20 Things You Didn’t Know About Moonraker (1979)

3. A High-Spirited Jaunt Through Venice

Special permission was obtained from the Venetian authorities to film the gondola chase in The City of Bridges.

Peter Lamont procured two gondolas, which were adapted by special effects technician, John Evans at Pinewood Studios before being shipped back to Venice for filming.

The first, in addition to serving as a speedboat, also concealed a skirting in its hull that could inflate and lift the craft out of the water, whilst the second concealed an Austin Mini chassis in its skirting to represent a hovercraft speeding across St. Mark's Square.

Roger Moore had trouble piloting the gondola out of the lagoon onto dry land. Four times, the hovercraft skirting inflated unevenly, tipping the Bond actor into the Venetian Lagoon, whereupon he was dried off and donned a new suit to try again. On the fifth attempt, wearing his last dry suit, the skirting inflated properly and the gondola successfully climbed out of the lagoon.

Moore even had a klaxon in the craft to warn bystanders that he was coming and aptly nicknamed the unusual craft the “Bondola”!

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I started writing for WhatCulture in July 2020. I have always enjoyed reading and writing. I have contributed to several short story competitions and I have occasionally been fortunate enough to have my work published. During the COVID-19 lockdown, I also started reviewing films on my Facebook page. Numerous friends and contacts suggested that I should start my own website for reviewing films, but I wanted something a bit more diverse - and so here I am! My interests focus on film and television mainly, but I also occasionally produce articles that venture into other areas as well. In particular, I am a fan of the under appreciated sequel (of which there are many), but I also like the classics and the mainstream too.