Stoutor It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

Hadrina The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Stephan Hammond It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Ezmae Chang This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Python Hyena The Love Bug (1968): Dir: Robert Stevenson / Cast: Dean Jones, Michele Lee, Buddy Hackett, David Tomlinson, Joe Flynn: Family film that crosses the line in terms of improbable silliness with charm. Title symbolizes our materialistic nature yet it is Volkswagen, Herbie that cherishes its driver. It comes into possession of a struggling race driver when it follows him home from a dealership where it was under threat with dismantlement. Ridiculous plot has too much idiocy that is never explained. It is never clear why Herbie has these abilities and our request to merely accept it is lazy on part of the screenwriter. Director Robert Stevenson is a veteran of Disney having made the wonderfully creative family film Mary Poppins and the pathetically overrated family crap Old Yeller. Dean Jones delivers correct bewilderment but doesn't exactly seek answers as to why his car acts more like a pet. It is obvious that he will win the race because of Herbie, and we are treated to a lame tree climbing joke that should have been scrapped the moment it was thought of. Michele Lee plays a potential love interest and that is about the height of her involvement. Buddy Hackett is the sidekick mechanic with all the personality of a can of motor oil. David Tomlinson and Joe Flynn are hilarious as over the top villains. It showcases one's love for automobiles in a whole new way. It also showcases one's desire for foolishness. Score: 5 ½ / 10

AaronCapenBanner Robert Stevenson directed this appealing comedy that stars Dean Jones as unemployed race car driver Jim Douglas, who comes into possession of a Volkswagen Beetle named Herbie that somehow has a life of its own, and as soon as Jim realizes this, with the help of his friend Tennessee Steinmetz(played by Buddy Hackett) Herbie goes to work winning races for him, and helping him meet an attractive lady(played by Michele Lee) He must compete against his chief rival Peter Thorndyke(played by David Tomlinson) to win the big climatic race. Amusing and delightful film can be enjoyed equally by adults and children alike. First in a series of such films with Herbie.

Brian T. Whitlock (GOWBTW) Before "Knight Rider" or "Speed Buggy",there was Herbie. This spunky Volkswagon can win a race whenever he can! Hardly anyone can control this machinery, he tends to think on its own. Here you have a racer named Jim Douglas(Dean Jones), a racer who lives for the thrill. Known for wrecking cars, he gets a chance to go on the racing field once again. He and his partner Tennessee Steimetz(Buddy Hackett) get the car and the fun begins. Both he and Herbie get the glory, but the owner of foreign cars has other plans. He wanted to get Herbie out of action, permanently! Carole Bennett(Michele Lee)decides to join forces with Jim and Tennessee, and make sure that Peter Thorndyke(David Tomlinson) don't get all the glory. There was a lot of humor in the race when the bear took the saboteur's place when trying to keep Herbie from winning. And who needed a chauffeur when you have Herbie doing the driving. A great movie, family friendly, and true gem that can make you sparkle. For all you grease-monkeys, here's a movie for you! Also it was my nickname. HAHAHA!!! 5 STARS!

fom4life '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'.