Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- warm
- whimsical
- family movie night
- lazy sunday
What critics said
Critics broadly found the inventive sentient-car premise charming and briskly entertaining, though some considered it a sentimental, formulaic Disney fantasy.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Herbie independently follows Jim, resists unwanted actions, and intervenes in races as an active character.
Down-on-his-luck driver Jim Douglas repairs Herbie and finds his racing fortunes transformed through their bond.
The sentient Volkswagen operates within San Francisco streets, car dealerships, garages, and competitive races.
Luxury dealer Peter Thorndyke pursues Herbie and sabotages the El Dorado race to regain control and secure victory.
Films like The Love Bug, and why
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
family-friendly fantasy comedy centered on a lovable vehicle with a mischievous personality
The Absent-Minded Professor
Disney fantasy comedy combining eccentric characters, mechanical invention, romance, and broad comic adventure
The World's Greatest Athlete
upbeat family comedy featuring an underdog, a fantastical object, and competitive spectacle
Cool Runnings
warm sports comedy about an unlikely underdog partnership overcoming a boastful rival
Movie Details
- Director
- Robert Stevenson
- Release Date
- 1968-12-23
- Runtime
- 108 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (665)
Cast
- Dean Jones
- Michele Lee
- David Tomlinson
- Buddy Hackett
- Joe Flynn
- Benson Fong
- Andy Granatelli
- Joe E. Ross
- Iris Adrian
- Ned Glass
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Disney Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Love Bug about?
- A struggling San Francisco racer finds renewed purpose and a mischievous teammate in a self-driving Volkswagen Beetle who takes him into battle against a ruthless car dealer.
- What is The Love Bug like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Love Bug as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is The Love Bug violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Love Bug as mild.
- What did critics think of The Love Bug?
- Critics broadly found the inventive sentient-car premise charming and briskly entertaining, though some considered it a sentimental, formulaic Disney fantasy.
- Which films are like The Love Bug?
- Films with a similar feel include Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Absent-Minded Professor, The World's Greatest Athlete, and Cool Runnings.
- How long is The Love Bug?
- The Love Bug runs 108 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Love Bug?
- In United States, The Love Bug streams on Disney Plus.
