Every Version Of Freaky Friday & The Parent Trap, Ranked By IMDb

The Parent Trap brings two classic movies to mind, but the title has a much longer history than that. The story’s source material is Erich Kästner’s 1949 novel, Das doppelte Lottchen. Freaky Friday is also based on a book, Mary Rodgers’ 1972 novel of the same name. All of Freaky Friday’s movie versions consistently feature a busy and underappreciated mom, a frustrated and misunderstood teenage daughter, a cute little brother, and a dad or future stepdad.

The increasing order of IMDb ratings conveniently places the Freaky Friday movies first, followed by all the takes on The Parent Trap. The history of these films is astounding, proving that walking another day in someone else’s shoes is a timeless and worthy concept. Some of the comedies are available on Disney+.

9 Freaky Friday (2018): 3.7

The most recent version of Freaky Friday is a DCOM that grew out of a stage musical created by Bridget Carpenter, Brian Yorkey, and Tom Kitt. Heidi Blickenstaff played the mother, Katherine Blake, in both the musical and the Disney Channel Original Movie. Cozi Zuehlsdorff joins the film version as Ellie Blake, a messy and rebellious teen who couldn’t be more different from her perfectionist mother.

Ellie and Katherine switch bodies the day before Katherine’s wedding when, in the midst of an argument, the daughter and mom are both grabbing onto an hourglass that Ellie’s dad gave her. The musical is a departure from the story’s other film versions, and it can be challenging for audiences of the older movies to engage with the update.

8 Freaky Friday (1995): 6.0

In the second version of Freaky Friday, Shelley Long plays Ellen Andrews and Gaby Hoffman plays Annabelle Andrews, retaining the names from the 1976 original. Ellen is a children’s clothing designer, and Annabelle is a spunky tween with a love for chocolate syrup and a disregard for authority.

Their switch-up comes from a talisman, courtesy of Ellen’s boyfriend, Bill. Several things in this film have not aged well, including some cultural stereotypes and inappropriate behaviors, like Long’s Ellen—really Annabelle trapped in her mother’s body—pulling down a child’s pants as a prank to get back at him for hurting her son. The movie is not on Disney+.

7 Freaky Friday (2003): 6.2

In yet another update, Lindsay Lohan’s character’s name is shortened to Anna, and her mother, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, is Dr. Tess Coleman. Tess is a successful psychiatrist and author, and Anna is an edgy musician who wants nothing to do with her mom.

While eating out at a Chinese restaurant, the two switch bodies, and it’s just in time for Tess’s upcoming nuptials. With a romantic side plot featuring Chad Michael Murray and a band scene at the House of Blues with Christina Vidal Mitchell, this movie will always be a favorite for the kids who watched it in the 2000s.

6 Freaky Friday (1976): 6.3

The original Freaky Friday stars Jodie Foster as Annabel and Barbara Harris as Mrs. Andrews. All they must do to switch bodies is synchronously wish that they could be each other for the day. This happens when Annabel is at the diner before school while Mrs. Andrews is at home in the kitchen.

Despite the film’s outdated gender roles—Mrs. Andrews does literally everything for Mr. Andrews—the movie is a comedic delight that younger viewers are likely to appreciate.

5 The Parent Trap (1998): 6.5

Lindsay Lohan is the thread tying The Parent Trap and Freaky Friday together, along with the various takes on trading places. Lohan took after Hayley Mills and doubled as Annie and Hallie in the 1998 remake, written by Nancy Meyers and Charles Shyer.

Annie comes from designer British stock, and Hallie comes from the wealth of a California vineyard. When they randomly meet at summer camp, they don’t get along at first. As it is in the original, the twins discover their sisterhood and make it their mission to bring their parents (Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson) back together. Listen carefully for Lohan (as Hallie) to sing a line of “Let’s Get Together” from her 1961 predecessor.

4 Twice Upon A Time (1953): 6.7

Twice Upon a Time offered the first cinematic telling of Das doppelte Lottchen in English. The 1953 British film starred twins Yolande and Charmaine Larthe, who have been separated ever since their parents’ divorce.

Like all the other movies, a chance summer at camp brings the young women together and gives them the idea to trade lives for awhile. Their attractive parents are played by Hugh Williams and Elizabeth Allan. Emeric Pressburger directed the film, which was distributed by London Films International.

3 Two Times Lotte (1950): 7.0

Das doppelte Lottchen, known in English as Two Times Lotte, is the very first film adaptation of the novel. In the German film, the leads are played by actual twins, Jutta Günther as Lotte Körner and Isa Günther as Louise Palfy.

The lookalikes get to know one another at summer camp, find out that they are twins, and plot their switch. The motion picture was directed by Josef von Báky. It would receive German remakes of its own in 1994, 2007, and 2017.

2 Hibari No Komoriuta (1951): 7.0

One year after Das doppelte Lottchen made its film debut, Japanese cinema offered another take called Hibari no komoriuta. The film was directed by Koji Shima and starred one young woman, Hibari Misora, as the leading twins. Misora was a Japanese singer, actress, and icon in her time.

1 The Parent Trap (1961): 7.1

Though it isn’t the first film adaptation of Kästner’s story, the Hayley Mills movie is the first to be called The Parent Trap. Mills doubles as Susan Evers and Sharon McKendrick, two young ladies who are at odds for most of their Camp Inch tenure.

Sharon enjoys a tidy life with her socialite mother (Maureen O’Hara), while Susan relishes a carefree existence under the guidance of her handsome father (Brian Keith). From the movie’s classic animated opening sequence to its long saga of togetherness, 1961’s The Parent Trap is an enduring summertime classic which even spawned three sequels in the 1980s.

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