The Love Bug

Release Date: March 13, 1969

Watch Date: February 11-12, 2025

“He’s the star who provides the most laughs per gallon. He’s Herbie, the lovable car with a mind of his own. Dean Jones, Michele Lee and Buddy Hackett join Herbie in this revved-up comedy classic. Jones plays down-on-his-luck race car drive Jim Douglas, who reluctantly teams up with the little machine. While Douglas thinks his sudden winning streak is due to his skill, not Herbie’s, he finally realizes the car’s worth when a sneaky rival plots to steal Herbie for himself.”

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   Dean Jones gets the franchise he deserves. I mean, I knew he would, because I live decades in the future, but I’m still ridiculously proud of him.

   The kids loved this film, seriously, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen them so involved in watching a movie, not even Frozen captured their attention the way this movie from the 60s starring a Volkswagen did. They cheered. They worried. They immediately wanted to watch the sequel.

   It’s honestly what I love most about this marathon, seeing the staying power that Disney has all these decades later. These movies that are classics, that my parents enjoyed when they were kids, their grandchildren are still watching and making memories with. There’s something magical in that, and it’s the reason that Disney has become as beloved a brand as it has, looking past the parks, and the merchandising and their general ownership of every entertainment brand made in America.

   I want to say more about this movie, because this write up is embarrassingly short, but I can’t. It’s just a good movie, a classic for a reason, a movie that became a franchise that became a reboot. Up until a few years ago there was a Herbie that drove around my town for most of my life. It earned it’s Disney classic status, however improbably it might seem for a movie about a living car to occupy that status.

   Watch it, if you haven’t. And if you have, this is your sign to watch it again, especially if you’ve got kids. You’ll be amazed at what captures their interest, and how a simple story, well written, with a few good jokes, trumps the billions of dollars in budget and CGI of today.