The Love Bug (1968)

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

Director:

Robert Stevenson

Writers:

Bill Walsh (screenplay), Don DaGradi (screenplay)

Stars:

Dean Jones, Michele Lee, David Tomlinson

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

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

Storyline

Meet Jim Douglas, a down-on-his-luck race car driver who lives in an old run-down fire house in San Francisco with his friend Tennessee Steinmetz, a occasional drunk mechanic. One day, Jim goes to a luxury car dealer and sees a strange Volkswagen Beetle with a unusual problem: it tends to drive on its own, as if it were sentient. The little Bug follows Jim home but Jim believes that the owner of the car dealership, Peter Thorndyke, is playing a trick on him. Jim decides to try out the car, and experiences its magical nature, fahrvergnügen, if you will, for himself. Jim repairs the little car and Tennessee names the him "Herbie". Behind the wheel of Herbie, Jim becomes more successful in racing. Thorndyke wants Herbie back, but Jim refuses and Thorndyke decides to race against him. Thorndyke sabotages Herbie before a big race known as the "El Dorado" - an obvious parody of the then-new "Baja 1000" race in Mexico. Jim and Tennessee along with Thorndyke's former assistant (and ...

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Plot Keywords:

vehicle driving by itself | volkswagen beetle | car | volkswagen | hippie | 

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Taglines:

If You Haven't Caught The Bug... It's Going Around Again!

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Genres:

Comedy | Family | Sport

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Certificate:

G

Did You Know?

Trivia

One cop tells the other that he has been on the Haight-Ashbury beat for too long. This is district in San Francisco near the intersection of Haight and Ashbury streets.At the time this was the center of the hippie movement, with the attendant reputation of hallucinogenic drug use.

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Goofs

The Volkswagen was not being pulled behind the cable car. It was actually driven from the back seat by a man whose head can be briefly seen in the right rear side of the car.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Jim Douglas: I'd like another shot at that prize money. Okay for next Sunday?
Bice: No, Jim, it ain't okay.
Jim Douglas: Now, look, Bice, I know...
Bice: No, *you* look. All my drivers are eighteen, nineteen... You're too old for these kid sports. You're liable to get hurt in there.

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Crazy Credits

At the end of the end credits, the words "The End" turn into an animated bug which drives away from the screen.

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Alternate Versions

When originally released theatrically in the UK, the BBFC made cuts to secure a 'U' rating. All cuts were waived in 1986 when the film was re-rated with a 'U' certificate for home video.

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Connections

Referenced in Scrubs: My New Suit (2006)

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Soundtracks

Die Fledermaus
(uncredited)
Written by Johann Strauss

User Reviews

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

Details

Official Sites:

Disney's Official Site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Cantonese Spanish

Release Date:

13 March 1969 (USA)

Also Known As:

Car-Boy-Girl

Filming Locations:

Cuddy Valley, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$51,264,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$51,264,022

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1