A turbo-charged punch buggy

Classic movies, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Mary Poppins celebrate their 50th and 60th anniversaries respectively later this year. Several other hits, including Godfather II and Blazing Saddles celebrate big anniversaries too.

You’ll find all four on many lists of the greatest movies ever created, they’re classics, some of the best filmmaking you’ll ever see, but I’m kind of partial to another movie that’s celebrating a big milestone this week. Oh, it wasn’t as big of money earner and certainly had its share of plot holes and challenges, but who remembers the one and the only, Herbie the Love Bug?

The Love Bug had a limited release in late December 1968 and was released to larger audiences on March 13, 1969. You don’t remember The Love Bug? You’re missing out.

The plot was simple, it was Disney family faire after all. No complicated plots here. Down-and-out race car driver Jim Douglas (Dean Jones) and his mechanic, Tennessee Steinmetz (Buddy Hackett), come in possession of a white 1963 Volkswagen Beetle that seems to have a mind and spirit of its own. The car, nicknamed Herbie, rewards Douglas for his kindness by helping him beat his rival, who also happens to be the race car driver who previously mistreated Herbie.

Throw in love interest Michele Lee and a bad guy, portrayed by David Tomlinson, and you have everything you need for a memorable, classic Disney movie. The movie spawned numerous sequels and rebrands over the years, including Herbie Rides Again (1974), Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo(1977), and Herbie Goes Bananas (1980) and Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005).

While the special effects and racing was quaint even for the time, for a kid growing up in rural Pennsylvania, Herbie represented Cinderella and everyone who has ever found themselves playing the underdog role. Herbie wasn’t supposed to win, but he found a way to win anyway. I could root for a car like Herbie.

No, The Love Bug is not on my list of the greatest movies of all time. I’m not even sure if it would make my top racing or Disney movies, but it still has a special place in my heart. Sometimes we all need a feel-good movie.

Go Herbie go.

44 thoughts on “A turbo-charged punch buggy”

  5. I saw Herbie Goes Bananas (1980) but I never knew there were others before it.
    I recently sat my son down to watch with me…this year, he really loved it. I love Herbie.

    PS.
    I left a comment on an old post on The Heart of the Matter – ‘Flannel and my Father’.

    Liked by 2 people

  8. I loved Herbie. I actually saw Herbie on the back of a trailer in Orange County, CA on the freeway. Maybe it was headed to Disneyland, or some collector bought it. 50 and 60 years for Mary Poppins and Butch Cassidy. No thank you!

    Liked by 2 people

  11. Honey, loved Herbie. So many people got their VW Beetles painted like their movie heart throb when this movie came out. The Love Bug was truly loveable and a true classic indeed. As a matter of fact, a few weeks ago, I drove past a business that had an exact replica of Herbie sitting on display near their front door. How interesting! 😍☮🤗

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  15. I remember this movie airing during the magical hour of Disney on the weekends. A classic and I definitely relate and root for the underdog in Herbie!

    Liked by 2 people

  16. Those were great movies. True story: I was at a park for a kid’s birthday, talking to a dad about old movies. I was just about to tell him, “We watched Herbie Goes Bananas this morning.” And guess what he said to me? EXACTLY what I was about to say to him! What are the odds?!?!?! Both families watched the same movie on the same morning. Only thing weirder right then would have been if we had both spoken the same sentence at the same time. But I was too polite to talk over him. Darn. 😉

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  18. blast from the past, Brian! My Herbie was the BBB (Blue Bitchin Bomber”.. Drove slick the first week.. broke down after. Then I had a great MGM mean green machine. It was great too until I forgot to add oil and blew the engine.. YIKES! After that I stayed clear of them. haha😉❣️

    Liked by 1 person

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