Diane Darcy
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Diane Darcy is a character in the 1977 Disney film Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo. She was played by actress Julie Sommars. Diane is an attractive, young, red-headed race car driver who is among the contestants in the inaugural Trans-France Race, which starts in Paris, France, and ends in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Her car is an equally beautiful powder blue Lancia Monte Carlo with yellow and white stripes and a fancy number 7 on its sides. She wears an immaculate white jumpsuit with three dark blue stripes on each shoulder, and randomly placed decals bearing such brand names as Dover Fan Belts, Sure-Power Spark Plugs, and Nationale.
As the only female driver in the Trans-France Race, Diane Darcy is a force to be reckoned with. She has aspirations of winning the grueling competition, serving as something of a positive role model for young women who wish to race cars. However, when Herbie, the Love Bug, arrives in Paris with driver Jim Douglas and mechanic Wheely Applegate, her dreams of greatness in motor racing seem to be threatened. For Herbie has begun to fall in love with Diane's beautiful Lancia, just as Jim appears to be attracted to Diane. Herbie's fascination with the Lancia (which arises during a practice round for the race) frustrates Jim and Wheely, though they are not nearly as frustrated as Diane. She assumes that Jim and Wheely are against the presence of a woman in the race, and she does not readily believe that Herbie is no ordinary car.
When Diane finally does get the chance to qualify, she achieves a fast-enough speed to earn a spot on the front row -- alongside polesitter Herbie, the car with a bit of a crush on Diane's Lancia (Herbie, however, arrives minutes after the start of the race, while under custody by French police). Little was seen of Diane's performance in the race itself, while Herbie, Jim and Wheely struggled with most of the other racers, particularly Bruno Von Stickle, and with two diamond robbers (whose escapades constitute a subplot in this film). In fact, no more was seen of Diane or the Lancia until the late stages of the race, when Jim and Wheely spotted both car and driver trapped in a watery canal. Only the alacrity of Herbie and company saves her from drowning. They are quite surprised when Diane gives Herbie a pep talk, encouraging the little car to persevere in his quest for victory (she even gives Jim a grateful kiss on one cheek) . It is at this time that the heretofore icy Diane Darcy begins to warm up to Jim. And by the end of the film, she and Jim fall in love after a dinner date in which he learns that Diane's Lancia has a name -- Giselle -- and a will of her own.
