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

15. “I Did Tell You Not To Talk To Any Strange Men.”

Moonraker Roger Moore 1979
MGM/UA

Having holidayed in Rio de Janeiro after making The Spy Who Loved Me, Cubby Broccoli considered it a prime location for Moonraker and therefore sent a crew to shoot the city’s famous Carnival in February 1978.

The main unit with Roger Moore and Richard Kiel later visited Rio in January 1979 but, unable to wait until February 1979 for the next Carnival, they staged their own, providing the citizens of Rio with two Carnivals in one year!

The role of Double-0 Seven’s MI6 ally, Manuela was originally portrayed by Brazilian actress, Adele Fátima, who filmed some sequences with Roger Moore around the base of Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf Mountain), but was deemed unsatisfactory for the role.

The part was recast with Dutch actress, Emily Bolton and Fátima’s scenes were excised from the final film. Unable to reshoot these sequences, the filmmakers had Bond escort Manuela home after she survives an encounter with Jaws.

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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.