Bianca (The Rescuers)

Miss Bianca is the female protagonist of The Rescuers and its sequel The Rescuers Down Under. She is a Hungarian. Generally her outfit consists of only a purple fluffy cap and a purple scarf, though her clothing varies (for instance, she sometimes wore a darker purple dress over it). She is voiced by the late Eva Gabor in both films.

The Rescuers (1977 film)
She is first seen entering the Rescue Aid Society assembly hall in the first movie, while Bernard (from outside the hall) and the delegates and the Chairmouse are singing the anthem, but she doesn't sing with them until she enters the assembly hall and gets to her seat. When Bernard gets the message out of the bottle (which Penny sent away) and the mouse scouts hold it open, the Chairmouse has so much trouble reading it that Bianca comes to read it instead (except that there are parts she can't read either due to those parts being watered out). She worries so much for Penny that she asks the Chairmouse for the assignment. As the Chairmouse is about to reveal (but doesn't until the following) that Bianca should have a co-agent go with her, Bernard says it is a dangerous idea and she shouldn't go. Although every male delegate volunteers, Bianca chooses Bernard instead (because she can't decide which volunteering delegate to pick).

That rainy night, Bernard (clad in a yellow raincoat and rain hat) and Bianca (clad in a purple raincoat and pink kerchief) board a human-type bus and exit at the stop. As they are entering through the zoo (which is, of course, closed), Bernard goes to check it out, only to run into a lion and run away (with Bianca). As they finally enter Morningside Orphanage, Bernard looks to find a box with Penny's things in a box (formerly containing 24 cans) which says "Hold Until Further Notice". The two mouse heroes listen to an old cat, Rufus, about the last time the latter saw Penny. He then tells the two heroes about a sleazy pawn shop (owned by the principal adversary, Madame Medusa). It has stopped raining by the time they get to that shop. After they find a book that belongs to Penny, a cuckoo clock makes it named sound, and Bernard gets his tail smashed by the pages and front cover of the book, but Bianca (despite being amused by its look from that) helps him fix it. Just then, they hide separately as Medusa answers the phone. It is then that Bernard and Bianca find out that Penny is in the fictional marshy swamp of Devil's Bayou. Bernard quietly tells Bianca to get into the suitcase, but only he manages to get in, but Bianca doesn't because Medusa has come back to pack it and then put her jacket on. Again, Bianca tries to get in the suitcase, but fails again as the greedy kidnapper is about to try to close the suitcase. Fortunately, the strap for a bra is sticking out so Bianca holds onto it, but she fails. However, she does manage to enter the car (hiding under the gas pedal until Medusa pushes on it all the way). She then heads for the suitcase (which later ends up falling out of the car and opening).

Bernard, now clad in his trademark red shirt and brown cap (but with an orange jacket and no overalls), takes Bianca up the airport escalator and head off for Albatross Airlines (the mouse equivalent to an airport). After a voiceover from the albatross "captain", Orville, Bernard later gives him landing permission. Bernard tries convincing Bianca to take the train and "play it safe" instead. It is Bernard who tells Orville that the two need to get to Devil's Bayou. Because of his dislike of the number 13, Bernard just jumps the last of the 13 stairs into the cockpit (which is mostly made from a sardine can). He reads the checklist to Orville, finishing with the added famous motto, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." Orville starts flying (much to Bernard's fear). Bernard is even more worried when Orville passes a red light, but Bianca kisses him and tells him to stop worrying. Later that night, Bernard is reading a book about the hazards of Devil's Bayou when Bianca falls asleep on his shoulder. Shyly and hesitantly, he puts him arm around her and tells her "Good night, Bianca." (The first time he simply calls her "Bianca", as he previously always called her "Miss Bianca".

Back to the flight, while both mouse heroes are sleeping, Mr. Snoops (the right-hand man of Madame Medusa) lights fireworks to light up the swamp so his boss can find Penny (who has escaped again). As one rocket passes, burning Orville's "rudder" (tail feathers, actually), Bernard removes his jacket to try and put the fire out. After the two mice are forced to bail out, Bernard tries holding on to Bianca, but she still slips and falls out of her dress. So Bernard has her hold onto him as he opens up his umbrella. As Ellie Mae, one of the two muskrats, helps Bianca out of the puddle, the other muskrat, Luke, gives Bernard a drink of liquor, causing him to cough a lot and hoarsely explain where he, Bianca and Orville are from. Later, as Brutus and Nero (Medusa's pet crocodiles) have respectively caught Penny and her teddy bear, Bernard and Bianca run to try and find out where they are taking Penny. It is Bernard who unties the leaf boat (driven by the dragonfly, Evinrude) from the "dock". As they pass between Nero and Brutus, waves come and Bianca falls overboard, but Bernard uses a rope to save her. Slowly, they continually head for the giant river boat (where Medusa lives), and as soon as they get there, they duck as Medusa passes in her swamp mobile.

Later, Bernard and Bianca sneak through a ventilation system as Madame Medusa and Snoops are arguing over Penny, that black hole and the world's largest diamond, the Devil's Eye (which Medusa means to have). As soon as Medusa leaves, Bernard and Bianca are about to go look for Penny and get her out, but are stopped by Nero and Brutus (one of the crocodiles picks Bernard up, but the latter whacks him with his umbrella). Then Bernard tries to escape up the curtains, but the crocodiles tear them down and attack, but Bianca saves him by pulling him by his foot and they hide in a pipe organ, but they are still found, as the crocodiles are making a racket with that music. Bernard is finally caught in one of the crocodiles' mouths, and Medusa whacks that one with her stick, making him spit Bernard out. This sight frightens Medusa who orders Snoops to kill him. She also gets frightened when she sees Bianca, too. No matter what, the two heroes still escape; however, as Medusa is enraged over the gun not working, she still manages to shoot another one (through Snoops' hair and onto the balustrade). Bernard and Bianca have escaped; however, they fell into the water.

As they are back on Evinrude's boat, the two heroes (with Evinrude driving the boat) get to Penny's bedroom and Bernard reveals that they found the bottle and came to rescue her (but they didn't bring anyone big with them). After Bianca points out that Nero and Brutus should be locked up in a cage, Penny decides that the elevator would be a good idea (which Bianca agrees to). Because Penny explains that the crocodiles will eat anything, Bianca decides that her bait would be her perfume (they would follow the scent right into the elevator). Bernard and Bianca are impressed and amused when Penny imitates Medusa. As Bianca warns Penny to get dressed fast, Bernard sends Evinrude to enlist the Swamp residents (quickly), but there is a delay due to bats and hiding in another bottle).

The next day, Bernard and Bianca are hiding in Penny's jumper pocket as she is being sent down (this time without her teddy bear due to him being afraid to be down there). As they are down the hole, Bernard uses a spoon to try to find the diamond, but Penny tells him she already looked there and those little gems weren't wanted. As Bernard tries to find a safe way over the hole where the water enters, he slips (due to the water coming in), but Bianca saves him. Then, as Penny lifts her lantern, Bernard finds something shining inside a human skull. Thinking it is from the Devil's Eye, he requests Penny to hold her lantern up again, and finds out that it is the right diamond. However, neither Bernard nor Bianca can get the diamond out of the skull through where one of the eyes is located. After the water comes in again, Medusa refuses to pull Penny up without the diamond, so Bernard gives Penny the idea of using the pirate sword to open the skull (which pops open). Once the water comes in a third time, all three characters are caught in a whirlpool, and finally Penny (with a hiding Bernard and Bianca) is being pulled up.

Now, back at the riverboat, Bernard and Bianca use a lasso to catch a pipe and hold the other end straight and steady so that Medusa (who had either broken her promise to Penny or lied to her about giving her teddy bear back) would trip. She then drops the teddy bear (which had the diamond stuffed into it). Later, Bernard and Bianca are both holding onto Deadeye the Rabbit's fishing hook at the elevator (while the latter [Bianca] sprays her perfume at the crocodiles). Bernard shouts "Now!" three times in order for Deadeye to pull them up so that Nero and Brutus are confined to the elevator. As Penny is in Medusa's swamp mobile, Bernard points out the spark lever to her (since she has trouble starting it). After Medusa is defeated, Bianca congratulates Bernard, and they hug.

Later, in the assembly hall of the Rescue Aid Society, Bernard and Bianca (now again with their orange jacket and purple dress respectively added) are watching an interview about Penny on TV. After the news is over, Evinrude comes in with a note (another call for help) and Bianca volunteers Bernard to this. Now, Bernard and Bianca are out flying on Orville (again) in a snowstorm.

The Rescuers Down Under
Bernard (clad in a tuxedo jacket, a bow tie and a shirt) is first seen with Bianca (who is wearing some kind of scarf like the one before and a fancy hat) drinking champagne on a chandelier (which is being used for the mouse-restaurant above that for human beings; however, business is done by crickets and a French spider named François). As he is trying to propose engagement, he finds out that there is a hole in his pocket and his engagement ring fell out, so he asks her to excuse him for a moment (he gets back to calling her "Miss Bianca") as he crawls to look for the ring. While she is waiting, François (the cockroach) explains his news to her (that the two mouse heroes have to accept a dangerous mission to Australia). She decides to go tell Bernard at once, but François decides to tell him immediately (to no avail). After Bernard tells her he talked to François (after she asked), she thinks he is about to tell her about the mission. He, however, thinks she is going to speak of the engagement. As they are leaving the restaurant, Bernard asks Bianca if she at least needs a gown (for the wedding), but Bianca says she needs just a pair of khaki shorts and hiking boots* (for the mission). It is in the assembly hall that Bernard realizes that they are headed for Australia.

At the airlines, Bernard questions the idea of flying this soon after eating (as it's better to wait 45 minutes). Bianca tells him to just knock and see if Orville is there, but he is not. A huge pile of snow falls on him, so she accuses him of playing in the snow. After another pile falls on him, Bianca points out that Orville's airline is under new management and they should see his brother, Wilbur (who is dancing and singing along to Joe Bennet & the Sparkletones' "Black Slacks"). Bernard points out that they need to charter a flight. Later, Bernard tells them where they need to go. Bianca points out that they need to leave tonight, but Wilbur refuses because of the storm. Her pointing out that Cody is in trouble changes his mind. Again, unlike Bernard, Bianca still is enthusiastic about flying (just like in the first movie). She asks him if it is a non-stop flight to Australia, which is negatively answered.

Later, on the "bigger bird" (a plane), she and Bernard are shown sleeping on a sleeping Wilbur, and she wakes up and kisses him as they are there already. They rouse Wilbur up, and they then land at Mugwomp Flats in Australia, where Bianca exits and lets a kangaroo rat named Jake help her and Bernard out. After the two main heroes have dropped Wilbur off at an abandoned ambulance, Jake helps them out on their rescue mission, where Bianca rides next to Jake on the head of a flying squirrel (while Bernard rides on its back, and later its tail). She is later alone with Bernard, removing burrs from him and dunking her feet in the water (she lifts one foot out). Bernard almost proposes engagement to Bianca, but it is interrupted when Jake arrives and before he starts training a giant snake. Bianca again rides next to Jake on its head while Bernard (once again) rides far behind them. She is later shown flying on the back of a firefly while the male heroes ride on others' backs. She and Bernard later (at the arrival of McLeach's hideout) starts digging until Jake asks if anyone's considered trying "Open sesame" (but saying so does open the door). Bernard and Bianca later sneak onto the Bushwacker, McLeach's truck. After Bianca warns Cody, the boy who was kidnapped, of McLeach being on the cliff and Marahute, the great golden eagle, is captured, Cody jumps onto the trap, while Jake lassos his foot and only Bianca manages to grab onto the rope. She and Jake then keep Cody from falling after McLeach tried shaking him off for trying to free the eagle.

Bianca is then in the Bushwacker, trying to comfort Cody that Bernard will be there soon; however, she does seem to worry. Later, when Bernard has stolen the keys, Jake misses, but Bianca catches them and they try freeing themselves. Bianca warns Bernard of Cody's danger. As soon as Cody and Bernard are both saved from falling to their deaths from the waterfall, Bianca hugs Bernard and congratulates him for his magnificence. After Bernard asks her to marry him, she accepts and she hugs him again.

Trivia

 * "Bianca" is the singular feminine form of "bianco", meaning "white" in Italian. She even has white fur anyway.
 * The Nostalgia Critic incorrectly stated in his Disneycember reviews of both Rescuers movies that Bianca was voiced by Zsa Zsa Gabor, Eva's sister. When he admitted to the mistake, he said he was suprised that his fans even knew who both women were.