The Parent Trap

FADE IN:

EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD - SOUTHERN MAINE - DAY

A caravan of THREE CAMP BUSES with the name CAMP WALDEN FOR GIRLS emblazoned on their sides climb a tree-lined road. The Buses turn down a narrow lane and pass through a freshly painted wooden gate as the CAMERA RISES giving us a sweeping view of beautiful CAMP WALDEN. A magnificent lake sparkles in the distance with red canoes lined up on its shores. over this quiet serenity we HEAR the Bus HORNS HONKING to announce the first day of camp has officially begun.

EXT. MAIN LODGE - CAMP WALDEN

Girls. Girls. Girls. Tall ones, short ones and everything in between. Some carry pillows, others carry stuffed animals, all wear backpacks. There are more pony-tails swinging at this moment than you can imagine. Teenage Counselors try to control the pandemonium without much luck. The only men in sight, the Bus Drivers,. toss duffel bags out of the buses and into a large pile.

MARVA KULP, the owner of the Camp, late sixties, four and a half feet tall, wearing khaki shorts, talks through a BULLHORN. Next to her stands her daughter and first lieutenant, MARVA JR., just under six feet, tanned and humorless. She also holds a BULL-HORN.

MARVA SR.

(into bull-horn)

Good morning, ladies and welcome to Camp Walden. I'm Marva, your Camp Director and this is my daughter and right hand man, Marva, Jr. Girls, please find your duffels as quickly as possible, we've got a big, big day ahead of us. Marva,'bunk assignments, if you please.

Marva Jr. lifts her BULL-HORN and starts barking out bunk assignments right into her Mother's ear. Marva Sr. covers her ears in pain.

MARVA JR.

Berg, Kate, Iroquois, bunk seven Berg, Lily! Chickasaw, bunk five!

(we HEAR a SCREAM of joy) Burnham, Daisy! Kickapoos, bunk three!

2

A MOUNTAIN OF DUFFEL BAGS sits on the quad as one eleven year-old, Hallie Parker, pops up from behind the huge pile.

Hallie

(to herself)

okay, found my duffel, now the question is, how do I get it out?

Hallie wears overalls, a baseball cap that says Girls Rule, sunglasses, and a sweat-shirt tied around her waist. Her ears. are pierced, her hair is short, she wears bright red high tops and metallic blue nail polish.

Hallie

(finding her duffel bag strap)

Okay, I can do it.

Hallie pulls on the strap with all her might, her face turning bright red.

Hallie

Okay, no I can't.

A skinny kid with a long neck, ZOE, steps in, carrying her duffel bag on her shoulder and chewing gum.

ZOE:

You must be new.

Hallie

How can you tell?

ZOE:

You didn't know to grab your duffel before the apes tossed it into the heap. I would say you need some serious help.

Hallie

Thanks. it's the big blue one.

ZOE:

(helps Hallie pull on the

strap)

Cool hat.

Hallie

Thanks, it was a going away gift from my Dad.

As Zoe and Hallie pull on the strap together, the Bus Drivers

toss another half-dozen new duffels onto the pile. Hallie and

3

Zoe shoot the Bus Drivers a look. Just then, NICOLE, a strapping ten year-old in a tie-dye T-shirt, beads and a bandana around her head arrives and easily pulls her duffel from the center of the pile.

Hallie

Now that's my kind of woman.

ZOE:

(cups hands around her mouth)

Hey! Tie-Dye girl!

Nicole turns around.

Hallie

Would you mind giving me a hand? My duffells the red one, way in there.

Nicole nods and drops her duffel. It LANDS right on Zoe's foot.

Hallie

You okay?

ZOE:

(grabbing her foot)

That would be negative.

Nicole yanks Hallie's duffel out of the pile and drops it on Zoe's other foot.

ZOE:

Aaaahhh! Why, thank you.

NICOLE:

(smiles)

You're welcome.

(reading name-tag on Hallie's duffel)

Hey, you're from California?

ZOE:

You are? Do you live in Hollywood?

NICOLE:

Do you like live next door to a movie star?

Hallie

-- What are you two, Lucy and Ethel?

I’ve never even been to Hollywood. I live in Napa, that's in Northern California, and I live next door to a vineyard.

4

ZOE:

A whatyard?

Hallie

A vineyard. It's where you grow grapes to make wine. That's what we do, me and my I)ad, we own a vineyard. What bunk are you guys in?

ZOE/NICOLE

(at the same time)

Arapaho.

Zoe and Nicole look at each other, not thrilled.

MARVA JR.

(yells from bull-horn)

Parker, Hallie...

Hallie

(yells back)

Yo! Right here!

MARVA JR.

(looks over and waves)

Arapaho! Bunk eleven!

The Girls slap hands and head off toward their bunk.

Hallie

So, either of you by any chance know how

to play poker?

(Nicole and Zoe shake their

heads)

No? That's a shame. So, tell me, how much cash did you guys bring with you this summer?

As the Girls walk off, CAMERA BOOMS UP to a LIMOUSINE pulling up in front of the MAIN LODGE. Heads turn as the Driver, in a dark suit and cap, hops out and opens the limousine's back door. Out steps a PROPER BRITISH BUTLER, perfect posture, elegant grey suit, extremely proper demeanor. His name is MARTIN and he speaks with a stuffy ENGLISH ACCENT.

Martin leans into the back-seat and takes the hand of an elegantly dressed eleven year-old, Annie James. Annie wears a powder blue suit and carries a purse and a small vanity case. Her hair is perfectly neat, shoulder length and worn with a powder blue head band. As Annie turns to Martin, we see her face and we realize SHE LOOKS ECACTLY LIKE Hallie Parker! Same hair color, same eyes, same nose, same mouth, same height, same weight. Identical in every way.

5

MARTIN:

Well, here we are - Camp Walden For

Girls.

(looks around, with disdain)

We travelled six thousand miles for... this?

Annie looks around. She also speaks with a BRITISH ACCENT.

Annie

It's rather picturesque, wouldn't you

say?

MARTIN:

I don't know if that's precisely the term

I would use.

Annie smiles as the Limo Driver lines up four pieces of matching luggage by Martin's side.

MARTIN:

So, lets review, your Mother's list, shall

we?

(pulls out a typed list)

Vitamins?

Annie

Check.

MARTIN:

Minerals?

Annie

Check.

MARTIN:

List of daily intake of fruits and vegetables?

Annie

Check. Check.

(Martin looks up)

Check for fruits, check for vegetables. Go on.

MARTIN:

Herbal teas, sugarless candy, sun block, lip balm, insect repellent, umbrella, stationary, stamps, fountain pen, flashlight, batteries, photos of your mother, grandfather and of course....

(turns page)

Yours truly!

6

Annie

Got it all, I think.

MARTIN:

Oh, and here's a little something from your

Grandfather, a brand new deck of cards.

Maybe you'll find someone on this continent

who can actually whip your tush at poker.

Annie

I doubt it but thanks. And thanks for

bringing me, Martin.

Martin is suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. He looks away, about to burst into tears, quickly grabs Annie, hugs her tightly, then just as quickly - regains his dignity.

MARTIN:

And remember, if you change your mind and want me to pick you up at the end of camp, I'm only a phone-call away.

Annie

I'll be fine. See you in eight weeks,

Marty ol’ pal.

Rate this script:3.0 / 7 votes