Herbie Rides Again (1974)

The living Volkswagen Beetle helps an old lady protect her home from a corrupt developer.

Director:

Robert Stevenson

Writers:

Bill Walsh (screenplay), Gordon Buford (story)

Stars:

Helen Hayes, Ken Berry, Stefanie Powers

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Helen Hayes	...	Mrs. Steinmetz
Ken Berry	...	Willoughby Whitfield
Stefanie Powers	...	Nicole
John McIntire	...	Mr. Judson
Keenan Wynn	...	Alonzo Hawk
Huntz Hall	...	Judge
Ivor Barry	...	Chauffeur
Dan Tobin	...	Lawyer
Vito Scotti	...	Taxi Driver
Raymond Bailey	...	Lawyer
Liam Dunn	...	Doctor
Elaine Devry	...	Secretary
Chuck McCann	...	Loostgarten
Richard X. Slattery	...	Traffic Commissioner
Hank Jones	...	Sir Lancelot

Storyline

Alonzo Hawk is a mean-spirited property developer who has bought several blocks of land in the downtown district in order to build a gigantic shopping mall. There is one problem however; an elderly widow named Steinmetz won't sell the one remaining lot that Hawk needs to proceed with his scheme. So he resorts to all manner of chicanery, legal or otherwise, to get it. Fortunately, the widow Steinmetz has an ace up her sleeve in the form of Herbie, the miraculous Volkswagen.

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Plot Keywords:

vehicle driving by itself | star died before release | blockbuster | fisherman's wharf | reference to rudolph valentino | 

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Taglines:

The Loveable Bug's back doin' his thing!

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Genres:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Romance

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Certificate:

G

Did You Know?

Trivia

Herbie's Californian license plate number is "OFP 857".

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Goofs

When Willoughby first gets punched by Nicole and holds his jaw in pain, it's very clear that he has a lot of hair on the back of his hands. The hair suddenly disappears when you see him in the airport wearing a disguise and is gone for the remainder of the film.

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Quotes

Chicken Run Queen: [attempting a Medieval dialect but speaking in a clear country accent] My prince, you have won me!
[kisses a shaken Whilloughby]
Chicken Run Queen: Take me to yer kingdom!
Judge: [speaks to Whilloughby in an Italian accent] You win da bread, mac. T'ree dollahs.

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Connections

Followed by Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977)

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Soundtracks

Carnival of the Animals - The Swan
(uncredited)
Written by Camille Saint-Saëns

User Reviews

Just fun. Perfect for kids

I grew up on Herbie movies. I even "met" Herbie in the Panama Canal Zone during the filming of Herbie Goes Bananas. (Thank you Mrs. Kelstom!) I hadn't seen a Herbie movie in 25 years. They're exactly as I remember. These films were made back when Disney still had a keen eye on children's imaginations. Is the film cheesy? Absolutely. Intentionally so. How else could a movie about a "living" car turn out? Helen Hayes is charming. Stephanie Powers is spunky. Keenan Wynn is almost perfect in his role as the over-the-top Disney villain. OK - the flashbacks to Herbie's racing career are too long. But the film is strong enough to succeed despite that setback. This film is classic early Disney - full of impossible fantasy and magical inventions. If you have children - this film is a must.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 June 1974 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Love Bug Rides Again

Filming Locations:

Castagnola's Restaurant - 286 Jefferson Street, San Francisco, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$38,229,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$38,229,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min 84 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1