Parents' Guide to

Herbie Rides Again

By Polly M. Robertus, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Kids will love this gentle, slapstick love bug.

Movie G 1974 88 minutes
Herbie Rides Again Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 5+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Kdris
Kdris Parent of 5-year-old
October 4, 2020
age 5+

Fun, unthreatening slapstick

This had my sensitive five year old worried here and there but not hiding behind his hands for once. The stakes are relatively low - no one is put in any danger, the sad parts are fleeting and all the action is very cartoony. The movie had us all giggling and although some of the gender stereotypes are very outdated, the female characters are still strong and well realised.
1 person found this helpful.
szparag3
szparag3 Parent
June 18, 2016
age 5+
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

It's Herbie to the rescue when an unscrupulous developer schemes to take a widow's home. In HERBIE RIDES AGAIN, the famous VW bug with a mind of its own teams up with lawyer Willoughby Whitfield (Ken Berry) to stop Willoughby's uncle Alonzo (Keenan Wynn), a greedy real estate developer, from bullying sweet Mrs. Steinmetz (Helen Hayes) into selling her San Francisco home. Willoughby falls for Mrs. Steinmetz's niece Nicole (Stefanie Powers), and Herbie rallies every VW in the city to help stop Alonzo. In a particularly amusing scene, Mrs. Steinmetz blithely rides through San Francisco, never taking her eyes off her knitting, as she and Herbie are pursued by thugs in big, bullying cars.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (1):

Herbie Rides Again nearly rises to the level of its predecessor, The Love Bug. Helen Hayes and Keenan Wynn's well-matched antagonism furthers the romance of a young couple. Lots of sight gags, bluster, and comic revenge will capture the grade school crowd's attention. Though younger viewers may need an explanation of some of the motives and action, this is a fine family feature. Helen Hayes' comedic turn as an unflappably sweet grandmother (which won her a Best Actress nomination in 1975) provides a fun counter to Keenan Wynn's gruff bluster. As in the first Herbie feature, the little car never misses a chance to score off the villain. The driving scenes are mostly funny (under and on top of water, along the cables of the Golden Gate Bridge) and only occasionally scary (along the ledges of a high-rise office building).

The romance between Willoughby and Nicole manages not to slow things down too much, although it's unnecessary to the plot. The blossoming romance between Mrs. Steinmetz and rancher Mr. Judson is a lot more fun to watch. Seven- and 11-year-old sisters were amused and only occasionally restless while viewing. There's nothing to dislike or distrust about this movie, and plenty for the whole gang to enjoy.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how this film shows no visible seatbelt use; kids should be reminded that they weren't universally available or legally required at the time.

Movie Details

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