Original car used during filming of Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo
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.
Herbie falls in love at first sight with Giselle, Diane's sentient Lancia Scorpion.[4] Diane initially hates Jim for what was apparently his, but actually was Herbie's knee-jerk behaviour that ruin her chances of succeeding during the first qualifying rounds, as the strong-willed Diane does not appear to believe in any cars that can be alive and have a mind of their own. Herbie and Giselle go on a 'date' together, and the following day both cars qualify successfully for the race, Herbie performing donuts across the line in a bid to impress Giselle.
Meanwhile, two diamond thieves, Max (Bernard Fox) and Quincey (Roy Kinnear), steal the famous Étoile de Joie (French for "Star of Joy") diamond and hide it in Herbie's fuel tank in order to avoid being captured by a swarm of searching policemen. They attempt to steal Herbie to retrieve the diamond, but Herbie causes them to blow every chance they get. The pair even threaten Jim and Wheely at gunpoint, an encounter from which Herbie manages to escape by driving through a gypsy camp and a building site. Wheely assumes Diane hired the two goons to knock them out of the race, causing a misunderstanding between Jim and Diane. Herbie is also taken into protection by the French police, headed by Inspector Bouchet (Jacques Marin) and his eager junior officer Fontenoy (Xavier Saint-Macary), causing them to miss the start of the race the following day. Giselle also refuses to start the race without Herbie, much to Diane's exasperation, but does so after Wheely lies to Giselle that Herbie has broken up with her. When Fontenoy eventually arrives with Herbie, Wheely also lies to Herbie that Giselle did the same to persuade Herbie to start the race, albeit from last place.
After numerous setbacks and delays, including another run in with the jewel thieves, Herbie, Jim and Wheely race back into contention. After Diane and Giselle crash into a lake, Herbie turns around and charges back to save them, after Jim reveals Wheely had lied to him. After being rescued by Herbie and Jim, Diane's attitude toward Jim softens, and Diane begins to understand that cars can have minds of their own. Herbie refuses to restart because of being determined to stay with Giselle, but Diane encourages Herbie not to relent in the quest for victory in the Trans-France Race, but not before Herbie makes Wheely get down on his knees and apologise for lying to him. 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 the tunnel roof of the Monaco Grand Prix Circuit, and Jim drives Herbie to victory.
After the race, it is revealed that Inspector Bouchet, also known as "Double X" as a code name to the thieves, is the real mastermind behind the museum robbery, though the motive of his scheme is revealed as he also threatens Jim and Wheely at gunpoint, only to be foiled by Herbie rolling onto his foot and knocking the gun out of his hands with his hood. Fontenoy, having himself unravelled the mystery of L'Étoile de Joie, has Bouchet clapped in handcuffs and arrested.
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 fall in love again as well, and celebrate Herbie's victory by watching a brilliant firework display over the Monte Carlo harbour.
The film prominently features numerous exotic European sports cars from the era. Notably, 17 vehicles are shown on the starting grid prior to the race, deviating from the officially stated 16. If Herbie had been included, the total would have reached 18. The 18 qualified vehicles are as follows:
Volkswagen Beetle (Herbie): white, red and blue stripes on hood, black number 53 in a circle.
Lancia Scorpion (Giselle): powder blue, yellow and white stripes, dark blue or black number 7
Laser 917 GT Coupé: ( Porsche 917 - styled Volkswagen Beetle based kit car): red, black and yellow stripes, yellow number 17 on a black square background
DeTomaso Pantera: black, white stripes, black number 66 on a white circle
Ferrari 365 GTC/4: silver (sometimes dark grey), black number 22
Maserati Indy: dark blue, black number 70 on an off-white square
Ferrari Daytona: red and yellow stripes, black number 44 on a yellow circle
BMW E9 2800 CS: powder blue, white, Elf oil decals, black number 8 in oval
BMW 2002ti: white, red trim, black number 120
Porsche 911: white, blue trim, yellow number 190 in a blue square
Porsche 911: dark green, black number 91 on a yellow square
Lancia Stratos Stradale: black, yellow wheels, Squale Diffusion decals on hood, white number 34
Lancia Stratos: red, white trim, gold wheels, white stripes, black number 4 in a white circle
Renault Alpine A310: white, red stripes and lower body, Esso and Aseptogyl decals, black number 2
Renault Alpine A310: black, black number 116 in a white square
DeTomaso Pantera: dark green, yellow trim on front fenders, black number 10 in a white square
Matra Bagheera: white, black number 75
Ford Capri MK1: yellow, black hood, car number unknown
Vehicles featured during the qualifying rounds, some of which also appeared in the race, were filmed concurrently with race footage at Laguna Seca, California:
Fiat Dino Coupé: red, black number 5
DeTomaso Pantera: brown, black number 1 in a white square
Chevrolet Corvair: white, dark blue stripes, black number 33
Datsun 240Z: white, black arrow on hood, red and yellow trim, black number 35
Datsun 280Z: blue, car number unknown
Lancia Fulvia Zagato: red, black number 16 in a white circle
DeTomaso Pantera: red, black number 30 on a white square
Porsche 356 Convertible: orange, black roll cage, red trim, red number 54
Ferrari 250 S Berlinetta Vignale: red, car number unknown
Ferrari Dino 246 GT: black, black number 67 in a white square, amber blinkers
Lotus Elan S3: gold, black roof, black number 118
Triumph GT6: dark blue or black, Leyland and Bell Helmets logos on hood; car number unknown
Porsche 911: silver, black number 6 and DP on doors
Ferrari Daytona: grey, black number 31
Porsche 911: yellow, black number 99
Lamborghini Miura P400S: red, black number 60 on hood
Lamborghini 400 GT: black, car number unknown
While these vehicles were featured in the film, they did not explicitly compete in the Trans-France Race. Their appearances were predominantly confined to the practice and qualifying sequences, which were filmed at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, in 1976.
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 AngelesTom 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.[5]
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.[6]
The film holds a 60% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 10 reviews, with an average rating of 5.11/10.[7] On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 38 out of 100, based on 4 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[8]
Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo was released by Walt Disney Home Video through VHS and Betamax in November 1984, and was later re-released on November 6, 1985.[9][10] 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.
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