Search - The Parent Trap on DVD

MPAA Rating: G Content Advisory: Excellent For Children Movie Release: 1961 DVD Release: 05/07/2002 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Edition: Dual Layered,Restored/Remastered,Special Collection Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 2 Number of Discs: 2 Run Time: 2 hrs 9 mins Studio: Walt Disney Video Members Wishing: 67 Genres: Comedy, Children's/Family, Romantic Comedy, Comedy of Errors, Family-Oriented Comedy

We get a double dose of Hayley Mills in this Disney vehicle: she plays 13-year-old identical twins Susan and Sharon, who meet for the very first time in summer camp. They soon learn that they were separated at a very early age when their parents Mitch and Maggie (Brian Keith and Maureen O'Hara) divorced. On a lark, the girls switch places: the one living with Mitch goes back home with Maggie, and vice versa. Mitch is planning to remarry the "wrong woman," vituperative Vicky (Joanna Barnes). The twins conspire to reunite their parents, but the road to reconciliation is rough indeed. It takes a slapsticky camping trip to get rid of the troublesome Vicky and to prompt Mitch and Maggie to renew their vows. The film introduced a hit song, "Let's Get Together," which represented the high point of Hayley Mills' very short-lived recording career. The Parent Trap was based on Das Doppelte Lottchen, a novel by Erich Kastner, which had previously been filmed in German and British versions (real twins were cast in both); over thirty years after Parent Trap was theatrically released, a short series of sequels were made for the Disney Channel cable service, with a grown-up Mills back in her original role(s), and two sets of second-generation twins. Baby Boom collaborators Nancy Meyers and Charles Shyer would remake the film with a new cast in 1998. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Hayley Mills - Sharon McKendrick
Hayley Mills - Susan Evans
Maureen O'Hara - Maggie McKendrick
Brian Keith - Mitch Evers
Charlie Ruggles - Charles McKendrick
Una Merkel - Verbena

One of Disney's biggest hits was the family comedy The Parent Trap starring the über-cute Hayley Mills. The Parent Trap is featured in a 1.85:1 THX approved anamorphic widescreen transfer that is very clean and crisp. While the image sometimes appears a bit worn and dated, overall this is a very clean print that will pleasantly surprise fans of the film. The soundtrack is featured in a newly remixed Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround remix in English. Certainly fans will be thankful to have a new soundtrack on this disc, though the simple truth is that The Parent Trap doesn't include many instances for pumping, loud directional effects. However, the soundtrack is free and clear of any excessive distortion and hiss. Also included on this disc are English captions and Spanish subtitles. Sadly, the original soundtrack from the film is not included on this disc. Disney has gone the extra mile with this two-disc set, starting with a commentary track by actress Hayley Mills and director David Swift on disc one. Aside of a few occasional lapses of silence, this is an engaging track that should involve fans of all ages. Also included on disc one is a humorous animated short titled "Donald's Double Trouble" that originally ran theatrically with The Parent Trap. Disc two includes no less than eight featurettes, including: "Disney Legend: Hayley Mills," "Seeing Double," "The Titlemakers," "Kimball and Swift: The Disney Years," "Caught in the Act: The Making of The Parent Trap," "Who's the Twin," "The Sherman Brothers," and "Let's Get Together." Each of these newly produced featurettes include a lot of information on the making of the film and sport reflective interviews with the cast and crew, including some great interview footage with actress Hayley Mills (fans will delight in seeing what she looks like decades later). A Production Gallery includes around 50 stills put to music. "The Audio Archive" includes a collection of five audio-only spots such as TV spots, interviews, and more. A second still gallery features over 200 photos from the advertising, screenplay, biographies, production stills, and more. Finally, there are a few trailers and TV spots, and a promo spot titled "The Disney Studio Archives" which include a montage of Disney's best live-action and animated hits. This is a wonderful disc that will please both Disney aficionados and children alike. ~ Patrick Naugle, All Movie Guide