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The Parent Trap is a 1998 comedy-drama film co-written and directed by Nancy Meyers. It is a remake of the1961 film of same name, It is based on German novel Lottie and Lisa (Das doppelte Lottchen). Released on July 29, 1998, by Walt Disney Pictures.
Plot[]
In 1986, Nick Parker and Elizabeth James meet on the Queen Elizabeth 2, fall in love and get married. Soon, they give birth to two identical twins named Hallie and Annie. Shortly after the twins' birth, Nick and Elizabeth divorce for mandatory reasons, with Nick being given custody over Hallie and raising her in Napa, California where he owns his own vineyard, and Elizabeth raises Annie in London where she works as a wedding gown designer.
11 years and 9 months later, the twins are coincidentally sent to the same summer camp where they form an intense rivalry. After Hallie and her friends perform a dangerous prank on Annie's cabin, the scoutmaster has Hallie and Annie sent to the isolation cabin where they begin to bond over some of their common interests. When they realize each has a divorced parent, they show one another a ripped photograph of the parents with whom they have never met, matching them together; discovering they are indeed twins who were separated at birth. They come up with the elaborate idea to switch places to get their parents to meet again and get back together; each sister trains the other to be like her for the rest of the summer camp. Both sisters then depart in the opposite direction of the other's home transportation.
In London, Hallie happily meets Elizabeth, the family butler Martin and her maternal grandfather. She learns about Elizabeth and Nick's meeting on the cruise line. Meanwhile, in Napa, Annie embraces Nick and their family nanny, Chessy. The family's golden retriever Sammy can tell Annie's not Hallie. Much to her dismay, Annie suspects that Nick has gotten engaged with a young publicist named Meredith Blake who only has an interest in Nick's fortune. She also comes to know Meredith is a child hater. Annie phone calls Hallie and attempts to persuade her to break the news to their mother and bring her to America fast, but Hallie not in the mood to listen.
Chessy, meanwhile, has noticed that "Hallie" has changed a lot; Annie deliberately reveals her identity. Chessy ecstatic decides to keep this secret. Nick directly enlightens Annie that he is marrying Meredith and she leaves in disagreement. Annie again secretly informs Hallie via printing paper, and she goes straight to a phone booth being told of the upcoming wedding between Nick and Meredith and have to change plans. However, Hallie is discovered by her grandfather, who convinces her right away to tell her mother that she is in fact Hallie, not Annie. Elizabeth and Hallie mutually agree that they need to travel to America to settle on joint custody of the twins between each parent. While Elizabeth isn't told about Nick's wedding otherwise, she wouldn't go.
Annie and Hallie both arrange with Martin and Chessy for a meeting between Nick and Elizabeth at the Stafford Hotel in California, although only Elizabeth is aware of this. Elizabeth and Nick are reunited, and Nick happily realizes that he has had Annie with him since the camp. Elizabeth also met Meredith who is fond of Elizabeth until she finds out of her previous marriage with Nick, including the twins' plan. Annie and Hallie attempt to recreate the night where their parents met by arranging dinner on a yacht. Nick and Elizabeth agree that Hallie will go to London over Christmas and Annie will spend Easter in California. However, the two decide not to resume their relationship, with Elizabeth planning to fly back to London with Annie the next day. The two twins refuse to give up and impose hiding their identities. Unable to tell which one is which unless the four of them go on a traditional camping trip together. Elizabeth insists that Meredith go in her place, wanting her to get to know the girls before she marries Nick.
The girls play a series of pranks on Meredith. When the girls place her mattress on a lake, Meredith then bursts out and vows to ship them off to Switzerland, demanding Nick chooses between her and them. Finally seeing Meredith's true colors, Nick chooses the girls, causing Meredith to break off the engagement. On returning home, Nick grounded the girls though is somewhat relieved to be free of Meredith. He shows Elizabeth his wine collection which includes wine they drank at their wedding. The two realize they are still in love but decide to go their separate ways with the twin they have custody of.
Elizabeth and Annie arrive back in London. They are stunned to find Nick and Hallie, who flew to London via Concorde. Nick reveals he feels bad about not going after Elizabeth the first time. The two finally kiss, signifying their intention to resume their marriage. The end credits show photographs from their remarriage which also takes place on the QE2 with Hallie and Annie as bridesmaids and Chessy and Martin getting engaged. The twins are overexcited their plan worked and the family they always wished for is fulfilled.
