The Love Bug (1968)

The Love Bug (1968)
Takes a while to realize Herbie is alive, 29 September 2008


'The Love Bug', stars Herbie (the ''1963 VW bug) in his big motion picture debut. He goes on to have a lucrative but somewhat stereotyped role in motion pictures. All the movies which follow this one have him playing the same role. It's sad when non-living things get typecast. I know this bothered R2D2 quite a bit as profiled in the documentary 'Behind the Dome' (if I got the title right). Herbie goes on to star in 4 sequels, a re-made for TV movie and a short lived TV series.

The title of the film seems to indicate that the main crux of the plot involves Herbie playing cupid to Dean Jones and Michelle Lee. Although the little bug does try to play matchmaker it's much more about Herbie being a race car, kinda like the Mach 5 in 'Speed Racer', accept that this car is alive. But actually the film is more than just a race car movie with silly Disney Moments; it's about the complex relationship between the driver and his car.

The main comic hijinks steam from the story line that this VW bug is alive with a mind of its own. The car is alive in the same way the cars in 'Cars', are alive accept that Herbie doesn't have big eyes in his windshield and a mouth in its front bumper. An amazing little bonus feature, presents a old Disney cartoon with a 'Cars' looking car entitled by 'Susie, the Little Blue Coupe' narrated by Winnie the Pooh. Herbie looks more alive in the way the Knight 2000 looks alive accept that it is not due to artificial intelligence. Maybe it's possessed like 'Christine', or has the spirit of some person like in 'My Mother the Car'. Who knows? The movie never delves too deeply into why the car is alive, but it doesn't need to. The characters in the film and the audience are caught up in the reality of the situation and the reality takes root into their hearts and minds and questions about a car being alive is naturally accepted. The film also never gives questions it doesn't answer. It's a comedy and not an in-depth science fiction film and it treats the story as such.

Unlike other Disney films it takes awhile for the characters to slowly believe that the car is actually alive. Certain incredible things are sometimes processed slowly. Christian faith can be like that to someone who comes to believe in it after believing in some other philosophy (such as atheism) for some time. Thus the story line proceeds at a natural pace. The comedy springs up from the characters and the situations that they are in as opposed to having wacky things happen just to get a cheap laugh.

The whole cast, Dean Jones (lots of Disney films), Michelle Lee, Buddy Hacket, David Tomlinson (Mary Poppins), Joe Flynn (Macale's Navy) and Herbie (Herbie Fully Loaded) himself are delightful folks to hang out with for a couple hours. This is a film that defiantly deserves a place in the family library, right next to 'Cars'.