Welcome to Movie Mondays, a weekly blog series that takes you on a cinematic odyssey through the world of film! Each week, we’ll dive into a list of my 100 least favorite movies, exploring what makes them fall short and discussing the lessons we can learn from their missteps. Remember that these low-ranking films are only that way based on my personal opinion. Something I hate may be something you love and no offense is intended. Wherever these movies fall for you, I invite you to grab some popcorn and join in on the debate over these films’ merits!

The Love Bug

1969

Directed by Robert Stevenson

Ah, The Love Bug. The movie that spawned a thousand Herbie sequels and probably just as many toy Volkswagen Beetles. As much as it pains me to revisit this 1969 Disney “classic,” I’ve done the search on Disney+ to give it another watch. Buckle up, folks, because this is going to be a bumpy ride.

The plot revolves around a down-on-his-luck race car driver named Jim Douglas (Dean Jones) who ends up with a sentient 1963 Volkswagen Beetle named Herbie. Along with his kooky friend Tennessee Steinmetz (Buddy Hackett) and love interest Carole Bennett (Michele Lee), Jim and Herbie embark on a series of misadventures, culminating in a nail-biting (not really) race against the dastardly Peter Thorndyke (David Tomlinson).

Now, I’ll admit that the cast does their best with what they’re given. Dean Jones is charming enough as the lead, and Buddy Hackett provides some much-needed comic relief. But let’s be real – the real star of the show is Herbie. And while the special effects were probably impressive for the time, they don’t hold up well today. I mean, a car that drives itself and has feelings? Groundbreaking.

Behind the scenes, the crew reportedly went through a rigorous casting process to find the perfect car for the role of Herbie. Rumor has it that they lined up a dozen cars and picked the one that “elicited the crew to reach out and pet it.” I’m not making this up. They also gave Herbie his own cast billing in the closing credits, which is a level of anthropomorphism that I’m just not comfortable with.

Look, I get it. The Love Bug is a beloved childhood classic for many people. But as someone who didn’t grow up watching it on repeat, I just don’t get the appeal. The plot is thin, the jokes are corny, and the whole thing just feels like a 108-minute commercial for Volkswagen Beetles.

But hey, that’s just my opinion. If you’re a fan of The Love Bug, more power to you. I’ll just be over here, waiting for the inevitable gritty Herbie reboot. In the meantime, I think I’ll stick to watching Christine. At least that killer car has some edge.