The Love Bug (1968)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Robert Stevenson

Writers:

Bill Walsh (screenplay) &
Don DaGradi (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

13 March 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Sport

Tagline:

Herbie Will Honk His Way Into Your Heart.

Plot:

A race car driver becomes a champion with a Volkswagen Beetle with a mind of its own.

Plot Keywords:

Volkswagen | Volkswagen Beetle | Mining | Animate Car | Cult Favorite

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Dean Jones	...	Jim Douglas
Michele Lee	...	Carole Bennett
David Tomlinson	...	Peter Thorndyke
Buddy Hackett	...	Tennessee Steinmetz
Joe Flynn	...	Havershaw
Benson Fong	...	Mr. Wu
Andy Granatelli	...	Association President
Joe E. Ross	...	Detective
Iris Adrian	...	Carhop
Ned Glass	...	Toll Booth Attendant
Robert Foulk	...	Bice
Gil Lamb	...	Policeman at Park
Barry Kelley	...	Police Sgt.
Nicole Jaffe	...	Girl In Dune-buggy
Wally Boag

Also Known As:

Car-Boy-Girl (USA) (original script title)

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | Iceland:L | Canada:G (video rating) | Argentina:Atp | Canada:F (Ontario) | Finland:S | Norway:A | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | USA:G | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

1000 block of Lombard Street, Lombard Street, San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

Herbie The Love Bug was a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle deluxe ragtop sedan painted in Volkswagen L87 pearl white. Under normal circumstances, the interior would be a matching white. However, Herbie's interior was painted a special non-reflective grey color so the camera and studio lights would not reflect.

Goofs:

Continuity: As Herbie wobbles drunkenly down the race track, the sun light is behind him. Then a few scenes later, the sun light is in front of him.

Quotes:

[Jim brings the malfunctioning Herbie back to Thorndyke. It accidentally bangs against Thorndyke's Rolls Royce and stops. Jim gets out]
Mr. Thorndyke: Have you gone mad?
Jim Douglas: Okay, what's the joke?
Mr. Thorndyke: What do you mean?
Jim Douglas: I don't know how you rigged it, but I'm sure that car is a real cut-up when a convention comes to town.
Mr. Thorndyke: What in the name of...
Jim Douglas: If I'd wanted a trick car, I would have bought one at a joke shop.
Mr. Thorndyke: [as Carole joins him] Allow me to say that I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about. You come billowing up in that beastly little car, and assault my personal Rolls Royce.
Jim Douglas: ...I brought it back! I want my money, I want the papers I signed, and then I'll get outta here, and you two clowns can, can have your little laugh.
Carole: Mr. Douglas, if there is anything wrong with the car, would you be good enough to tell me what it is?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in Making a 'Splash' (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

Tik-Tak-Polka op. 365

The Love Bug will drive it's way into your heart

The Love Bug is one of my favorite Disney movies. A movie about a car with a mind of it's own, a vw beetle with a heart, how could you not love a movie like that. Among all the great characters are the evil Peter Thorndyke, the beautiful Carole, the down on his luck driver Jim Douglas and the best one of the bunch Buddy Hackett as the wonderfully eccentric Tennessee Steinmetz, Tennessee has a Buddhist soul and does not discount the car as being alive. Love Bug is funny, sad and has scenes that will leave you to tears, you will laugh and shake your head. RIP Buddy wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh