The best James Bond book has still not been (properly) adapted

Published in June 1979, Moonraker is the 11th film in the long-running James Bond Franchise. The story is adapted from Moonrakerthe third novel in Ian Felming’s popular 007 spy book series, often considered one of the author’s best works. Unlike the acclaimed novel, however, the film adaptation remains one of the least popular Bond films among critics and diehard fans. The reason for the juxtaposition between the outstanding novel and the lackluster film adaptation of Moonraker may surprise many.

As Moonraker celebrates its 45th anniversary in 2024, a look back at the making of the film is necessary to understand how it differs from the book and why the story deserves a more accurate adaptation. Since the producers discarded about 90% of Fleming’s original story to capitalize on the success of A Galaxy Far, Far Away, the true Moonraker was never properly translated to the screen.

Moonraker

Release date

26 June 1979

Duration

126

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What is the novel “Moonraker” about?

Published in 1955, Moonraker was developed from a screenplay by Ian Fleming that was considered too short for a novel. The story is about James Bond, the British secret service agent 007, Preventing the launch of the Moonraker, a deadly rocket prototype created to defend England from the Soviets during the escalation of the Cold War. Bond’s main villain is Hugo Drax, a secret German ex-Nazi who works with the Soviets to build the Moonraker and attack England with a nuclear bomb instead of defending the country. For much of the novel, Bond does not realize that Drax is hiding his secret identity and the Soviet alliance.

The plot intensifies when Moonraker’s security chief is killed, prompting M to appoint 007 as his successor. Bond teams up with Gala Brand, a dashing Scotland Yard detective who works undercover as Drax’s assistant for a year. It’s a tense scenario where the clock is ticking, with just four days left to test Moonraker’s effectiveness. Bond and Brand must race to the rescue before England is attacked.

After narrowly escaping murder, Bond and Brand discover that Drax was behind the Moonraker weapon system all along. Drax kidnaps Brand for her betrayal and intimate knowledge of the Moonraker weapon. Bond attempts to rescue Brand, but is abducted by Drax, who tells him a long, overly explicit backstory that reveals his true plans in typical Bond villain fashion. Drax admits that he disguised himself as a British soldier during World War II and was mistaken for a British war hero after suffering battle injuries. Drax continued to assume the soldier’s identity and plotted revenge on England by posing as one of them.

Of course, Bond and Brand save the day and prevent the Moonraker from exploding in England. They manage to divert the rocket into the North Sea, which prompts Drax to board a Russian submarine and continue his attack. Unfortunately, about 10% of Ian Fleming’s original made it into the cinematic adaptation of Moonraker.

What is the movie “Moonraker” about?

With obvious science fiction tendencies, Moonraker adulterated Fleming’s Moonraker beyond recognition. Firstly, the Moonraker is no longer a missile weapon system that delivers a nuclear warhead. Instead, Moonraker is the name of a spaceship owned by Drax Industries and loaned to the British government.After the shuttle is stolen, James Bond (Roger Moore) is sent to find answers. The novel is set entirely in Britain, but Bond ventures to California to visit Drax Industries before heading off to the Amazon jungle and space.

Hugo Drax’ (Michael Lonsdale) complicated The origin story was completely omitted from the filmwhich gives the Bond villain a one-dimensional characterization that does not do justice to the novel. Gala Bond is nowhere to be found in the Moonraker film, despite being the central cog that drives the plot forward and receives a medal of merit for her brave espionage. Instead, viewers are treated to Holly Goodhead (Lois Chiles), an implausible spy who travels with the jet set, encounters Bond by chance around the world, and who turns out to have been spying on Drax the whole time.

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Moonraker also reveals the villainous part of the story to Jaws (Richard Kiel), a returning henchman from the previous Bond film, The Spy Who Loved Mewith no relevant connections to Drax, the Nazis or World War II. Drax recruiting Jaws to kill Bond makes little sense and has no connection to the Moonraker The novel’s basis. In the most striking deviation, Bond and Goodhead travel to the Amazon and discover Drax’s true plan. They learn that Drax wants to create a master race and wipe out the weakest humans by flying the Moonraker shuttle into space and releasing poisonous gases into the Earth’s atmosphere.

Why did “Moonraker” leave out most of Fleming’s source material?

While the events of the Moonraker The book and the film differ drastically, It was a calculated attempt by the producers to capitalize on the financial success of war of starsThe credits of The Spy Who Loved Me promoted For your Eyes Only as the next planned Bond film. But as war of stars shook the box office and became an unprecedented cultural phenomenon, Moonraker was quickly put into production instead. For your Eyes Only was the next franchise film in 1981.

The Moonraker Roman was radically revised to war of stars‘ space theme, plot and characters to increase the differences in the story. Drax’s Masterrace space storyline does not exist in the Moonraker novel, nor do Jaws or Goodhead have any influence on the story. The brilliantly written character Gala Brand remains the only female protagonist in an Ian Fleming novel not to appear in a Bond film. Moonraker remains one of the Bond films that is least faithful to its original. There was such a difference between Christopher Wood’s screenplay and Fleming’s novel that Eon Productions commissioned Wood to write a novelization entitled James Bond and Moonraker to avoid confusion.

If properly adapted to the 21st century Moonraker would thwart the desperate attempt to recapture war of stars‘ Glory, ditch the ridiculous Drax space story, introduce a new Bond villain, keep the story in Britain and give Gala Brand its due. Until then, Moonraker remains one of Fleming’s best Bond novels and one of the worst 007 films of all time. To make matters worse, three years after filming, Steven Spielberg expressed interest in making the movie. The White shark but was rejected by producer Albert Broccoli in favor of Lewis Gilbert. Spielberg has not made a Bond film to date. But if anyone can adapt Moonraker faithfully, it is Spielberg who is at the top of the list.

Moonraker can be rented on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.