The Herbie Triolgy (Part 1: The Love Bug)

Once one of Disney's most popular movies, The Love Bug is about a living, lovable 1963 Volkswagen Beetle (named "Herbie") that can drive itself (nearly 15 years before anybody has heard of the TV Show *"Knight Rider"*which also featured a self-driving car). As much as it's a surprise hit when the movie came out in 1969 it was the top-grossing movie of that year.

Over a half a century later, Disney has made even more top-grossing (and Oscar-winning) movies such as *"The Little Mermaid", "Beauty & The Beast", "Aladdin", The Lion King", "Finding Nemo",* and *"Frozen"* (just to name a few). Now not a lot of people remember Herbie (not even a lot of Disney fans).

But, the lovable Volkswagen did get some justice as all of the Herbie movies (from *The Love Bug* to *Herbie: Fully Loaded*)  is now in Disney's streaming network: *Disney+*.

But what about the movie itself? Well, this is what this 3-Part new series of "*Johnny's Synopses"* will try to cover.

**Disclaimer:**This will only cover the 3 top Herbis movies. *Herbie Goes Bananas, The Love Bug 1997 Remake, and Herbie Fully Loaded* will not be mentioned.

Let's get started with the main characters.

In the Main Characters category, the character name will have that actor/actress name in parenthesis.

## Main Characters

### Jim Douglas (Dean Jones)

A down-on-his-luck, has-been race car driver who nearly got himself killed in a demolition derby. Jim lives in the old Steinmetz Firehouse (more on that in the next part) with the current owner: Tennessee. As he went to Peter Thorndyke's European Car Agency, he meets Herbie, and after making adjustments on him, he seeks a comeback. Though, after he (and Herbie) loses a race is when Jim will realize Herbie is alive and respect him.

### About Dean Jones

Not much is known about Jones' Filmography. Apart from The Herbie movies, Jones did another Disney movie called *The Shaggy D.A.* (a sequel to *The Shaggy Dog*, another Disney movie).

### Tennessee Steinmetz (Buddy Hackett)

An out-of-his-gourd welder who owns his family's Firehouse. Once down-on-his-luck like Jim, he then took an Enlightenment trip to Tibet where he believes where he went through what he calls "Contemplation". Tennessee (kind of odd being named after a US State) has an unusual understanding for inanimate objects which are (unbeknownst to other people) alive, that is how Tennessee becomes friends with Herbie.

### About Buddy Hackett

Buddy Hackett his best known for his stand-up comedy skits. He did do a good number of movies, such as a film rendition of the play *"The Music Man"*, he would return to Disney and provide the voice for Scuttle in The Little Mermaid.

### Carole Bennett (Michelle Lee)

A Secretary to Peter Thorndyke's European Car Agency in San Francisco. Jim takes an immediate (and juvenile) shine to her. Initially supportive of Thorndyke's wanting to participate in California's races, but when Thorndyke resorted to cheating, she had a change of heart and decides to help both Jim and Tennessee.

### About Michelle Lee

As of right now, Ms. Lee is the only surviving cast member of this movie. With other movies, she was in the one-time film *"How to succeed in business without really trying."*(Not a Disney movie). Her recent work was *"Knots Landing"* and cameo appearances on a variety of TV Shows such as *Family Guy*.

### Peter Thorndyke (David Tomlinson)

The owner of a European Car Agency in San Francisco. Ruthless, unforgiving, mean, and nasty. He has no love for Herbie and will do anything...................everything, to make sure Herbie is nothing more than just a distant memory. When he tried his hand at race car driving, he realizes that he can't match the skill of Jim and the speed of Herbie. He resorts to cheating in an attempt to get Herbie back.

### About David Tomlinson

A British actor, Mr. Tomlinson is best known for his role as George Banks in the Disney movie *Mary Poppins*. He also is known for another live-action/animated mix film *Bedknobs and Broomsticks*.

Are you acquainted with the movie's characters? Good, let's begin.

**Warning:** This page contains spoilers, don't read this if you wish to see the movie.

## The Love Bug Synopsis

### The Beginning

After nearly getting himself killed in a Demolition Derby. Jim Douglas was seeking a way to get himself back to the racing circuit, a \*real\* racing circuit, but his manager says that he's "over the hump" as most of his clients are 19 years old, and Jim was complaining that he ran out of pride when he ran out of cars. Then, the manager drops off Jim at the Steinmetz firehouse where he was living with his friend Tennessee Steinmetz. Jim hands Tennessee a damaged bumper from a car he inadvertently destroyed in the aforementioned demolition derby. When Jim was snacking on some pressed kelp, Tennessee tells Jim about his time in Tibet in hopes to help his friend (possibly to have him give up racing when Tennessee suggests that it wasn't Jim's thing. But, Jim (being closed-minded) still had his heart on racecar driving and heard of a dirt track race in nearby Bakersfield and even asks if he can use Tennessee's car, only to find out that Tennessee cut the car down who said that it was the best thing to do, and it looks happier out there.

### Jim meets Carole and Herbie

Desperate to find a race car, Jim takes a trip to a car agency (owned by Peter Thorndyke), and this is where he meets Carole Bennett, in an attempt to hit on her, he (intentionally) hits his head on the glass window and make like he's not well. As Jim enters the agency, Carole asks Jim on his well-being, and Jim sits down on her desk, but then Jim's eyes lit up when he saw a yellow and black colored Shelby 3500 GT.

Not sure what car it is. Maybe my brother can help out.

Anyway,

Peter Thorndyke comes in and tries to help Jim as he was still mesmerized by the Shelby....whatever it is. Thorndyke then offers Jim a bottle of....uh, sherry, and a biscuit and talk over cars and prices. Jim says that he's thinking about buying a car for around either $75 or $80. But this is to the disgust of Thorndyke who flat out shuts down the conversation, and even going to the extent of taking away Jim's glass of "sherry".

Now for the man.....uh,.........\*car\* of the hour. Herbie.

The lovable Volkswagen bumps into Jim who wonder where Herbie came from. Thorndyke (now upset) demands Carole to explain to him about Herbie, and she says that a previous customer bought Herbie for a room-mate, but because of a problem, Herbie was then returned. Thorndyke than orders Havershaw to get Herbie out, and then kicks the car, which upsets Jim (as his affinity for cars, it upsets him when somebody abuses cars). Because of what Jim said, Torndyke ends their relationship and tells Havershaw and his mechanics to get Herbie out of his showroom, and warns of trouble if Herbie gets into the showroom again. Jim, feeling responsible for his choice of words and putting his business where it doesn't belong, apologizes to Carole and leaves.

### Herbie Comes alive

Jim was boarding one of San Francisco's famous Trolleys, unbeknownst to him that Herbie was following him.....all the way back to the Steinmetz Firehouse. The next morning, a San Francisco detective comes to the firehouse to ask Jim and Tennessee some concerned questions about Herbie and then suggest to the 2 to say nothing that will jeopardize their Constitutional rights and to hire a lawyer once they get downtown. Jim who still has no idea about what is going on asked the detective on how Herbie got there in the first place.

Then, Jim with the detective came to Thorndyke's European Car Agency (where Jim met Herbie). A heated argument ensued between Jim and Thorndyke as Jim accuses Thorndyke of trying to plant Herbie on him as if Jim stole Herbie from Throndyke who denies this and even proceeded to tell him that he'll never do business with a person who Throndyke doesn't consider "socially compatible". Carole than stops the argument before it gets out of hand and suggests that Jim buys Herbie with several low down payments. Despite this, Thorndyke continues with his derogatory rant as he wants Jim in jail and Herbie dropped into the San Francisco Bay, the detective, however, thinks Thorndyke was being fair, Jim disagrees and continues being upset and complaining about "being muzzled". Carole than makes Jim come with her so he can sign the papers to buy Herbie. Thorndyke continues his rant, and then Herbie "pees" oil on his shoe.

Jim and Herbie go for a drive around San Francisco, everything was going fine until Jim tries to get on the freeway. Herbie stops and becomes afraid, and then boosts in reverse, giving Jim (and a few other drivers) a surprising jolt. Herbie then stops underneath an overpass and opens the door for Jim who is now wondering what had just happened.

Jim (along with an uncontrollable Herbie) drive back to Thorndyke's Car Agency and crashes into Thorndyke's Rolls Royce (which upsets Thorndyke). Jim then complains to Thorndyke about Herbie and said if he wanted a "trick car" he would've bought one at a joke shop, though Thorndyke approaches what Jim says in total disbelief, then Jim demands his money and his papers so he can leave. Carole then tries to make the situation better as she takes it upon herself to try Herbie with Jim (which delays her Dinner Engagement with Thorndyke).

Everything with Herbie seemed to go fine for Carole who tells Jim that he was just exaggerating his problems, even when Jim tries to explain his problem with Herbie, Carole cuts him off and even ask him about his experience with cars, in a slightly annoyed tone of voice Jim tells Carole that he's a race car driver, then Carole proceeds to tell him that she remembers him in his past races (all of them humiliating himself as he crashed his cars), Jim (now dumbfounded) asks Carole is where did she know this. Carole than just tells Jim to try to enjoy Herbie, and to drive her back to the car agency.

As both Jim and Carole switch places, Jim is challenged by a couple of stoned Hippies in a hot rod, Jim shrugs them off. But as the light turns green, this is when Herbie takes off, being able to outrun the Hippie hot rod.

Jim was immediately impressed and excited at what Herbie just did (and so were the Hippies), though Carole believing it was Jim who did that, and tries to get out of Herbie and call for a Taxi, just as she was about to get out, Herbie takes off again. Carole tells Jim to stop Herbie but to no avail. They return to Thorndyke's car agency, but this time they miss Thorndyke's Rolls-Royce.

Herbie drives both Jim and Carole all over San Francisco as Jim tries (and fails) to gain control of Herbie who then turns into a danky drive-in diner with a snotty waitress who just puts menus on Herbie's windshield. Carole tries to get out of Herbie but her door won't open, even after Jim asks the snotty waitress to help Carole with the door, the waitress (being snotty as she is) refuses and asks Jim what he wants to order, and he complies by saying he wants 2 hamburgers and a coffee.

Seriously Jim, a coffee? Why not a Pepsi to go with those Burgers?

Anyway,

Carole still struggles to get her door open, only to find mindless Hippies just give her some Hippie banter.

Carole still mad at the fact that Jim went along with the diner and ate his dinner. Then, Herbie stops to let Jim and Carole switch places, as they do, Herbie takes off again (this time with Carole at the wheel) and they went to a cliffside where Carole tries (and fails) to get Herbie starting again. Jim then gets out so he can call for a Taxi. Carole (upset) tries to start up Herbie but as she gets into Herbie's engine she gets her hands dirty and closes the trunk in anger, and that is when Herbie starts again. She drives and then picks up Jim. Then, a Police Officer comes and asks about what Jim and Carole are doing. They drive off, but not before the officer gives them a suggestion about putting the car brakes on when it's stopped, a suggestion he shouldn't have preached because his car drives into a small pond with ducks.

### Jim's Comeback

After Jim takes Herbie back to the Steinmetz Firehouse, he tries to fix up Herbie and as he's doing that Tennessee tells him about his time he spent in Tibet and even said that the objects we use and see every day can be as much a living being as any human being or animal. After Jim fixes Herbie, he realizes that his engine is pretty unique and can go faster than a normal Volkswagen. Tennessee, on the other hand, believes he has made a friend out of Herbie.

The next morning, Jim and Tennessee want to give Herbie a test drive, after going down San Francisco's famous snake street, Jim realizes that he has worked out all of the bugs in Herbie, and Tennessee talks to Jim about how he named the car Herbie, after buying and dropping off a bunch of flowers for Carole, they decide to go back racing.

Jim, Tennessee, and Herbie enter a race at the Jack Rabbit Springs raceway. Carole and Thorndyke also watch the race from afar. Herbie (with Jim's skills and Tennessee's support) has won the race.

After the race, Thorndyke came and asks Jim what he has done to Herbie, and reminded him that he technically owns the car as Jim still has several payments on him. He even proceeds to tell Jim that he is willing to pay Jim $1,000 to give him back Herbie, Tennessee doesn't like the idea, but Jim tells him that he knows what he's doing and thinks that Thorndyke is confused on who won the race and thinks Thorndyke got confused the car with the driver. Carole then suggests that Thorndyke to race in the upcoming race in Riverside, and if Jim wins, he'll be able to have enough money to pay off Herbie.

When the Riverside race came, things went like how the race went.

But with the support of Tennessee, Herbie races ahead of the pack of racers, until only Thorndyke (who was in the first place) remained. After Thorndyke tried to fool Jim and Herbie, causing them to crash into one of the signs, they returned. As Thorndyke believed he had won, Jim and Herbie got in front of him, and Herbie spat oil in Thorndyke's face. As Jim took the 1st place trophy, Thorndyke tries to look in Herbie's engine but was stopped by a judge and gets mad at the situation around Herbie who pees on Thorndyke's shoe (again).

Jim and Herbie than began winning race after race (with Thorndyke losing race after race). Jim and Herbe quickly became famous (but only Jim is taking the credit). Even in a no-holds-barred road race in Tijuana as Thorndyke's car breaks down and is humiliated in the Mexican Newspaper.

### Thorndyke's Plan

Getting very angry (or "piffy" as to how Thorndyke calls it) Thorndyke wants to know what is up with Herbie, he then tries a bit of espionage. Carole (still supportive of Thorndyke) also goes along with his plan, and that is to separate Jim from Herbie, Carole suggests to go out to a nice dinner with Jim while Thorndyke examines Herbie. Though, Thorndyke told Carole is that he initially is trying to court Jim to race for him but has a different agenda, and it pertains to Herbie.

As Carole take Jim out to dinner, Tennessee is left with Herbie, that is until Thorndyke shows up and wants to look at Herbie. After an awkward conversation, Tennessee asks if Thorndyke would like some Irish Coffee, Thorndyke would like that and the 2 have a cup. Meanwhile, Jim expresses his affinity for cars, and Carole asks him about how well he's doing with Herbie, he still is unappreciative towards Herbie especially when he says that he's only half a man without a real car. Back at the firehouse, both Thorndyke and Tennessee are getting drunk off the Irish Coffee, and as Tennessee goes to make more coffee, Thorndyke then takes his helping of Irish Coffee and Whip Cream and dumps it into Herbie's gas tank. Unbeknownst to even Carole, Thorndyke is resorting to cheating in the next Riverside Race. When Carole and Jim reach the same cliffside they were when Herbie was new, they fall in love.

Could Thorndyke's plan backfire? Well, read the rest of this page and find out.

At the second Riverside race, things were turning out nicely, Jim and Herbie again pass Thorndyke on the straightaway. But then things turn ugly, the Irish Coffee Thorndyke put into Herbie takes effect and Herbie was knocked out of the race, and allowed Thorndyke to win.

### Jim realizes the truth about Herbie and Herbie runs away

After the race, Tennessee attends to Herbie (still sick from the Irish Coffee) and then Carole (who quit Thorndyke's car agency after learning of Thorndyke's deeds) drops by the firehouse and helps Tennessee with Herbie, as Carole fixes Herbie, Tennessee tells Carole his time in Tibet and what Jim was like before he met Herbie. As both Tennessee and Carole help make Herbie feel better, Jim comes back...........with a different car.

I think it's a Lamborghini from what I read. As he wanted a strong car to compete in the upcoming huge road race known as the *"El Dorado"*.

Anyway, as Jim goes into the firehouse, he gets a call from Thorndyke who is aware of Jim's recent purchase and says that he can take Herbie off his hands for $1,500. Jim, not liking Thorndyke (especially after what he did) but also having no purpose of keeping Herbie and needing money, he takes up Thorndyke on his offer which was much to the disgust of Tennessee and Carole who get upset with Jim for doing this.

But while both Tennessee and Carole try to knock some sense into Jim, a jealous Herbie knocks out Jim's new car. This is when Jim now sees that Herbie is a living being. Thorndyke then shows up to take back Herbie and is willing to pay that $1,500 he previously promised to Jim, he then raised the price to $2,000. Jim (who now realizes the situation with Herbie) then began asking questions about why Thorndyke wants Herbie, Thorndyke dodges these questions and insists that Jim sells Herbie back to him. Jim then gets angry at Thorndyke for not answering his question and pins him to the wall of the firehouse. Then, Tennessee tells both of them that Herbe ran (or "drove") off. Tennessee decreed that finding Herbie is a private thing between Jim and Herbie, so Jim goes off to find him alone and into the foggy San Francisco he went. Thorndyke then goes off to find Herbie too and instructs Havershaw to help him.

Jim then tries to find Herbie. But Thorndyke's men (led by Havershaw) find him first and tow him away once Herbie sounds off his horn, making it easier for Jim to find him. Back at Thorndyke's car agency, Thorndyke orders his men to tear Herbie apart, but Herbie gets upset and drives off, and escapes. Jim eventually finds Herbie in Chinatown while underneath a Dragon float, Herbie then drives off again, and crashes into a Chinese squid market (owned by Tang Wu, played by Benson Fong) Wu tells his worker to call the police.

Jim then sees Herbie drive towards the Golden Gate Bridge, and seeing Herbie trying to commit suicide by driving off the side of the bridge. But as Jim tries to stop Herbie, he slips off the bridge and hanging onto Herbie's Bumper. Herbie knows that he has to forgive Jim for what he has done and decides to save him.

When the Police arrive, Herbie is impounded, and Wu tells his friend to check the cars to see which one is Herbie. After hearing Herbie's horn, Wu then knows it's him as a dried squid was inside. As both Jim and Tennessee arrive at the impound lot, Wu gives them the price of the damages, but as Jim has no money, he can't afford to pay them. Before the police officer says that Herbie will be auctioned off and the proceeds going to Wu, Tennessee tries to talk to Wu, in broken Chinese, Tennessee convinces Wu to not impound or sell-off Herbie, Tennessee knows that Wu was a fan of Herbie and racecar driving, but Wu wants to keep Herbie which worries Tennessee. Jim then comes up with a plan to get Herbie back, for the time being, Wu can have Herbie but needs a driver in the El Dorado, and if Jim wins u gets the prize money, but has to sell Herbie back to him for $1. Wu agrees to this.

### The El Dorado

After a meeting with all of the drivers and owners of the cars. Thorndyke has a plan of his own and makes a lucrative deal with Wu that if he wins, he will take back Herbie. Unbeknownst to Wu that Thorndyke has rigged Herbie to lose. Another cheating scheme by Thorndyke. Before the race began, Tennessee warns Carole and Jim about Herbie might split in half as he had to cut Herbie's frame in half to straighten him out.

With the El Dorado underway, Herbie and his friends catch up to Thorndyke quickly, but Thorndyke's first trick is to plant an oil slick to run Herbie off the road, but Thorndyke wouldn't pay attention to the road and run off the road himself, and into a puddle of mud, and as his relief driver, Havershaw was trying to push Thorndyke out of the mud, a bear comes in and takes the passenger seat, in a panic Havershaw shuts the door. Thorndyke (who has mud on his goggles complements of Herbie) doesn't know that he is driving with a bear in his car, once he realizes it, he faints and after his car crashes into a tree, he is still full of fear for the bear. Herbie and his friends then run out of gas before reaching a refueling point at the town of Chinese Camp, after realizing that Thorndyke replaced gas in the canister with water, they also realize that a few Chinese people who know Wu helped carry Herbie and his friends to Chinese Camp. Herbie was refueled quickly (compared to Thorndyke) and was back in the race.

Another deception plan that Thorndyke had was to make Herbie and his friends do in the wrong direction and they went into some kind of mine (as did the other racers), but Herbie and his friends found a dumb weightier elevator system and they made their way out of the mine.

But Thorndyke has one more cheating scam on Herbie. He sabotaged a few of Herbie's wheels, and they came off after Thorndyke bumps into Herbie. Because of this, Herbie came to Virginia City (the stopping point of the race) in the last place.

That night, Thorndyke believing that he had won and now owns Herbie, decides to take Herbie away. But his arrogance gets in the way and kicks Herbie, which angers everybody, including Herbie who chases Throndyke to a fence where there are dogs on the other side. Jim, Tennessee, Carole, and Wu stop Herbie before he does any more trouble to Thorndyke.

The next morning and with newfound confidence, Herbie and his friends get ready for the second leg of the El Dorado. Because they came in last in the first leg, they start last. But this didn't matter as Jim make his very own shortcuts to race ahead of the other racers until only Thorndyke remained, and after driving through a ghost town, Thorndyke ran Herbie off the road and into a ditch (which they recovered quickly). Then Thorndyke and Havershaw rolled out a log to keep Herbie from going further, but Thorndyke got stuck in Herbie's front compartment, and then Jim, Carole, and Tennessee help him out.

As they reached the last stretch before the finish line, Herbie than began to split (as Tennessee had to cut his frame in half). After Tennessee tried (and failed) to keep Herbie intact, Herbie split entirely. Knowing that they have a race to win, Herbie wants to make sure Thorndyke doesn't win.

Especially after all of the cheating he has done.

Anyway,

Herbie and his friends eventually win the El Dorado, and to Thorndyke's dismay, he has to follow onto his deal he made with Wu because Herbie won, he has to give up his car agency in San Francisco.

### The End

Now with Wu owning Thorndyke's car agency alongside Tennessee. Thorndyke and Havershaw are now their mechanics and expressed their anger towards each other.

Jim and Carole now happily married, leave the new Wu car agency to go on their Honeymoon, and when Tennessee asked them where are they going, Jim says that Herbie doesn't know yet, Jim and Carole drive off and a sad Tennessee says goodbye as Jim and Carole leave for their Honeymoon.

## Trivia

* Herbie was painted with a special white color which doesn't reflect. This would keep the reflection of the film crew, studio lights, and other equipment off of Herbie.
* Herbie's number (53) was chosen by film developer Bill Walsh who was a fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In Particular, the pitcher Don Drysdale who wore the number in his entire 13 years on the ballclub. His number would eventually be retired by the ballclub.
	+ More Interestingly, Drysdale retired in 1969, the same year The Love Bug was released.
* Peter Thorndyke drove 4 cars in this movie
	+ In the first Riverside Race, he drove a Bue Colored Jaguar LKE Coupe.
	+ In the Second Riverside Race, he drove a Red Colored Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta.
	+ In the El Dorado, he drives an Apollo 3500 GT (a specially made model that also has a V8 engine, which makes this car rare). Not sure about the car he drives in the Tijuana road race though.
* Only 2 of the 3 raceways actually exist.
	+ Despite that there was a Riverside raceway, the raceway that was used in the movie was actually Laguna Seca. The other Raceway (Jack Rabbit Springs Raceway) is actually Willow Springs Raceway. Laguna Seca and Willow Springs are still in use today. The real Riverside Raceway was taken down on June 2, 1989, and is now a shopping mall.
* The race manager of the El Dorado (referred to as Mr. Granatelli) is real-life race manager, Andy Granatelli. He is well known to promote race car drivers back in the 60s, including race car legend, Mario Andretti, who had a cameo appearance in the Disney movie *Cars.*
* Though the red color car Jim purchased to replace Herbie is a Lamborghini, but when Herbie destroys it a few minutes later, it's actually an already wrecked E-Type Jaguar.
* Dean Jones and Buddy Hackett also play hippies in the scene where Carole tries to get out of Herbie.
* Tang Wu (supposedly) owns his own car enterprise (as said on the coveralls and shirts of some of the Chinese characters in the movie, and later Thorndyke and Havershaw). On one coverall worn by an old Chinese man attending to Thorndyke during the Chinese Camp scene, it has a tagline *"We put a Dragon in your tank."* which is a reference to the famous tagline of the gas company Exxon which states *"We put a Tiger in your tank."*
* The movie went through many titles such as *"The Magic Volksy", "The Runaway Wagen", Thunderbug,* and *"Car, Boy, Girl."* before deciding on The Love Bug.