THE PARENT TRAP (1961)

RELEASE DATE: Monday 19th June 1961

SYNOPSIS: At a Summer camp, two girls make the shocking realisation that they look identical. They soon come to understand that they are twins, separated as babies. They hatch a plot to switch places once the camp ends, and try to bring their parents back together again.

HAKU: I thought this was by far the most enjoyable live-action Disney film I've seen in this series to date.

 

SHENZI: That's not saying much...

 

IRVYNE: The best out of... three?

 

HAKU: Well it's quite watchable. I don't think I was bored at any time.

 

IRVYNE: I was... Although I'll freely admit, it stands the test of time a thousand times better than Swiss Family Robinson!

 

HAKU: It is a bit too long.

 

IRVYNE: About half an hour too long, I'd say. It begins with a really crappy stop-motion animated title sequence. I wonder if this was the first time Disney had done stop-motion... It's not very good.

 

ANNA: It looks like Lego gone wrong.

 

HAKU: Five minutes in, and I was happy that there was a lot less animal cruelty this time.

 

IRVYNE: The double shots with two Hayley Mills characters actually work very well for the most part. There were some clever shots where one of their faces would JUST be covered enough that you couldn't tell it was Hayley Mills, but even the shots with two Hayleys are cut together well.

 

HAKU: They did a good enough job that you don't think about it after a while. If you look hard you can see some disappearing shadows, but overall it's well done. What's NOT well done is the scene in the park, with some of the worst green-screening I have ever seen!

 

SHENZI: Let's not forget that amazing underwater shot as well!

 

IRVYNE: As for Hayley Mills... She was apparently a big star as a teen... She seems to be quite the over-actor in this movie. And I'm not sure what was going on with the accents, but she seemed to interchange accents with both characters!

 

HAKU: There's a dialogue coach credited at the start... I don't think he was doing his job.

 

SHENZI: Not to mention she's got to be the world's worst guitar mime! I don't think she missed out on a huge singing career either...

 

IRVYNE: I didn't think much of the mother's character.

 

HAKU: She's got the stupidest punch in the world!

 

IRVYNE: Did you notice she seemingly changed personality completely when she had her makeover?

 

HAKU: Both in the camp scenes and when the mother is talking to the new girlfriend, I can't believe how bitchy women can be, when they clearly hate each other but act overly nice to try and hide it from the men!

 

ANNA: I was only familiar with the 1998 remake, but I'm surprised how similar the two movies actually are. There are a few questionable quotes and situations... It's a bit too easy to make inappropriate comments.

 

SHENZI: "That's my dad. Isn't he dreamy?"

 

IRVYNE: Oh yes. Dreamy Daddy. That's really kind of messed up. There were a number of cringeworthy moments in the film, that's for sure. Like when the dad's trying to teach his teenage daughter the birds and the bees. Awwwwkwarrrrd...

 

HAKU: I've gotta say, summer camps in Hollywood movies always look so creepy to me. I'd never want to go on one.

 

IRVYNE: The Parent Trap is okay. It's a bit of fun. But again, it's plain to see that since the 1960s, live-action films have aged a lot worse than animated ones.