How does the 1998 “Parent Trap” stack up against it’s 1961 predecessor? Photo from imbd.com.
Let me preface this by saying “The Parent Trap” (1998) featuring Lindsay Lohan is my favorite movie of all time.
In my opinion, it is perfect: Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson are the epitome of their characters, and Lohan somehow playing both twins effortlessly and without fault makes for a masterpiece in my mind. If you know me, you know that if I’m quoting something in an overdone British accent, guessing “The Parent Trap” is a sure sign to success.
I’ve seen this version of the movie approximately too many times to count, but I had not seen the 1961 version until this year when I decided it was probably about time I pay homage to the original.
For those of you who don’t know the concept of the movie, allow me to briefly explain: two twins that were separated during their parents’ divorce at a young age meet for the first time at summer camp. From there, they make a plan to trade places so each can meet the other’s parent, with the underlying hopes of bringing them back together and being a family again.
After watching both movies, it’s obvious to me that the 1998 remake took heavy inspiration from the 1961 version, as one would expect. There are many scenes that are shot-for-shot models of the original: the cabin scene where Hallie pranks Annie and her friends, the scene with the posters blowing away in the isolation cabin and the scene where Hallie meets her grandfather for the first time to name a few. The parallels are really significant, which was strategically done of course, but it enhanced my appreciation of the original when I saw where these scenes came from.
One of the major differences between the two movies are the characters’ names and hometowns. I always assumed that the movies featured the same characters with the same exact plotlines, but I was wrong. The 1961 version features twins Susan and Sharon (so 1960s!), and, as mentioned, the 1998 version features Annie and Hallie. In the original, the twins are from Boston and California respectively, and in the remake, it’s a transatlantic affair, with one twin in London and the other in California.
One of my favorite lines in the 1961 version was when Susan asks Sharon if she’s from outer space because she doesn’t know who musician Ricky Nelson is, to which Sharon replies, “No, I’m from Boston.” The delivery of this line was perfect from actress Hayley Mills, and as a Massachusetts native, this scene made me laugh.
One of the most impressive aspects of both films, however, is that each set of twins are only played by one actress. It’s so impressive that the 1961 film was able to pull this feat off so effortlessly. It was clearly ahead of its time and the 1998 version really solidified the stand-in technique that they utilized.
While I will always have an affinity for the 1998 version, I think the 1961 version does a much better job at expanding the relationship between the parents. There’s much more character development between the twins’ mother and father in this version, as well as development in their romantic relationship. It makes the characters feel more interesting, makes the viewer feel more invested in the film and makes the evil stepmother character feel even more villainous as she continuously gets in the way.
Ultimately, I still prefer the Lohan version because it was one of my favorite childhood movies and memories; watching it once a week, owning the deluxe edition on DVD, trying to understand the stand-in technology as a 6-year-old. All in all, I’m glad that I finally watched the 1961 version of “The Parent Trap.” It only made my appreciation for the 1998 version stronger, and, as a young adult now, I am grateful to grow this childhood memory in a new, fun way.
If you take anything away from this, please let it be: go watch Lohan’s version of “The Parent Trap” as soon as possible, and also let me know why Grandfather is the cutest character of all time.