Plot
Identical twins Susan Evers and Sharon McKendrick (Mills in a dual role) meet at summer camp, unaware that they are sisters. Their identical appearance initially creates rivalry, and they continuously pull pranks on each other, which ultimately leads to the camp dance being crashed by their mischief. As punishment, they must live together in an isolated cabin (and even having lunch together at an "isolation table") for the remainder of their summer camp. After both admit they come from broken homes, they soon realize they are twin sisters and that their parents, Mitch and Maggie (Keith and O'Hara, respectively), divorced shortly after their birth, with each parent having custody of one of them. The twins, each eager to meet the parent they never knew, switch places. While Susan is in Boston masquerading as Sharon, Sharon goes to California pretending to be Susan.
Sharon telephones Susan in Boston with news that their father is planning to marry a gold-digger, and their mother needs to be rushed to California to stop the wedding. In Boston, Susan reveals to her mother the truth about the switched identities and the two fly there.
With all four in California, the twins (with mild approval from their mother) scheme to sabotage their father's marriage plans. Mitch's money-hungry—and much younger—fiancée Vicky Robinson (Joanna Barnes) receives rude, mischievous treatment from the girls and some veiled cattiness from Maggie. One evening, the girls recreate their parents' first date at an Italian restaurant with a gypsy violinist. The former spouses are gradually drawn together, though they quickly begin bickering over minor things and Vicky.
To delay Maggie's return to Boston with Sharon, the twins dress and talk alike so their parents are unable to tell them apart. They will reveal who is who only after everyone goes on the annual family camping trip. Mitch and Maggie reluctantly agree, but when Vicky objects to the plan, Maggie tricks her into taking her place. The girls effect the coup de grace: Vicky spends her time swatting mosquitoes and being awakened in terror by two bear cubs licking the honey the twins put on her feet. Exasperated, Vicky angrily slaps one of the girls, and Mitch ends the relationship. Mitch and Maggie rekindle their love, and the two remarry in the final scene with the twins in the wedding party.
Read more about this topic: The Parent Trap (1961 film)
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