Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo

''Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo'' is a 1977 American comedy adventure film and the third installment of ''The Love Bug'' film series made by Walt Disney Productions starring Herbie—the white 1963 Volkswagen racing Beetle with a mind of its own. In the film, Dean Jones returns as champion race car driver Jim Douglas (reprising his role from the first film in the series), joined this time by his somewhat cynical and eccentric riding mechanic Wheely Applegate (Don Knotts). The film follows Douglas, Applegate, and Herbie as they participate in the fictional Trans-France Race, a road race from Paris, France, to Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Plot

Jim Douglas, his partner and mechanic Wheely Applegate, and Herbie arrive in Paris to qualify for and compete in the Trans-France Race (a fictional version of the Monte Carlo Rally), in the hopes of staging a career comeback. The team has three major opponents in the race: Bruno Von Stickle (Eric Braeden), a German driver with experience in the "European Racing Circuit," Claude Gilbert (Mike Kulcsar), a French driver, and Diane Darcy (Julie Sommars), a beautiful young woman and the only female driver in the Trans-France Race. She initially hates Jim for apparently his, but what was actually Herbie's, knee-jerk behavior that ruin her chances of succeeding during the first qualifying rounds. This was because of Herbie seeing and falling in love at first sight with Giselle, her Lancia Scorpion. Herbie's infatuation with Giselle results in him compromising the plan to win the Trans-France Race, turning against Jim and Wheely. However, the strong-willed Diane does not appear to believe in any cars that can be alive and have a mind of their own.

Diane and Giselle crash into a lake towards the end of the race. After being rescued by Herbie and Jim, Diane's attitude toward Jim softens. When Herbie seems to have trouble restarting because of being determined to stay with Giselle, Diane begins to understand that cars can have minds of their own. She encourages Herbie not to relent in the quest for victory in the Trans-France Race. With Diane now out of the race, Jim pursues Von Stickle through the streets of Monte Carlo, leading to a thrilling duel for the win. Herbie takes the lead by driving upside down on a tunnel roof, and Jim drives Herbie to victory for the 20th time in their careers.

As the film progresses, two thieves, Max ( Bernard Fox) and Quincey (Roy Kinnear), steal the famous ''Étoile de Joie'' (French for "Star of Joy") diamond and cleverly hide it in Herbie's fuel tank (Herbie was fitted with an external fuel filler cap for this film - a 1963 Beetle's cap actually being inside the front luggage compartment) in order to avoid being captured by a swarm of searching policemen. But little did they know that they picked the wrong car to hide it in, because it was alive and had a mind of its own. That causes them to blow every chance they get in getting back the diamond they hid inside him. Because of this, and on account of an attempt where they tried to threaten Jim and Wheely at gunpoint to relinquish the car to them, an encounter from which Herbie managed to escape, and thanks to a misunderstood conclusion thereafter that Diane would have tried to mastermind the whole event. Subsequently, Herbie is placed under the protection of the French police.
It is also revealed not too far in that Inspector Bouchet (Jacques Marin), also known as "Double X" as a code name to the thieves, 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, and somewhat knee-jerk and unpunctual young detective Fontenoy (Xavier Saint-Macary), of whom the Inspector is the superior officer, who unravels the mystery of L'Étoile de Joie, and has Bouchet clapped in handcuffs.

In the end, Jim and Diane begin to fall in love, as do Wheely and the Monte Carlo trophy girl. Most of all, Herbie and Giselle (which Diane names her car) fall in love again as well.

Cast

* Dean Jones as James "Jim" Douglas
* Don Knotts as Cory "Wheely" Applegate
* Julie Sommars as Diane Darcy
* Jacques Marin as Inspector Bouchet
* Roy Kinnear as Quincey
* Bernard Fox as Max
* Eric Braeden as Bruno Von Stickle
* Xavier Saint-Macary as Detective Fontenoy
* François Lalande as Monsieur Ribeaux, The Owner of The Museum "Étoile de Joie" Diamond
* Alan Caillou as Emile, The Chief Monaco Official
* Laurie Main as Duval, The Museum Guard
* Mike Kulcsar as Claude Gilbert
* Johnny Haymer as Race Official
* Stanley Brock as Taxi Driver
* Gérard Jugnot as The Waiter
* Jean-Marie Proslier as Doorman
* Tom McCorry as Showroom M.C.
* Lloyd Nelson as The Mechanic
* Jean-Jacques Moreau as Truck Driver
* Yveline Brière as Girl Friend
* Sébastien Floche as French Tourist
* Madeleine Damien as Old Woman
* Alain Janey as Man At Café
* Raoul Defosse as Police Captain
* Ed Marcus as Exhibit M.C.
* Richard Warlock, Gerald Brutsche, Kevin Johnston, Bob Harris, Carey Loftin, Jesse Wayne, Bill Erickson as The Drivers
* Katia Tchenko as Monte Carlo Trophy Girl (uncredited)
* Josiane Balasko as Woman In The Crowd (uncredited)
* André Penvern as French Policeman (uncredited)

Promotion

Mann's Chinese Theatre

On July 11, 1977, Herbie joined other immortals of the silver screen when he placed his wheel-prints in cement in the forecourt of Mann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California; the ceremony was also attended by the film's stars Dean Jones, Don Knotts and Julie Sommars, as well as several hundred guests and tourists. Mayor of Los Angeles Tom Bradley sent a proclamation officially declaring July 11 as "Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo Day" and a floral wreath was presented to Herbie by Miss Monte Carlo. The ceremony was preceded by a parade on Hollywood Boulevard featuring a traditional Chinese band, firecrackers, 25 Lancia sports cars, clowns, cheerleaders and the Goodyear Blimp. Afterwards, a special invitational screening of ''Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo'' was held inside the Chinese Theatre, which was celebrating its 50th anniversary that year.

Novelization

Two different paperback novelizations of the film were published to coincide with the film's release: the US version was written by Vic Crume and published by Scholastic Paperbacks in June 1977; the UK version was written by John Harvey and published by New English Library for the film's UK release in 1978.

Comic book

A comic book of ''Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo'' (illustrated by Dan Spiegle) was featured in ''Walt Disney Showcase'' #41 published by Gold Key Comics.

Reception

The film holds a 60% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 10 reviews, with an average rating of 5.11/10. On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 38 out of 100, based on 4 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".

Home media

''Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo'' was first released on VHS in 1984, early 1985 and re-released November 6, 1985 and September 16, 1997. It was first 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.

On September 2, 2012, ''Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo'' was re-released on DVD as part of ''Herbie: 4-Movie Collection'' with ''The Love Bug'', ''Herbie Rides Again'' and ''Herbie Goes Bananas''.

On June 30, 2015, ''Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo'' was released on Blu-ray as a Disney Movie Club exclusive title.

References

External links

*
*
*
*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo
1977 films
1970s adventure comedy films
American adventure comedy films
1977 romantic comedy films
American romantic comedy films
American sequel films
3
Films set in France
Films set in Paris
Films set in Monaco
Films shot in France
Films shot in Paris
Films shot in Monaco
Films shot in California
Walt Disney Pictures films
Films directed by Vincent McEveety
Films produced by Ron W. Miller
Films adapted into comics
Films scored by Frank De Vol
1970s English-language films
1970s American films