ITALY – Venice, Calle Lunga Santa Catarina & Ponte Foscarini & Squero di San Trovaso & Fondamenta Briati // Moonraker (1979)
A Bond film needs a chase – and since this is the water city Venice, there has to be a gondola chase. Instead of cars, planes or motorcycles Bond uses a a motorised gondola that can morph into a hovercraft: the Bondola!
Why Bond was here
Bond (Roger Moore) investigates some mischief by sinister industrialist (Hugo Drax) and travels to Venice. Drax doesn’t want him to sniff around and sends some henchmen after 007. Soon, the whole water city becomes a playground in a rapid gondola chase.
How you gonna get there
The canal chase was filmed at numerous places throughout Venice, switching between neighborhoods and areas randomly. These are the main spots in order:
- After meeting with Holly Goodhead in Cannaregio, Bond passes Fondamenta Briati in Dorsoduro – this canal, Rio del Carmini and Rio de S. Margherita, will be used numerous times in trick shots in the upcoming chase.
- Bond gets attacked by the assasin in the coffin gondola after driving underneath Ponte Foscarini just some meters to the east, then the gondola transforms.
- After new motorboats approach him, Bond rushes along the old shipyard at Squero di San Trovaso.
- The gondola chase magically cuts to Cannaregio, where the speed boat cuts through the lovebirds gondala at Calle Lunga Santa Caterina.
- The chase climaxes at Canal Grande at the quays of San Marco Square – the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute is visible in the background.
- Bond turns his gondola into a hovercraft in front of the Colonna di San Todaro and drives it along the Doge’s Palace into the square.
Good to know
Venice is a unique treasure. More than 100 islands are combined through water canals and bridges. »La Serenissima«, as Venice is called, wants you to get lost between its labyrinthine alleys and campos, the small town squares. Unfortunately, famous San Marco and touristy San Polo get all the attention – while the charming Dorsoduro quarter stays a bit more hidden. A lot of the gondola chase scenes were filmed right here. So you are lucky to explore this gem.
Dorsoduro is a home to the University of Venice and this means a lot for the area. Food and accomodation is cheaper than in the other parts of the city, gallerys and creative interior shops stand out. Instead of pasta and pizza you find craft beer bars and fusion kitchen restaurants. But the fine arts await you as well: Dorsoduro is home to the Accademia featuring famous works from Titian or Veronese and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. Ca’Rezzonico – shaped into Drax’ office in “Moonraker” – is also around the corner. If you want to get a good view on the whole of Venice, Dorsoduro might help you as well: The small island San Giorgio Maggiore belongs to the area and it’s belltower is the hightest viewpoint in the city.
Squero di San Trovaso – the shipyard from the gondola chase – is a place you should visit in the evenings. Along its Fondamenta Nani several small cafés and bars open up during sunset, offering good wine and cicchetti, the Venetian tapas. Students come here to hang out till midnight. You should as well – but stay away of the canal to not get splashed if a Bondola rushes along.
We fell in love with Dorsoduro right away. During our week in Venice we came here several times, especially enjoying ice cream at Fondamenta Nani or just hanging around at Campo Santa Margherita, the beating heart of Dorsoduro. If you should ever get bored by pizza, try out the great Afghan and Pakistani food offered at “Orient Experience”, a small joint at the southern corner of the Campo.
© 2022 Huntingbond (1,3,4,5,6), © 1979 Danjaq S.A. & United Artists Corporation (2)