Fantasy comedy

The Love Bug (1997): Cast & Plot

Name: The Love Bug
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Comedy, Family
Released: 1997-11-29
Duration: 1 h 28 min
Cast: Dean Jones, John Hannah, Bruce Campbell, Clarence Williams III, Kevin J. O'Connor

The Love Bug is a 1997 fantasy comedy directed by Peyton Reed, starring Dean Jones as Jim Douglas, John Hannah and Bruce Campbell. It runs 1 hour 28 minutes.

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Watch the trailer Read the plot summary

Released: November 29, 1997
Runtime: 1h 28m (88 min)
Director: Peyton Reed
Genres: Fantasy , Adventure , Comedy , Family
Original language: English
Studio: Walt Disney Television
After the credits: No No extra scene

The story

What Is The Love Bug About?

The premise of The Love Bug without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

When the beloved VW Beetle known as Herbie falls into a losing streak and faces the scrap yard, mechanic Hank rescues him and restores his racing spirit. Herbie quickly returns to the top of the leaderboards, angering his former owner, who constructs a formidable black rival to pit against Herbie in an epic showdown.

The Love Bug Themes & Keywords

· 18 tags

herbie the love bug character
twin
twins
good twin and evil twin
good twin versus evil twin
identical twins
evil twin
slimehouse
1990s
volkswagen
driver car relationship
vw kafer

+6 more

animate car
smart car
based on adaptation
remake
wonder car
sentience

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Cast & crew

The Love Bug Cast & Characters

Dean Jones leads the cast as Jim Douglas, with John Hannah as Simon Moore III and Bruce Campbell as Hank Cooper. Directed by Peyton Reed; 20 actors are credited in all.

Director Peyton Reed

Dean Jones as Jim Douglas
John Hannah as Simon Moore III
Bruce Campbell as Hank Cooper
Clarence Williams III as Chuck

Also Starring in The Love Bug

· 16 more

Kevin J. O'Connor Roddy Martel
Micky Dolenz Donny Shotz
Ali Wentworth Alex Davis
Harold Gould Dr. Gustav Stumpfel
Dana Gould Rupert
Jeff Garlin Highway Patrolman
Burton Gilliam Mecanic Race Announcer
Rick Overton The General
Peter Spears Young Dr. Stumpfel
Andrew Woodworth Trendy Guy
Christin Hinojosa Trendy Gal
Andy Houts 1st Mechanic
Mike Wills 2nd Mechanic
Doug McCallie Cocky Mechanic
Curtis Bradford Pepe
Alecia Guzman Bride Model

From the director

More from Peyton Reed

More films directed by Peyton Reed, best-rated first: Ant-Man, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Yes Man and Bring It On.

Full filmography

Plot

The Love Bug Plot Summary

What happens in The Love Bug from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

The narrator, Jim Douglas, tells the story of Herbie, the beloved Volkswagen Beetle, and the many adventures they share across decades, weaving memory with present-day moments in a tone that remains warm and approachable. In the current timeline, Herbie lands in the hands of a pompous race car driver and car dealer, Simon Moore III, whose harsh treatment of the tiny legend sets off a spark of rebellion in the car. During a high-stakes race, Simon insults Herbie by calling him junk, and the little hero refuses to be dismissed, screeching into a last-place finish before a weary owner tosses him into a junkyard like a forgotten trophy.

Full summary

The whole story of The Love Bug, scene by scene

Read the full summary