Family Way, The Trouble with Angels, The Truth about Spring, The Moon-spinners, The Chalk Garden, In Search of the Castaways, Whistle Down the Wind, Pollyanna, Tiger Bay
• Brian Keith – Reflections in a Golden Eye, The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming, TV series
• Maureen O’Hara – The Hunchback of Notre Dame
• Leo G Carroll – The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
• Why? Childhood favourite
• Seen: Once, possibly twice before. Now 10 July, 2021      

       Sharon and Susan (Mills) are identical twins who were separated by divorcing parents when they were one. They meet at summer camp and are shocked. It’s hate at first sight but they figure things out and start conniving to get their parents back together.

       I loved this film when it came out. Hayley Mills was my idol. I’ve recently re-watched Pollyanna (as good as ever) and In Search of the Castaways (entertaining). How has this one aged?

       Well, one strike against it. They’re all filthy rich. Strike two: The voices of all the women are annoyingly shrill. Strike three: irritating 60s gender stereotypes.

       But this isn’t a baseball game so three strikes don’t end anything. The flaws are outweighed by the humour and Mills’s sensational acting. 

3 ½ * of 5