Herbie Rides Again (1974)

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Prior to "The Love Bug", "Herbie Rides Again" is a high octane movie where our favorite VW Bug has an adventure of a different sort. This time around he takes on a greedy land developer named Alonzo Hawk(Keenan Wynn) who has a tough time trying to tear down a antique firehouse owned by a tough widow name Mrs. Steimetz(Helen Hayes). In order to give the land to him he gets his bumbling nephew, Wiloughby Whitfield (Ken Berry) to do his dirty work. When he discovers Hawk's scheme, he joins forces with Steinmetz and Nicole Harris(Stefanie Powers). Nicole is a tough willed woman to be reckoned with. All the scenes of this movie is magic. I liked the part where Hawk was dreaming and all the sheep in his dreams turned into Volkswagons with sharp teeth, and he acted like King Kong. The best part is where Herbie gathered all the VW Bugs against Hawk and his invaders. But Mr. Judson (John McIntire) helped some in saving the firehouse. Volkswagons were the bomb and they still are. If you like cars like that, this movie is for you! Knight Rider's got nothing on this one. 4.5 out of 5 stars!

I agree with the majority of the poster who find this entry deplorable. Disney had a goldmine with the Herbie series and they squandered it.I think that staging racing scenes were probably too costly, so they cooked up the inane plot about saving Helen Hayes' firehouse. Ken Berry is an ineffective cuckold while Stephanie Powers is the one with brass balls.Keenan Wynne's constant rage is off putting for parents and mad me uncomfortable as my son watched his unending bluster.The two Dean Jones Herbie films are the best of the bunch. Skip this waste of time.

The best thing about this horrible movie is the opening scene which shows real-life footage of large buildings being demolished.The worst thing is the theology behind the story, as espoused by no less an actress than veteran Helen Hayes whose character claims that everything has a soul and a life to it - and that's why the car, he organ, the train all can understand each other and human minds!! This is Walt Disney "New Age" baloney 20 years ahead of it's time. Later on, spells are cast, etc, typical of Disney films. Walt was a big fan of the occult and believed in all that sort of thing. Pretty pathetic.We know where Herbie's "soul" is right now: Junkyard Hell, where it belongs!

Herbie Rides Again is a great family comedy. The funniest part in the movie was when Herbie and all of his volkswagen friends chased Alonso Hawke down the streets of San Francisco. That part is hilarious and priceless. Children and adults will love this movie and the other Herbie movies too. Go out and buy all of the Herbie movies. You won't regret it.