Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977)

Dean Jones, star of The Love Bug, came back to the fold for this third lap around the block, which finds him racing in Monte Carlo while thieves plant a stolen diamond in Herbie's gas tank. The plot is forced and conventional, but the cast is the thing: the excitable Don Knotts (The Apple Dumpling Gang) and the tormentable Roy Kinnear (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory) are good men to have in a potboiler such as this. --Tom Keogh Amazon.com

Jim the serious romantic and Wheely the funny comedian, a recipe for laughter and entertainment.

Herbie #53, a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle deluxe ragtop sedan painted with L87 pearl white, with wide racing tires, falls in love with a 1977, Lancia Monte Carlo #7 name Giselle. Giselle has Herbie Moonstruck and both Giselle and Herbie are distracted from getting qualifying times. Herbie animatronics allow him too Waltzes in front of Giselle, blink his headlights, open and close his hood, and move his wheels horizontal in a expression of awe as he watches Giselle tie his record breaking time for the course. Herbie is determined to impress Giselle by washing himself in a water font, bringing flowers to her, and serenading her down the waterfront. Herbie wins the Giselles heart after rescuing and extracting the car from the lake shoreline. Diane Darcy tells Jim, Wheely, and Herbie "win the race for them". Herbie wins the race and Jim and Wheely are famous again.

Herbie has an engine with the ability of tachometer readings of 7,000 rpm making him faster than the Black Pantheria driven by Claude Gilbert and the Laser 917 GT coupe driven by Von Stickle. Jim Douglas and Wheely Applegate have returned to race after 12 years. Jim and Diane are high-spirited and both enjoy a good fight. Diane gets the better end of the argument, as she manages to throw a vase, picture, and books at Jim keeping him dodging the projectiles. Diane thinks Jim is against her being a woman racer. Jim is just bullhead about Diane and thinking she is treacherously trying to disqualify him. Later Diane apologizes and the couple end up kissing each other. Von Stickle is the antagonist bully and Claude is his aid. Von Stickle car push Herbie off the road on numerous occasions. However, Von Stickle does not employ an devious strategies to put Herbie out of the race.

The villain, agent X is the Inspector Bouchet. Etoile de Joie managed to steal a large diamond, escape the museum where the diamond was protected, and hide the diamond in Herbies gas cap. The police surround the around but are unable to find the diamond, after thoroughly search all parties. Herbie foils all the thieves' attempts to recapture and acquire the diamond. Jim eventually discovers the diamond during a race through the Alps. The thieve misdirect Jim and Wheely into taking a trail towards a high mountain pass, where Wheely causes a rock slide; the thieves appear and demand the diamond; another rock slide by Wheely allows Herbie to escape. Inspector Bouchet fortune improves as Jim approaches him at the police station seeking protection for Herbie. The Detective Fontenoy intervenes and accidently messes up Agent X attempt to acquire the diamond. Detective Fontenoy imprisons Herbie in a Armoured truck and makes Herbie late for the race. Wheely convinces Giselle does not love her and that Herbie has other cars and Jim verifies Wheely. Giselle revs up her engines and starts the race. When Herbie arrives he is looking for Giselle and Wheely uses a similar no love tactic to engage Herbie into the race. The route to Monte Carlo and in Paris include the scenic sites: Esplanade du Trocadero, Eiffel Tower, Place de la Concorde, Place Vendome, Place d'Iena, Arc de Triomphe, and down the Champs-Elysees The race through Paris was filmed at high speeds and the thrill of the race and its sounds and sharp corner turns are amazing.
August 18, 2006

Cute, Entertaining Movie; Probably The Best Herbie Movie Yet!

Now, I'm not one for oldie's flicks at all anymore, but I think that Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo is probably the only Herbie movie that I would watch if someone put it in the tape player. It's fun and entertaining, and the international racing scene was a great and hilarious choice for Herbie to have his latest escapade. Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo is also a well-cast movie, with the extremely funny pairing of Dean Jones and Don Knotts kicking the laughs up quite a few notches. It manages to provide the occasional silliness and hilarious laughs that kids enjoy, also satisfying fans of international car racing, of course, while adding car-racing action tricks that are out-of-this-world! In other words, whether you are a fan of action-packed car racing flicks or funny, cute comedies, you should watch this movie because it has just the right mixture of both!
Dean Jones plays Jim Douglas, who decides, after Herbie's success in all those races, to enter him in the Paris-to-Monte-Carlo road race. However, Jim and his funny friend, Wheely Applegate (Don Knotts), have no idea the trouble they are about to be entangled in. A gang of jewel thieves steals a precious gem from a museum in France and the news of the robbery breaks around almost instantly. Feeling pressured and hasty, the jewel thieves tuck the gem into Herbie's gas tank and vow to return for it later. What ensues is a series of complicated mishaps and hilarious adverntures that could only be seen in a Herbie movie! May 24, 2006

The Love Bug 3: Back on Track!

Twelve years after leaving the racing scene, Jim Douglas and his living Volkswagen, Herbie, are set to make their comeback! They're entering the Trans-France Race from Paris to Monte Carlo, and they're not going to let anything stop them from regaining their superstar status! That's the intention anyway. But when fate throws a monkey wrench into their golden plan in the form of a lovely European racecar, it's all Jim and mechanic Wheely can do to keep Herbie's eyes on the prize! Of course, this is a comedy about Americans visiting Paris, so you've got to have some diamond heisting! While Jim and Wheely try their best to reason with Herbie and his dreamcar's untrusting female driver, they have no clue that two thieves working for a much bigger mastermind have stashed an enormous stolen diamond in Herbie's gas tank! As the thieves try to get their hands on love-struck Herbie and the diamond, the police chase after the thieves, even during the big race! And Jim and Wheely thought the only thing they had to worry about was their bullying European competition!

"Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo" is another excellent entry into Disney's still thriving Herbie franchise! The film is not without its quirks though. For example, what happened to Jim Douglas's wife, Carole, whom he married at the end of the original "Love Bug" film? And, why is it set 12 years after their last race, when, in fact, it was only made 8 years after the first film? Well, regardless, this third film about ol' Number Fifty-Three is no less fun, fanciful, and fantastic than any of Herbie's other wonderful sequels. There are plenty of great laughs thanks in no small-part to the genius of Don Knotts (who just passed on two nights ago and will be greatly missed) in the role of Herbie's mechanic, Wheely Applegate. It's also a real treat to see Dean Jones back in the driver's seat reprising his role as Jim Douglas from the original Herbie film, "The Love Bug." The jewel thief plot may be a bit goofy, but it's good fun and adventure in the usual Herbie style, with plenty of the great character actors of the day and the expected, fantastic Herbie stunts! Plus, Herbie gets a girlfriend! Their onscreen romance is a great source of humor and heart! If you've got the kind of beautifully naive imagination that allows you to enjoy the fruits of 1970s Disney, this film is for you! And, I urge you to pick up the complete boxed set of the first four Herbie films, followed by the Bruce Campbell "Love Bug" TV movie on VHS, and the new DVD release of "Herbie: Fully Loaded!" All are well worth your time, and yes, those last two ARE sequels, even if they are constantly referred to as remakes (even by Disney archivists)! Now, the early Herbie sequels don't include any DVD extras, and "Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo" isn't even presented in widescreen. It's a jip to be sure, but as a diehard Herbie fan, I'm just thrilled to finally have all these wonderful movies on home video, and I truly hope the TV movie and TV series get some DVD releases in the near future too!
February 26, 2006

Herbie In France!

Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo is as good as the other Herbie movies. In This movie Herbie rejoins Jim Douglas in this fun filled movie. And Herbie even falls in love. This movie is very good i enjoyed it very much.

If you liked this film check out

The Love Bug, Herbie Rides Again, Herbie Goes Bannanas & Herbie Fully Loaded November 21, 2005

Cute Movie But What's The Correct Original Aspect Ratio?

I have fond memories of Watching the Disney movie Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo with my friends. It is a cute movie and I'm pleased that it's on DVD but I see that the DVD is fullscreen and I'm wondering if that's te correct aspect ratio or if it's an edited pan and scan of a widescreen movie? October 15, 2005

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