Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo was the third of a series of films made by Walt Disney Productions starring Herbie – the white Volkswagen racing Beetle with a mind of its own. The film stars Dean Jones and Don Knotts.
Plot
Dean Jones returns as champion race car driver Jim Douglas, and is joined by 1970s Disney stalwart Don Knotts as his mechanic, Wheely Applegate. Herbie, the "Love Bug", takes part in the fictional Trans-France Race, from Paris, France to Monte Carlo, Monaco. The race was (according to dialogue) the first for Douglas in twelve years, and would not be much of a "comeback" if he did not qualify first.
This Trans-France Race was clearly modeled on the world-renowned Monte Carlo Rally, and was apparently run in either 1976 or 1977, although no exact date is expressly stated in the film. Herbie was one of the 18 cars that started the race. While the precise number of competing cars in the race is open to debate, it is possible that twice as many race cars appeared in the movie.
In a subplot, two jewel thieves, Max (Bernard Fox) and Quincey (Roy Kinnear), steal the famous Etoile de Joie and hide the diamond in Herbie's gas tank. It is also revealed that Inspector Bouchet (Jacques Marin), also known as "Double X", is the mastermind behind the museum robbery, though the fact of his scheme is revealed near the end of the movie.
Dean Jones and Don Knotts in
Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo.
In the Trans-France Race, Douglas had three major opponents:
- Bruno von Stickle (Eric Braeden): A dark-haired, moustached German driver with experience in the "European Racing Circuit". His car was a powerful Porsche 917 clone painted in the colors of the German national flag, and bearing the number 17. In fact, as referred in the movie, the kit car is a Lazer 917 GT coupé with numerous components including the engine and chassis from the Beetle. Von Stickle seemed to be a formidable contender prior to and during the race.
- Claude Gilbert (Mike Kulcsar): 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 Pantera. That car was black with white stripes and a number (#66) on the hood and the sides. His dominance in the race seemed like to that of Bruno von Stickle—until he wrecked in the late stages (coincidentally, in almost the exact same location of Grace Kelly's fatal car accident in 1982).
- Diane Darcy (Julie Sommars): An attractive, young, red-headed woman of unknown nationality, though it is probable that she is from either the United States or Canada. The only female driver in the race, Ms. Darcy is ostensibly a rookie driver, although the matter of her level of racing experience is never discussed in the movie. Even so, she is truly a force to be reckoned with. Her car was an equally beautiful powder-blue Lancia Scorpion with yellow and white stripes, as well as a numeral 7, a car with whom Herbie falls in love during the film. Relatively little was seen of their performance in the Trans-France Race itself.
Diane Darcy and the Lancia crash into a lake as a result of having "missed a shift and lost control"; Herbie, Jim, and Wheely save them from drowning. Although she is at first antagonistic (and occasionally hostile) toward Jim, Diane soon changes her attitude toward him and urges Herbie and company not to relent in their quest for victory in the Trans-France Race. In the end, Bruno von Stickle is overtaken by the little car in the famous tunnel of the Formula One race track, Herbie outdoing 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.
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) fall in love again as well.
Cast
|
|
- 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 Harris, Carey Loftin, Jesse Wayne, Bill Erickson .... The drivers
- Katia Tchenko* .... Monte Carlo trophy girl
- André Penvern* .... French policeman
|
* Not credited on-screen.
Trivia
- Herbie incounters the same pond he skips across in The Love Bug.
- Several different year Volkswagen Beetles were used for Herbie in Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo. 1959, 1962, 1963, and 1977 (modified to resemble the 1963 model) models were utilized.
- The following acknowledgement appears in the opening credits: "Our thanks to the City of Paris and the Principality of Monaco for their co-operation in the making of this film".
- Jim explains that it has been twelve years since he and Herbie's last race, in actuality, its only been six since last race in the original movie, The Love Bug, which was in 1968.
- Herbie later echoes his move on Von Stickle in the Monte Carlo tunnel in Herbie: Fully Loaded, where he wins by driving on the catch fencing at the California Speedway.
- Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo was adapted into a paperback book, written by Vic Crume (based on the story and screenplay) and published by Scholastic.
- The qualifying scenes were shot at Laguna Seca Raceway.
- L'Etoile de Joie is French for "The Star of Joy".
- The Porsche 917 in the movie (#17, driven by Bruno von Stickle) is not a real 917. It is based on a Volkswagen Beetle kit car called the Laser 917
- At the end of the The Love Bug, Jim Douglas and Carol Bennett are married; however, in this film, Douglas is apparently single once again, given his romantic interest in Diane Darcy, although this issue is never addressed in the film.
- The Lancia Scorpion, "Giselle" had headlight covers, but all Lancia Scorpions do not have headlight covers, so those were just added for the film.
- This is the first film to have Herbie fall in love.
Trans-France Race cars
A large number of exotic, European sports cars of the period featured in this film:
1. Volkswagen Beetle (Herbie): white, red and blue stripes on hood, black number 53 in circle.
2. Lancia Monte Carlo (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 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 260Z: 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
Video releases
Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo was released on VHS in 1982 and re-released in 1985 and again on September 16, 1997. It was 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.
External links
