Year: 1989
Runtime: 86 mins
Language: English
Director: Mollie Miller
When Jeff plans to marry again, his triplet daughters Megan, Lisa and Jessie try to bring him together with Susan.
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Read the complete plot breakdown of Parent Trap III (1989), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
Jeffrey Wyatt [Barry Bostwick] is the widowed father of identical triplet teenage daughters, Lisa [Leanna Creel], Jessie [Monica Lacy], and Megan [Joy Creel]. As he picks his daughters up from the airport, he neglects to tell them over the summer he has become engaged to Cassie McGuire [Patricia Richardson]. Cassie wants to redesign their California beach house with the help of house designer Susan Evers [Hayley Mills]. Jeffrey initially doesn’t like Susan’s ideas, but comes around to allowing them due to Cassie.
Lisa, who is dating David [Chris Gartin], has invited a boy she met in Paris named Hawk [Jon Pennell], a “bad boy,” to eat at their house. She doesn’t know how to break it to David that she finds Hawk more unpredictable. She asks Jessie to pretend to be Lisa on a date with David, so Lisa can go on a date with Hawk while their father goes on a date with Cassie, Susan, and Nick [Ray Baker], his best friend. As the adults are getting ready for their double date, Susan compliments Jessie going out with David, Lisa tries to cover up the ruse by saying she is Jessie, only for her father to chuckle even he gets the girls confused on occasion. On their date, Jessie is bewildered to be at a Welcome Home Lisa party with all of their friends. She embarrasses herself during a karaoke dance skit called The Jackson Three (a parody of the Jackson Five), when she is made to do the Janet Jackson song What Have You Done for Me Lately.
Hawk is not wanting to settle down and be Lisa’s boyfriend. He asks her to run away with him, but she refuses. Later that night, Jeffrey figures out the switch and grounds the girls for three weeks, with David disappointed in Lisa and Jessie. Lisa unleashes her feelings and tells Jeffrey that she doesn’t like the jealous, snobbish Cassie, and neither do her sisters. The next morning, Susan speaks with Jessie and Megan, saying her earlier compliment was not an honest mistake, but that she suspected Lisa and Jessie were switching identities, and even shows them a picture of herself with her twin sister, Sharon Grand [Hayley Mills].
Lisa runs away with Hawk on his motorcycle only to break down at a diner. Jessie and Megan, using David’s car, find her. Jeffrey, Susan, and David also do so. Hawk and David fight in the diner, causing the police to be called, and Hawk breaks up with Lisa. David begins to like Jessie better than Lisa. Cassie becomes angry that Susan went with Jeffrey to the diner. The girls begin to befriend and like Susan. They set up a date for her and Jeffrey by not telling Nick and Cassie to come. Jeffrey expresses his admiration for Susan, who refuses because he is engaged. She quits working on the Wyatts’ house and continues with Nick’s condo and Cassie moves the date to two days away. The girls go to Susan’s apartment and meet Sharon Grand, Susan’s twin sister. Sharon agrees to help them set up Jeffrey and Susan.
On the wedding day, Sharon and the girls lock Jeffrey and Susan in the garage shed, resulting in Jeffrey missing the wedding. Cassie, devastated, hooks up with Nick and drives away. David and Jessie become a couple. Jeffrey and Susan realize their love for each other after playing the piano and singing to the music box she bought and then gave to him. Sharon and the girls take down the shed wall, revealing Jeffrey and Susan about to kiss.
Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:32
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Cheerful families working together to orchestrate a happy ending.If you enjoyed the playful scheming in Parent Trap III, you'll love these other movies where families hatch harmless plots. These stories share a light tone, fast-paced comedic setups, and a focus on bringing people together for a predictably happy and heartwarming conclusion.
Narratives in this thread follow a simple, cause-and-effect structure. A family unit, often led by children, identifies a problem—like a lonely parent—and devises a playful, sometimes mischievous, plan to solve it. The plot unfolds through a series of humorous misunderstandings and close calls, all leading to a joyful resolution where the scheme succeeds and everyone is happier for it.
Movies are grouped here based on their shared emphasis on family-driven, low-stakes conspiracies, a consistently light and humorous tone, and a fast pace driven by comedic plot mechanics. The emotional core is always positive, focusing on connection and happiness without significant drama or conflict.
Playful deceptions and swapped identities spark lighthearted romance.Fans of the twin-swap antics and romantic entanglements in Parent Trap III will enjoy these similar movies. Discover other light comedies built around cases of mistaken identity, playful deception, and cheerful romantic confusion that all end on a happily-ever-after note.
The narrative pattern revolves around a central case of mistaken identity or deception—like one person pretending to be another—which fuels the romantic plot. This leads to a fast-paced series of dates, near-misses, and humorous complications. The truth is inevitably revealed in a cathartic moment that strengthens the romantic bonds, culminating in a joyful union.
These movies are united by their use of identity-based deception as a primary plot device for romance. They share a fast pace, a light tone that avoids serious consequences, and a core focus on the humorous and ultimately positive outcomes of the chaotic situation.
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Track the full timeline of Parent Trap III with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Parent Trap III. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.
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