From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Gnome-Mobile
The Gnome-Mobile
The Gnome-Mobile The Gnome-Mobile is a 1967 Disney musical film, directed
by Robert Stevenson. It was one of the last films person-
ally produced by Walt Disney.[1]
It was based on a 1936 book by Upton Sinclair entitled
The Gnomobile. Walter Brennan gives a double perfor-
mance as D.J. Mulrooney, the kind-hearted lumber ty-
coon of Irish descent; and as the irascible 943 year-old
gnome Knobby. The children, Elizabeth and Rodney,
were played by Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber, fa-
miliar from their roles as Jane and Michael Banks in Mary
Poppins. Tom Lowell who plays the young gnome Jasper
in this movie, also appeared in the 1965 Disney film That
Darn Cat! as Canoe, the befuddled surfer boy-friend of
Hayley Mills. The Gnome-Mobile was Ed Wynn’s last
movie as he died before the movie was released.
Cast and characters
• Walter Brennan – D.J. Mulrooney/Knobby
• Matthew Garber – Rodney
• Karen Dotrice – Elizabeth
Original window card, 1967 • Richard Deacon – Ralph Yarby
• Tom Lowell – Jasper
Directed by Robert Stevenson
• Sean McClory – Horatio Quaxton
Arthur J. Vitarelli
• Ed Wynn – Rufus the Gnome King
Produced by James Algar • Jerome Cowan – Dr. Ramsey
Walt Disney • Charles Lane – Dr. Scoggins
Written by Ellis Kadison • Norman Grabowski – Male nurse
• Gil Lamb – Gas attendant
Starring Walter Brennan
• Maudie Prickett – Katie Barrett
Tom Lowell
Matthew Garber • Cami Sebring – Violet
Karen Dotrice
Ed Wynn
Richard Deacon Plot summary
Music by Buddy Baker The story opens with the children’s grandfather, D.J.
Mulrooney (Walter Brennan), a well-known executive of-
Cinematography Edward Colman ficer of a vast timber-trading company. D.J., an eccentric
Editing by Norman R. Palmer and passionate man with a distinctive snore, as well as
vast dedication and determination, has bought up a pre-
Studio Walt Disney Productions
serve of ancient virgin forest to show his descendants
Distributed by Buena Vista Distribution the majesty of the Redwood trees. In order to meet with
business clients in Seattle, D.J. takes his personal, cus-
Release date(s) July 19, 1967
tomized 1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom II on a trip, picking
Running time 84 minutes up his grandchildren Elizabeth (Karen Dotrice) and Rod-
ney (Matthew Garber). Mulrooney takes them to a part of
Country United States
his forest en route. In a brief conversation with his Com-
Language English pany Head of Security, Ralph Yarby (Richard Deacon), we
learn that the car was purchased after D.J. earned his first
US$1 million.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Gnome-Mobile
In the forest, Elizabeth encounters a gnome called "the eligible gnome", to a large number of young females
Jasper (Tom Lowell), who is desperately seeking a bride of his race, who then compete in a contest to determine
for himself, but cannot find any functional gnome com- which one will marry him. The bachelor is covered in
munities remaining. Elizabeth, touched by the trusting soap, then set upon by the girls, who try to chase af-
gnome, agrees to help him find one. She brings her un- ter him, and catch and hold onto him for seven seconds.
believing grandfather and brother to the same spot, and Jasper didn’t know that this was how he would find a
Jasper makes a reluctant reappearance. The three are in- mate; to be the "prey" in a wild chase. He is smitten with
troduced to Jasper’s 943-year old grandfather Knobby (al- one lovely, timid girl-gnome named Shy Violet (Cami Se-
so played by Brennan) who, like D.J., is passionate and bring). However, after a very wild chase by some very ag-
short-tempered. Knobby is temporarily suffering from a gressive other girl gnomes, Jasper and Violet manage to
sickness called "fading", he is becoming semi-transpar- end the race the way they want it.
ent periodically because he’s losing the will to live. The D.J., for his part, gives as a wedding-present the rights
reason for this is that he fears that he and Jasper are the to several acres of forest, which become a haven in per-
last two of their kind; and he too wants Jasper to find a petuity for the gnomes.
bride before he (Knobby) dies. Knobby harbors immense Many of the same type of special effects used for this
hatred for humans because of their damage to the forests movie, were also used in Disney’s earlier 1959 film Darby
and the livelihood of gnomes, but agrees to go along and O’Gill and the Little People.
seek other gnomes because of Jasper’s insistence. As they
leave together, the Rolls-Royce is affectionately named
by the children "the Gnome-Mobile."
Critical reception
Trouble begins, however, when Knobby discovers Leonard Maltin rates this as one of Disney’s best comedy-
that D.J. is responsible for logging. The two elders quarrel fantasy films, and states that it is a "mystery" why the
until D.J., infuriated, vows to take the two gnomes back film is not better known. He says it deserves to be re-
to the forest. Jasper and his grandfather are kidnapped discovered and enjoyed by a new generation, especially
by Horatio Quaxton (Sean McClory), a freak show owner, younger children.[1]
while D.J. is committed to an asylum by Yarby, who has
heard about the gnomes and deems his boss insane. Rod-
ney and Elizabeth rescue D.J. (using the "Gnome-Mo-
References
bile"). D.J. tumbles out of his window at the asylum and [1] ^ Maltin, Leonard (1999). Leonard Maltin’s Family
narrowly escapes. The children and D.J. find Quaxton’s Film Guide. New York: Signet. p. 210.
cabin, rescue Jasper from Quaxton, and then set out to ISBN 0-451-19714-3.
find Knobby, (who managed to escape earlier at Jasper’s
insistence). External links
Yarby, on finding that D.J. has escaped, mounts a per-
sonal pursuit. His company-owned 1958 Cadillac (appar- • The Gnome-Mobile at the Internet Movie Database
ently s customized Fleetwood 75) is literally broken to • The Gnome-Mobile at the TCM Movie Database
pieces by the rough going, while the durable Rolls-Royce • Watch Gnome-Mobile Trailer
with D.J.’s skillful and daring driving manages to get • The Gnome-Mobile at Allrovi
away undamaged. • Rolls-Royce Phantom II
They arrive in the woods to find Knobby delighted • Plot summary
with the presence of a thriving community of gnomes. • 1930 Rolls-Royce Sedanca Deville & Movie Set on
Jasper is disappointed that they are all old men, but is display
then recognized by Rufus the Gnome King (Ed Wynn) as
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gnome-Mobile"
Categories: American films, English-language films, 1967 films, Disney films, Disney songs, Fictional automobiles, Films
directed by Robert Stevenson, Films set in California
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