Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo
Encyclopedia
Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo is a 1977 film, the third of a series of films by Walt Disney Productions starring Herbie
– the white Volkswagen
racing Beetle
with a mind of its own.
as returning champion race car driver Jim Douglas, joined by his riding mechanic, Wheely Applegate (Don Knotts
). Together with Herbie, the "Love Bug", a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle
, they are participating in the fictional Trans-France Race, from Paris, France to Monte Carlo, Monaco, in which they hope to stage a racing comeback.
In the Trans-France Race itself, Douglas and Herbie have three major opponents:
Diane and the Lancia crash into a lake towards the end of the race, but Herbie, Jim, and Wheely save them from drowning. She soon changes her attitude toward him after he saves her life and she witnesses Herbie towing her Lancia out of the lake. All three watch as Herbie crawls next to the Lancia and the two cars hold doors like holding hands. When Herbie seems to have trouble re-starting, Diane urges the little car not to relent in their quest for victory in the Trans-France Race (with the added agreement of the Lancia's horn), and bids Jim good luck with a light kiss on one cheek.
With Diane out of the race (followed shortly thereafter by Claude Gilbert in the aforementioned crash), Jim pursues Von Stickle through the streets of Monte Carlo, combatants in a thrilling duel for the win. In the end, though, Bruno von Stickle is overtaken by the little car in the famous tunnel of the Formula One
race track, Herbie outracing him by driving upside down on the tunnel roof. Jim drives Herbie to victory for (also according to dialogue) the 20th time in their careers.
As the film progresses, two thieves, Max (Bernard Fox) and Quincey (Roy Kinnear
), steal the famous Etoile de Joie and cleverly hide the diamond
in Herbie's gas tank. It is also revealed that Inspector Bouchet (Jacques Marin
), also known as "Double X / XX", is the mastermind behind the museum robbery, though the fact of his scheme is revealed near the end of the movie. It is the eager young detective Fontenoy (Xavier Saint-Macary
), of whom the Inspector is the superior officer, who unravels the mystery of L'Etoile de Joie, and has Bouchet clapped in handcuffs.
At the end of the movie, Jim and Diane begin to fall in love, as do Wheely and the Monte Carlo trophy girl (Katia Tchenko). Most of all, Herbie and Giselle (Diane's Lancia, only referred to by name towards the end of the film as she come to believe in cars with minds of their own) fall in love again as well.
* Not credited on-screen.
1. Volkswagen Beetle
(Herbie
): white, red and blue stripes on hood, black number 53 in circle.
2. Lancia Scorpion (Giselle): powder blue, yellow and white stripes, dark blue or black number 7
3. DeTomaso Pantera: black, white stripes, black number 66 in white circle
4. Porsche 917
(referred to as a Lazer 917 GT Coupé): red, black and yellow stripes, yellow number 17 on black square background
5. Alpine A310
: white, red stripes and lower body, Esso
and Aseptogyl decals, number 2
6. Ferrari Daytona
: silver (sometimes dark green), black number 22
7. Ferrari Daytona
: red yellow stripes, black number 44 on yellow circle
8. BMW 3.0 CSi E9: powder blue, white, Elf petroleum decals, black number 8 in oval
9. Chevrolet Corvair
: white, dark blue stripes, black number 33
10. Datsun 240Z: white, black arrow on hood, red and yellow trim , black number 35
11. Fiat Dino Coupe: red, black number 5
12. Lancia Fulvia Zagato: red, black number 16 in white circle
13. Porsche 911
: dark green, black number 91 on yellow square
14. DeTomaso Pantera: red, black number 30 on white square
15. Porsche 356 Cabrio: orange, black roll cage, red trim, red number 54
16. DeTomaso Pantera: brown, white number 11
17. Maserati Indy
: dark blue, black number 70 on off-white square
18. Lancia Stratos Stradale: black, yellow wheels, Squale Diffuse decals on hood, white number 34
19. Lancia Stratos
: red, white trim, gold wheels, white stripes, black number 4 in white circle
20. Porsche 911
: white, blue trim, yellow number 190 in blue square
21. BMW 2002ti: white, red trim, black number 120
22. Porsche 911
: yellow, black number 99
in 1982, re-released in 1985, 1995 and on September 16, 1997. It was also released on DVD
in Region 1 on May 4, 2004 and was re-released as a 2-DVD double feature set along with Herbie Rides Again
on April 26, 2009.
Herbie
Herbie is an anthropomorphic Volkswagen Beetle, a character that is featured in several Disney motion pictures starting with the 1968 feature film The Love Bug. He has a mind of his own and is capable of driving himself, and is a serious contender in auto racing competitions...
– the white Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
racing Beetle
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
with a mind of its own.
Plot
The film stars Dean JonesDean Jones (actor)
Dean Carroll Jones is an American actor. Jones is best known for his light-hearted leading roles in several Walt Disney movies between 1965 and 1977, most notably The Love Bug.-Early years:...
as returning champion race car driver Jim Douglas, joined by his riding mechanic, Wheely Applegate (Don Knotts
Don Knotts
Jesse Donald "Don" Knotts was an American comedic actor best known for his portrayal of Barney Fife on the 1960s television sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, a role which earned him five Emmy Awards...
). Together with Herbie, the "Love Bug", a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
, they are participating in the fictional Trans-France Race, from Paris, France to Monte Carlo, Monaco, in which they hope to stage a racing comeback.
- Bruno von Stickle (Eric BraedenEric BraedenEric Braeden is a German-American film and television actor, best known for his role as Victor Newman on the soap opera The Young and the Restless and as John Jacob Astor IV in the 1997 film Titanic...
): He is a dark-haired, moustached German driver with experience in the "European Racing Circuit". His car was a powerful Porsche 917Porsche 917The Porsche 917 is a racecar that gave Porsche its first overall wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 and 1971. Powered by the Type 912 flat-12 engine of 4.5, 4.9, or 5 litres, the 917/30 variant was capable of a 0- time of 2.3 seconds, 0– in 5.3 seconds, and a top speed of over .There are 6...
clone painted in the colors of the German national flag, and bearing the number 17. In fact, as referred in the movie, the kit carKit carA kit car, also known as a "component car", is an automobile that is available as a set of parts that a manufacturer sells and the buyer then either assembles into a car themselves, or retains a third party to do part or all of the work on their behalf...
is a Lazer 917 GT coupé with numerous components including the engine and chassis from the Beetle. Von Stickle is deemed to be a formidable contender prior to and during the race.
- Claude Gilbert (Mike Kulcsar): Claude is a blond-haired French driver of unknown discipline, although it would seem likely that he was also a regular on the European Racing circuit. Gilbert, known for wearing a full-faced crash helmet, was the driver of an equally power-hungry De Tomaso PanteraDe Tomaso PanteraThe Pantera was a sports car produced by the De Tomaso car company of Italy from 1971 to 1991, the last one being delivered to a customer in 1992.The word "Pantera" is Italian for "Panther".-History:...
. That car was black with white stripes and a number 66) on the hood and the sides. His dominance in the race seemed similar to that of von Stickle until he crashed in the later stages.
- Diane Darcy (Julie SommarsJulie SommarsJulie Sommars is an American actress. She played assistant District Attorney Julie March on the TV series, Matlock from 1987 to 1994...
): She is a very pretty, if somewhat icy, young woman with strawberry blonde hair and hazel eyes who initially hates Jim for his and Herbie's incompetence that ruined her chances during the qualifying rounds. Diane's car is a powder-blue 1976 Lancia ScorpionLancia Monte CarloThe Lancia Montecarlo is a mid-engined sports car which was produced by Lancia in Italy from 1975 to 1982.Cars from the first series, which were produced from 1975 to 1978, were known as Lancia Beta Montecarlos and those from the second series, produced from 1979 to 1982, simply as Lancia Montecarlos...
with yellow and white stripes, as well as a racing number #7. Diane's Lancia is a car with whom Herbie falls in love during the film. However, Diane does not appear to believe in cars with minds of their own; thinking this was merely an excuse for what she believed as an act of possible misogynyMisogynyMisogyny is the hatred or dislike of women or girls. Philogyny, meaning fondness, love or admiration towards women, is the antonym of misogyny. The term misandry is the term for men that is parallel to misogyny...
or sexismSexismSexism, also known as gender discrimination or sex discrimination, is the application of the belief or attitude that there are characteristics implicit to one's gender that indirectly affect one's abilities in unrelated areas...
from Jim. The only female driver in the race, Ms. Darcy is ostensibly a rookie driver, although her level of racing experience is never discussed in the movie. Relatively little was seen of her performance in the Trans-France Race itself.
Diane and the Lancia crash into a lake towards the end of the race, but Herbie, Jim, and Wheely save them from drowning. She soon changes her attitude toward him after he saves her life and she witnesses Herbie towing her Lancia out of the lake. All three watch as Herbie crawls next to the Lancia and the two cars hold doors like holding hands. When Herbie seems to have trouble re-starting, Diane urges the little car not to relent in their quest for victory in the Trans-France Race (with the added agreement of the Lancia's horn), and bids Jim good luck with a light kiss on one cheek.
With Diane out of the race (followed shortly thereafter by Claude Gilbert in the aforementioned crash), Jim pursues Von Stickle through the streets of Monte Carlo, combatants in a thrilling duel for the win. In the end, though, Bruno von Stickle is overtaken by the little car in the famous tunnel of the Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
race track, Herbie outracing him by driving upside down on the tunnel roof. Jim drives Herbie to victory for (also according to dialogue) the 20th time in their careers.
As the film progresses, two thieves, Max (Bernard Fox) and Quincey (Roy Kinnear
Roy Kinnear
Roy Mitchell Kinnear was an English character actor. He is best remembered for playing Veruca Salt's father, Mr. Salt, in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.-Early life:...
), steal the famous Etoile de Joie and cleverly hide the diamond
Diamond
In mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
in Herbie's gas tank. It is also revealed that Inspector Bouchet (Jacques Marin
Jacques Marin
Jacques Marin was a French actor on film and TV. Marin's good command of the English language and his resemblance to the stereotypical Frenchman looks made him a familiar face in some major American and British productions and Disney movies Jacques Marin (September 9, 1919, Paris – January...
), also known as "Double X / XX", is the mastermind behind the museum robbery, though the fact of his scheme is revealed near the end of the movie. It is the eager young detective Fontenoy (Xavier Saint-Macary
Xavier Saint-Macary
Xavier Saint-Macary was a French actor, brother of Hubert Saint-Macary.Saint-Macary played in la Nuit américaine and le Château perdu in 1973...
), of whom the Inspector is the superior officer, who unravels the mystery of L'Etoile de Joie, and has Bouchet clapped in handcuffs.
At the end of the movie, Jim and Diane begin to fall in love, as do Wheely and the Monte Carlo trophy girl (Katia Tchenko). Most of all, Herbie and Giselle (Diane's Lancia, only referred to by name towards the end of the film as she come to believe in cars with minds of their own) fall in love again as well.
Cast
- Dean JonesDean Jones (actor)Dean Carroll Jones is an American actor. Jones is best known for his light-hearted leading roles in several Walt Disney movies between 1965 and 1977, most notably The Love Bug.-Early years:...
.... Jim Douglas - Don KnottsDon KnottsJesse Donald "Don" Knotts was an American comedic actor best known for his portrayal of Barney Fife on the 1960s television sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, a role which earned him five Emmy Awards...
.... Wheely Applegate - Julie SommarsJulie SommarsJulie Sommars is an American actress. She played assistant District Attorney Julie March on the TV series, Matlock from 1987 to 1994...
.... Diane Darcy - Jacques MarinJacques MarinJacques Marin was a French actor on film and TV. Marin's good command of the English language and his resemblance to the stereotypical Frenchman looks made him a familiar face in some major American and British productions and Disney movies Jacques Marin (September 9, 1919, Paris – January...
.... Inspector Bouchet - Roy KinnearRoy KinnearRoy Mitchell Kinnear was an English character actor. He is best remembered for playing Veruca Salt's father, Mr. Salt, in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.-Early life:...
.... Quincey - Bernard Fox .... Max
- Eric BraedenEric BraedenEric Braeden is a German-American film and television actor, best known for his role as Victor Newman on the soap opera The Young and the Restless and as John Jacob Astor IV in the 1997 film Titanic...
.... Bruno von Stickle - Xavier Saint Macary .... Detective Fontenoy
- François Lalande .... Monsieur Ribeaux
- Alan CaillouAlan CaillouAlan Caillou was the nom de plume of Alan Samuel Lyle-Smythe M.B.E., M.C. , an author, actor, screenwriter, soldier, policeman and professional hunter.-Biography:...
.... Emile - Laurie MainLaurie MainLaurence "Laurie" Main is an English former actor. Although Main appeared in many films and television series since the 1950s, he is perhaps best known for hosting and narrating the children's series Welcome to Pooh Corner, which aired on The Disney Channel during the 1980s.His television guest...
.... Duval - Mike Kulcsar .... Claude
- Johnny HaymerJohnny HaymerJohnny Haymer was an American actor who played Staff Sergeant Zelmo Zale, a recurring character in the television series M*A*S*H. Another high-profile role was that of the painfully unfunny stand-up comedian in the Woody Allen film Annie Hall...
.... Race official - Stanley Brock .... Taxi driver
- Gérard JugnotGérard JugnotGérard Jugnot is a French actor, film director, screenwriter and producer.Jugnot was one of the founders of the comedy troupe Le Splendid in the 1970s, along with, among others, his high-school friends Christian Clavier, Thierry Lhermitte, and Michel Blanc...
.... Waiter
- Jean-Marie Proslier .... Doorman
- Tom McCorry .... Showroom M.C.
- Lloyd Nelson .... Mechanic
- Jean-Jacques Moreau .... Truck driver
- Yveline Brière .... Girl friend
- Sébastien Floche .... French tourist
- Madeleine Damien .... Old woman
- Alain Janey .... Man at café
- Raoul Defosse .... Police Captain
- Ed Marcus .... Exhibit M.C.
- Richard Warlock, Gerald Brutsche, Kevin Johnston, Bob HarrisBob HarrisBob Harris may refer to:In sport:* Bob Harris , American baseball player* Robert Harris , Scottish footballerIn TV and radio:...
, Carey LoftinCarey LoftinCarey Loftin was an American actor and stuntman. One of his most famous roles was as the truck driver in Steven Spielberg's Duel, although his face was never seen...
, Jesse Wayne, Bill Erickson .... The drivers - Katia Tchenko* .... Monte Carlo trophy girl
- André Penvern* .... French policeman
* Not credited on-screen.
Trans-France Race cars
A large number of exotic, European sports cars of the period featured in this film:1. Volkswagen Beetle
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
(Herbie
Herbie
Herbie is an anthropomorphic Volkswagen Beetle, a character that is featured in several Disney motion pictures starting with the 1968 feature film The Love Bug. He has a mind of his own and is capable of driving himself, and is a serious contender in auto racing competitions...
): white, red and blue stripes on hood, black number 53 in circle.
2. Lancia Scorpion (Giselle): powder blue, yellow and white stripes, dark blue or black number 7
3. DeTomaso Pantera: black, white stripes, black number 66 in white circle
4. Porsche 917
Porsche 917
The Porsche 917 is a racecar that gave Porsche its first overall wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 and 1971. Powered by the Type 912 flat-12 engine of 4.5, 4.9, or 5 litres, the 917/30 variant was capable of a 0- time of 2.3 seconds, 0– in 5.3 seconds, and a top speed of over .There are 6...
(referred to as a Lazer 917 GT Coupé): red, black and yellow stripes, yellow number 17 on black square background
5. Alpine A310
Alpine A310
The Alpine A310 was a sports car built by French manufacturer Alpine, from 1971 to 1984.Dieppe-based Alpine, once an independent company specialising in faster Renaults, later a Renault subsidiary, established a fine competition history with the Alpine A110 winning the 1973 Monte Carlo Rally and...
: white, red stripes and lower body, Esso
Esso
Esso is an international trade name for ExxonMobil and its related companies. Pronounced , it is derived from the initials of the pre-1911 Standard Oil, and as such became the focus of much litigation and regulatory restriction in the United States. In 1972, it was largely replaced in the U.S. by...
and Aseptogyl decals, number 2
6. Ferrari Daytona
Ferrari Daytona
The Ferrari 365 GTB/4, better known by the unofficial name Ferrari Daytona, is a Gran Turismo automobile produced from 1968 to 1973. It was first introduced to the public at the Paris Auto Salon in 1968 and replaced the 275 GTB/4...
: silver (sometimes dark green), black number 22
7. Ferrari Daytona
Ferrari Daytona
The Ferrari 365 GTB/4, better known by the unofficial name Ferrari Daytona, is a Gran Turismo automobile produced from 1968 to 1973. It was first introduced to the public at the Paris Auto Salon in 1968 and replaced the 275 GTB/4...
: red yellow stripes, black number 44 on yellow circle
8. BMW 3.0 CSi E9: powder blue, white, Elf petroleum decals, black number 8 in oval
9. Chevrolet Corvair
Chevrolet Corvair
-First generation :The 1960 Corvair 500 and 700 series four-door sedans were conceived as economy cars offering few amenities in order to keep the price competitive, with the 500 selling for under $2,000...
: white, dark blue stripes, black number 33
10. Datsun 240Z: white, black arrow on hood, red and yellow trim , black number 35
11. Fiat Dino Coupe: red, black number 5
12. Lancia Fulvia Zagato: red, black number 16 in white circle
13. Porsche 911
Porsche 911
The Porsche 911 is a luxury 2-door sports coupe made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. It has a distinctive design, rear-engined and with independent rear suspension, an evolution of the swing axle on the Porsche 356. The engine was also air-cooled until the introduction of the Type 996 in 1998...
: dark green, black number 91 on yellow square
14. DeTomaso Pantera: red, black number 30 on white square
15. Porsche 356 Cabrio: orange, black roll cage, red trim, red number 54
16. DeTomaso Pantera: brown, white number 11
17. Maserati Indy
Maserati Indy
Named to celebrate Maserati's two victories at the Indy 500, the Maserati Indy first appeared in 1968, at the Salone dell'automobile di Torino as a prototype by Carrozzeria Vignale that was to replace the ageing Mexico and Quattroporte....
: dark blue, black number 70 on off-white square
18. Lancia Stratos Stradale: black, yellow wheels, Squale Diffuse decals on hood, white number 34
19. Lancia Stratos
Lancia Stratos
The Lancia Stratos HF, widely and more simply known as Lancia Stratos, is a car made by Italian car manufacturer Lancia. The HF stands for High Fidelity...
: red, white trim, gold wheels, white stripes, black number 4 in white circle
20. Porsche 911
Porsche 911
The Porsche 911 is a luxury 2-door sports coupe made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. It has a distinctive design, rear-engined and with independent rear suspension, an evolution of the swing axle on the Porsche 356. The engine was also air-cooled until the introduction of the Type 996 in 1998...
: white, blue trim, yellow number 190 in blue square
21. BMW 2002ti: white, red trim, black number 120
22. Porsche 911
Porsche 911
The Porsche 911 is a luxury 2-door sports coupe made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. It has a distinctive design, rear-engined and with independent rear suspension, an evolution of the swing axle on the Porsche 356. The engine was also air-cooled until the introduction of the Type 996 in 1998...
: yellow, black number 99
Video releases
Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo was released on VHSVHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
in 1982, re-released in 1985, 1995 and on September 16, 1997. It was also released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in Region 1 on May 4, 2004 and was re-released as a 2-DVD double feature set along with Herbie Rides Again
Herbie Rides Again
Herbie Rides Again is a 1974 comedy film. It is the sequel to The Love Bug, released six years earlier, and the second in a series of movies made by Walt Disney Productions starring an anthropomorphic 1963 Volkswagen racing Beetle named Herbie...
on April 26, 2009.