The Parent Trap is a 1998 American family romantic comedy film directed by Nancy Meyers, in her feature directorial debut, and produced by Meyers' then-husband Charles Shyer. It stars Lindsay Lohan in her film debut in a dual role of identical twins who have been separated at birth and, upon meeting by chance at summer camp, decide to work together to reunite their divorced parents, played by Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson. The Parent Trap is a remake of the 1961 film of the same name and an adaptation of Erich Kästner's 1949 German children's novel, Lisa and Lottie (Das doppelte Lottchen). David Swift, who wrote and directed the original 1961 film, is credited, along with Meyers and Shyer, as co-writers of the 1998 film.
Principal photography took place from July 1997 to December 1997, in both California and London, with cinematographer Dean Cundey. During post-production, editing was completed by Stephen A. Rotter, and the score was composed by Alan Silvestri. The Parent Trap utilized special effects to make Lohan's dual role seamless, with many shots requiring extensive planning and precise execution during filming and compositing in post-production.
The Parent Trap premiered in Los Angeles on July 20, 1998, before being theatrically released in the United States nine days later by Walt Disney Pictures. Its London premiere took place on November 8, 1998, as a Royal Film Performance attended by Queen Elizabeth II. The Parent Trap was distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution and was a box-office hit, grossing $92.1 million worldwide against a budget of $15 million. It received positive reviews from critics, with Lohan's performance in particular earning high praise. She won the Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actress at the 20th Youth in Film Awards in 1999, and is widely considered to have been a significant factor in the film's success, marking her breakthrough role and launching her to stardom.
Plot
In 1986, American wine grower Nicholas "Nick" Parker and British wedding gown designer Elizabeth James fall in love and marry aboard a cruise on the Queen Elizabeth 2. Shortly after Elizabeth gives birth to identical twins, Annie and Hallie, their parents divorce and become estranged, as Elizabeth returns to England with Annie while Nick gets full custody of Hallie. Annie is raised in London, and Hallie grows up on Nick's vineyard in Napa, California, neither knowing the other exists.
Nearly 12 years later, Annie and Hallie are coincidentally sent to the same summer camp in Maine. They first meet at the end of a fencing match, stunned to see that they look identical. A rivalry ensues, escalating from a poker match into a prank war, which leads the two girls to be sent to stay in the isolation cabin. Annie and Hallie begin to bond, and learn that they have the same birthday. Each has a torn photo of the parent they have never known, which they discover are halves of their parents’ wedding photo.
Realizing that they are twins, Annie and Hallie hatch a plan to switch places and force their parents to reunite. Each twin trains the other to impersonate her, even cutting Annie’s hair and piercing her ears, and the sisters go home in each other’s place at the end of summer camp. In London, Hallie meets Elizabeth, Elizabeth's father Charles, and the family butler Martin, while Annie meets Nick and their family housekeeper Chessy in California.
Annie is dismayed to learn that Nick is engaged to Meredith Blake, a 26-year-old gold digger. Chessy realizes the truth about the twins’ swap but agrees to keep the secret from Nick, while Hallie phones Annie to warn her about Nick's upcoming wedding, but is caught by her grandfather. With Charles’s encouragement, Hallie confesses to her mother, who is surprised but happy to have spent time with her other daughter, and agrees to travel to California to establish joint custody of the twins between both parents.
The twins arrange for Nick and Elizabeth to meet at a San Francisco hotel, where Chessy and Martin soon fall for each other. Elizabeth is secretly disappointed to learn about Nick’s engagement, and Nick is so stunned to see Elizabeth that he falls into the pool. Despite the twins' deception, Nick is happy to learn that Annie has been with him since the end of camp. With Chessy and Martin's help, the twins recreate the night their parents met through a romantic dinner on a yacht. As they reminisce, Elizabeth reveals that she had secretly hoped Nick would follow her after their breakup, and both wonder what would have happened if he had.
Nick and Elizabeth decide not to resume their relationship, but agree on shared custody of the twins. Elizabeth prepares to go home with Annie, but the twins refuse to reveal which one is which unless the entire family takes a camping trip. Elizabeth later insists that Meredith go in her place to get to know the twins before becoming their stepmother. The twins play a series of pranks on Meredith, who demands that Nick choose between her and them. Finally seeing Meredith's true nature, Nick chooses his daughters and breaks off the engagement.
Elizabeth and Nick realize they are still in love, but go their separate ways. When Elizabeth and Annie return to London, they find Nick and Hallie waiting for them, having taken the Concorde. Nick declares that he does not want to make the same mistake of not running after Elizabeth again, and they kiss. Elizabeth and Nick remarry with Annie and Hallie as their bridesmaids on the Queen Elizabeth 2, where Martin proposes to Chessy.
Cast and characters Lindsay Lohan as Hallie Parker and Annie James, 11-year-old identical twin sisters who were separated after birth. After their parents' divorce, they are raised separately with no knowledge of each other's existence until they meet at summer camp by chance. Hallie and Annie are based on Susan Evers and Sharon McKendrick from the original film, as well as Luise Palfy and Lottie Körner from the original book. Erin Mackey served as Lohan's double and plays both twins in the scenes where they were together. Dennis Quaid as Nicholas "Nick" Parker, Hallie and Annie's father, a wealthy American vineyard owner. He is based on Mitchell "Mitch" Evers from the original film and Ludwig Palfy from the original book. Natasha Richardson as Elizabeth "Liz" or "Lizzie" James, Hallie and Annie's mother, a famous British wedding gown designer. She is based on Margaret "Maggie" McKendrick from the original film and Luiselotte Körner from the original book. Elaine Hendrix as Meredith Blake, a 26-year-old publicist from San Francisco who is only planning to marry Nick for his money. She is based on Vicky Robinson from the original film and Irene Gerlach from the original book. Lisa Ann Walter as Chessy, Nick's housekeeper and Hallie's nanny. She has long considered herself rather awkward and thus not overly desirable to eligible bachelors, but then she meets Martin, and the two are mutually smitten. Chessy also discovers that "Hallie" is Annie after noticing her strange behavior. Chessy is based on Verbena from the original film and Resi from the original book. Simon Kunz as Martin, the James family's butler, who eventually falls in love with Chessy. He is based on Staimes, the McKendrick family's chauffeur from the original film. Polly Holliday as Marva Kulp Sr., the owner and director of Camp Walden. She is based on Miss Inch from the original film and Mrs. Muthesius from the original book. Maggie Wheeler as Marva Kulp Jr., Marva Sr.'s daughter and assistant. She is based on Miss Grunecker from the original film and Miss Ulrike from the original book. Ronnie Stevens as Charles James, Elizabeth's wealthy father and Hallie and Annie's maternal grandfather. After he catches Hallie on the phone with Annie, she tells Charles about switching places with her. He is based on Charles McKendrick from the original film. Joanna Barnes as Vicky Blake, Meredith's mother. She is based on Edna Robinson from the original film. Barnes previously played Vicky Robinson in the 1961 film. J. Patrick McCormack as Les Blake, Meredith's father.
Kat Graham played Jackie, a friend of Annie at Camp Walden. Vendela Kirsebom appears as a model during a photoshoot sequence at Elizabeth James' studio. Hallie and Annie Meyers-Shyer—daughters of the director, Meyers, and the producer, Shyer—make appearances in the film, credited as Lindsay and Towel Girl, respectively. Lohan's brother, Michael (credited as Lost Boy at Camp), plays a boy at Camp Walden who did not realize he was going to an all-girls camp. Lohan's mother, Dina, and her siblings, Aliana and Dakota, all appear in uncredited cameos at the airport in London. The film's cinematographer, Dean Cundey, appears in an uncredited cameo as the captain of the Queen Elizabeth 2, who marries Nick and Elizabeth at the beginning of the film. Jeannette Charles portrayed Queen Elizabeth II in a deleted scene in which she and Hallie meet.
Production
Casting The Parent Trap was Nancy Meyers' directorial debut. More than 1,500 young actresses submitted audition tapes for the dual roles of Hallie and Annie. Meyers was looking for "a little Diane Keaton" to play the parts. Before Lindsay Lohan was cast in the roles, actresses Mara Wilson, Scarlett Johansson, Michelle Trachtenberg, and Jena Malone all either auditioned or were considered for the dual roles, with Malone turning the roles down multiple times, and Wilson being considered too young.
Filming Principal photography began on July 15, 1997 in London, and continued in Napa Valley, San Francisco, Lake Arrowhead, and Los Angeles, California, until December 17, 1997. Camp Walden was filmed on location at Camp Seely in Crestline, California. Parker Knoll, the vineyard and residence of the Parker family in the film, was shot on location in Rutherford, California, at Staglin Family Vineyard. The exterior of the fictional Stafford Hotel was shot at the Administration Building, Treasure Island in San Francisco, while the interior at The Langham Huntington in Pasadena, California, and pool scenes were shot at The Ritz-Carlton in Marina del Rey, California. Director Nancy Meyers collaborated on The Parent Trap with her then-husband Charles Shyer as producer and co-writer, shortly before their divorce. The twins in the film are named after their two daughters, who both have cameo appearances, and the film is dedicated to Hallie Meyers-Shyer.
The filming process utilized motion control photography for the visual effect of Lindsay Lohan playing both roles. "It was complicated, and I really didn't know how to do it", Meyers recalled of using the technique in her directorial debut. "We had to do everything twice, and on children's hours. But the complexity of the motion control work became oddly fun. It was a fun challenge to figure it out. Since I didn't know the restrictions of what could be done and what couldn't, I would ask for things that, had I known better, I wouldn't have." Actress Erin Mackey was hired as a double for Lohan as part of the filming process.
Former Disney chief executive officer (CEO) Michael Eisner is said to have made comments to Meyers and Lohan at the time of the premiere, suggesting that two different girls played the twins.
Book In 1962, a year after Walt Disney Pictures originally adapted Das doppelte Lottchen into The Parent Trap, Cyrus Brooks translated the German children's book into English as Lisa and Lottie, an edition still published in the United States and Canada.
A novelization of the film by Hallie Marshall was published in 1998.