The Gnome-Mobile facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Gnome-Mobile |
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Original window card, 1967
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| Directed by | Robert Stevenson |
| Produced by | James Algar Walt Disney |
| Written by | Ellis Kadison |
| Starring | Walter Brennan Tom Lowell Matthew Garber Karen Dotrice Ed Wynn Richard Deacon Sean McClory |
| Music by | Buddy Baker "The Gnome-Mobile" song by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman |
| Cinematography | Edward Colman |
| Editing by | Norman R. Palmer |
| Studio | Walt Disney Productions |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Distribution |
| Release date(s) | July 12, 1967 |
| Running time | 84 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Money made | $4,000,000 (US/ Canada) |
The Gnome-Mobile is a fun Disney movie from 1967. It's a comedy and fantasy film directed by Robert Stevenson. This movie was special because it was one of the last ones Walt Disney himself worked on! It's based on a book called The Gnomobile by Upton Sinclair, written in 1936.
In the movie, Walter Brennan plays two different characters. He is D.J. Mulrooney, a kind lumber boss, and also Knobby, a very old and sometimes grumpy gnome. The children, Elizabeth and Rodney, are played by Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber. You might know them as the Banks children from the movie Mary Poppins! Tom Lowell, who plays the young gnome Jasper, was also in another Disney movie called That Darn Cat!
The Gnome-Mobile was the last movie for both Matthew Garber and Ed Wynn. The famous songwriters, Richard and Robert Sherman, wrote the song "Gnome Mobile" for the film. The movie was shown in theaters again on November 5, 1976.
Contents
What the Movie is About
A Trip to the Redwood Forest
The story begins with D.J. Mulrooney (Walter Brennan), who is the head of a big timber company. D.J. is going to Seattle to sell a huge piece of land with many trees. He takes his special 1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom II car on the trip. This car is very important to him because he bought it after making his first million dollars!
First, D.J. stops at the airport to pick up his grandchildren, Elizabeth (Karen Dotrice) and Rodney (Matthew Garber). They are going to join him on his journey to Seattle.
As they travel north from San Francisco, they take a detour through a beautiful area that is now part of Redwood National Park. Here, D.J. has a special grove of Redwood trees named "Mulrooney Grove."
Meeting the Gnomes
In the redwood grove, they meet a young gnome named Jasper (Tom Lowell). Jasper has a big problem! They also meet Jasper's 943-year-old grandfather, Knobby (also played by Brennan). Like D.J., Knobby is very passionate and can be a bit short-tempered.
Jasper's "terrible problem" is that Knobby is getting sick. He is "fading," which means he is becoming see-through. D.J. figures out that Knobby is losing his will to live. Knobby is sad because he thinks he and Jasper are the last two gnomes left. He really wants Jasper to find a bride before he passes away.
Knobby does not like humans much because of how they cut down trees, which affects the gnomes' homes. D.J. is surprised when Knobby says that "Mulrooney's Marauders" were the worst loggers! Even with this, the gnomes agree to go with D.J. and the children to look for other gnomes. As they leave, the children decide to call the Rolls-Royce "the Gnome-Mobile."
Rescues and Adventures
Things get tricky when Jasper and Knobby are kidnapped by Horatio Quaxton (Sean McClory), who owns a freak show. At the same time, D.J. is sent to a special hospital by his head of security, Ralph Yarby (Richard Deacon). Yarby heard about the gnomes and thought D.J. was not well.
Rodney and Elizabeth are brave! They rescue D.J. from the hospital and then save Jasper from Quaxton. Now, they need to find Knobby, who managed to escape earlier on his own.
A Gnome Wedding
They all arrive in the woods and find Knobby very happy! There is a large community of gnomes living there. Rufus the Gnome King (Ed Wynn) sees Jasper as the perfect gnome to marry. Many young girl gnomes compete in a contest to see who will marry him.
Jasper really likes a shy, sweet girl gnome named Shy Violet (Cami Sebring). She is a bit clumsy but very kind. The other girl gnomes do not like her much. Jasper tries to get Violet to catch him during the race, but the other gnomes keep pushing her aside. However, after a very wild chase, Violet manages to win the race! She and Jasper get married.
As a wedding gift, D.J. gives the gnomes the rights to the 50,000 acres of forest he was going to sell. This land becomes a safe home for all the gnomes.
Meet the Cast
- Walter Brennan – D.J. Mulrooney and Knobby
- Matthew Garber – Rodney Winthrop
- Karen Dotrice – Elizabeth Winthrop
- Richard Deacon – Ralph Yarby
- Tom Lowell – Jasper
- Sean McClory – Horatio Quaxton
- Ed Wynn – Rufus the Gnome King
- Jerome Cowan – Dr. Ramsey
- Charles Lane – Dr. Scoggins
- Norman Grabowski – Male Nurse
- Gil Lamb – Gas Attendant
- Maudie Prickett – Katie Barrett
- Cami Sebring – Violet
See also
In Spanish: El abuelo está loco para niños
