Herbie Goes Bananas (1980) starring Stephen W. Burns, Charles Martin Smith, Cloris Leachman, Harvey Korman
Herbie Goes Bananas is the fourth Love Bug movie from Disney, and is the most kid-centered Herbie movie thus far. There’s no trace of the original cast from The Love Bug, with a new owner for Herbie, who wants to follow in his uncle’s footsteps and become a famous race car driver.
This takes them towards a road race in Brazil, where they run into Harvey Korman as the funny, scene-stealing Captain Blythe, who is trying to escape from the protagonist’s Aunt Louise (played to great humor by Cloris Leachman) — the comic interactions between Harvey Korman and Cloris Leachman are the highlights of the film. Otherwise, it’s strictly a kid’s movie, with the Love Bug getting mixed up with a pick-pocket and a counterfeiting ring — typical 1970’s Disney kids plot.
Editorial review of Herbie Goes Bananas, courtesy of Amazon.com
This fourth Love Bug movie is a wooden story about Herbie’s funny adventures heading toward a race in Brazil. Charles Martin Smith and Steven W. Burns try hard to bring some life into this project, but it just doesn’t happen. There is one good laugh in the whole thing, in a scene where Herbie becomes a matador. Otherwise, even the picturesque, south-of-the-border stuff doesn’t help. — Tom Keogh
Product Description of Herbie Goes Bananas
Set in exotic locations in Central America, the internationally renowned Herbie, everyone’s favorite — love bug, — demonstrates his special brand of — car-isma — and high-octane humor in this action-packed, stunt-filled comedy outing. The fun begins when Herbie sets sail for Rio de Janeiro’s Grande Premio racing competition with his two new owners. En route, they get sidetracked by a smuggling syndicate, pestered by a pint-sized pickpocket, and bullied by a raging bull. Laughter shifts into high gear in this zany Disney comedy!