"Who's Herbie?"
"This little car. Named after my Uncle Herb. He used to box middleweight. Preliminary, mostly. Gradually, his nose got shaped more and more like to remind me of this little car."
Jim Douglas (Jones) is a race car driver that wrecked his last car. While looking for a replacement, he comes across a VW Bug that follows him home. He works out a deal with Peter Thorndyke (Tomlinson), the car dealership owner, to purchase the car. Jim begins to work on the car, while his best friend Tennessee Steinmetz (Hackett) realizes the car is special, and names it Herbie.
Soon Jim and Herbie begin winning races. Their success aggravates Peter, who makes a bet with Jim: the winner of the upcoming "El Dorado" race will be the ultimate owner of Herbie. With Peter's new sales girl, Carole Bennett (Lee), in their corner, can Jim and Herbie win the race, or will Peter's tricks cause them to lose?
My father loves racing, and always has (he has even published several books on the subject). I grew up watching Nascar, Indy car, etc races on TV, and know too much about these racing styles (and can identify current drivers on sight). As a child, my father introduced us to Herbie (we actually have a VHS copy of Herbie Rides Again), and I have loved that VW bug.
The film featured Disney favorite Dean Jones, who appeared in The Ugly Dachshund, That Darn Cat, and others (and would eventually play the villain in the first Beethoven film). Jones is a talented leading man, and does well in the role. He is supported by Buddy Hackett, who steals the show in every scene. David Tomlinson, another Disney favorite, is an excellent villain, and seems to take great joy in being evil. Joe Flynn's Havershaw is the perfect side-kick for Tomlinson. He doesn't have a large role, but works well when he is on screen. Benson Fong is funny as Mr. Wu. Michele Lee is a strong female lead, who sees the potential in Herbie early on. All of the actors add to the success of the film... but the true star is Herbie, who manages to capture your heart early on. I know Herbie isn't real, but they genuinely convey emotion through little tricks of the car.
A great film from my childhood, that still holds up today. I look forward to watching all of the sequels (many for the first time). They don't make movies like this anymore.
The Love Bug (1968) 108 minutes
Director: Robert Stevenson
Starring: Dean Jones as Jim Douglas
Michele Lee as Carole Bennett
David Tomlinson as Peter Thorndyke
Buddy Hackett as Tennessee Steinmetz
Joe Flynn as Havershaw
Benson Fong as Mr. Wu
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