Moonraker
After Drax Industries' Moonraker space shuttle is hijacked, secret agent James Bond is assigned to investigate, traveling to California to meet the company's owner, the mysterious Hugo Drax. With the help of scientist Dr. Holly Goodhead, Bond soon uncovers Drax's nefarious plans for humanity, all the while fending off an old nemesis, Jaws, and venturing to Venice, Rio, the Amazon...and even outer space.
Despite a respectable budget of $34.0M, Moonraker became a massive hit, earning $210.3M worldwide—a remarkable 519% return.
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 1 win & 7 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Moonraker (1979) exhibits meticulously timed story structure, characteristic of Lewis Gilbert's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 6 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.3, the film takes an unconventional approach to traditional narrative frameworks.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
James Bond
Holly Goodhead
Hugo Drax
Jaws
M
Q
Corinne Dufour
Main Cast & Characters
James Bond
Played by Roger Moore
British secret agent investigating the theft of a space shuttle, uncovering a plot to destroy humanity and restart civilization in space.
Holly Goodhead
Played by Lois Chiles
CIA agent posing as an astronaut and scientist, working undercover to investigate Hugo Drax.
Hugo Drax
Played by Michael Lonsdale
Billionaire industrialist and space shuttle manufacturer plotting to exterminate humanity and create a master race in space.
Jaws
Played by Richard Kiel
Giant steel-toothed henchman who initially works for Drax but switches sides when he realizes his girlfriend won't survive Drax's plan.
M
Played by Bernard Lee
Head of MI6 who assigns Bond to investigate the missing Moonraker shuttle.
Q
Played by Desmond Llewelyn
MI6's gadget master who equips Bond with advanced technology including a wrist dart gun and gondola.
Corinne Dufour
Played by Corinne Clery
Drax's helicopter pilot who helps Bond investigate and pays the ultimate price for her betrayal.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes A Moonraker space shuttle on loan to Britain is hijacked mid-transport, destroying the RAF aircraft carrying it. Bond is shown in his element on a private plane before being pushed out without a parachute by Jaws, establishing the high-stakes world of espionage.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 15 minutes when During a tour of Drax's facility, Bond is placed in a centrifuge trainer that Drax's henchman Chang sabotages to lethal G-forces. Bond barely escapes using his wrist-dart gun, confirming Drax is the enemy and that the mission has become deadly personal.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 32 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This demonstrates the protagonist's commitment to Bond discovers the secret biological laboratory beneath the Venetian glass factory and witnesses the deadly nerve agent kill a technician. He now has proof of Drax's sinister agenda and commits fully to stopping whatever Drax is planning, despite the lab being cleared before MI6 can verify., moving from reaction to action.
At 63 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. The analysis reveals that this crucial beat Bond discovers Drax's hidden jungle pyramid complex and learns the full scope of his plan: Drax intends to launch shuttles carrying his "master race" to an orbiting space station while releasing the nerve toxin globally to exterminate humanity. This false defeat reveals the stakes are planetary genocide., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 95 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Aboard Drax's space station, Bond and Holly are captured and sentenced to be ejected into space. Drax reveals the nerve toxin globes are already positioned to wipe out all human life on Earth. With no apparent escape and global extinction imminent, all seems lost., reveals the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 101 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Jaws switches sides after realizing Drax's perfect race has no place for him or Dolly. He helps Bond and Holly escape, and Bond disables the station's radar jammer, allowing the US Space Marines to detect and assault the station. The synthesis of Bond's human appeal and military force creates a path to victory., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Moonraker's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping Moonraker against these established plot points, we can identify how Lewis Gilbert utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Moonraker within the action genre.
Lewis Gilbert's Structural Approach
Among the 3 Lewis Gilbert films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.5, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Moonraker takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Lewis Gilbert filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional action films include The Bad Guys, Puss in Boots and Venom: The Last Dance. For more Lewis Gilbert analyses, see The Spy Who Loved Me, You Only Live Twice.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
A Moonraker space shuttle on loan to Britain is hijacked mid-transport, destroying the RAF aircraft carrying it. Bond is shown in his element on a private plane before being pushed out without a parachute by Jaws, establishing the high-stakes world of espionage.
Theme
M tells Bond that the shuttle disappearance is an embarrassment to Britain and orders him to investigate Drax Industries. The theme of unchecked technological ambition masking sinister intent is introduced as the shuttle represents humanity's reach exceeding its grasp.
Worldbuilding
Bond receives his mission from M, gets equipped by Q with gadgets including a wrist-dart gun, and travels to California to meet Hugo Drax at his elaborate chateau estate. We see Drax's wealth, his space program, and his thinly veiled contempt for Bond and Britain.
Disruption
During a tour of Drax's facility, Bond is placed in a centrifuge trainer that Drax's henchman Chang sabotages to lethal G-forces. Bond barely escapes using his wrist-dart gun, confirming Drax is the enemy and that the mission has become deadly personal.
Resistance
Bond investigates Drax's operation, encountering Dr. Holly Goodhead (an astronaut who is secretly CIA). He survives assassination attempts including a sniper and a pheasant hunt. Bond traces clues to Venice, discovering Drax is manufacturing a deadly nerve toxin in a secret laboratory.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Bond discovers the secret biological laboratory beneath the Venetian glass factory and witnesses the deadly nerve agent kill a technician. He now has proof of Drax's sinister agenda and commits fully to stopping whatever Drax is planning, despite the lab being cleared before MI6 can verify.
Mirror World
Bond and Holly Goodhead reveal their true identities to each other in Venice. She's CIA, he's MI6, and they're both investigating Drax. This partnership represents the collaborative human connection that will ultimately defeat Drax's vision of isolated genetic perfection.
Premise
Bond travels to Rio de Janeiro following leads on Drax's nerve toxin. The sequence delivers classic Bond spectacle: a cable car fight with Jaws over Sugarloaf Mountain, infiltrating Drax's jungle base disguised as a gaucho, and escaping death via a staged carnival assassination attempt.
Midpoint
Bond discovers Drax's hidden jungle pyramid complex and learns the full scope of his plan: Drax intends to launch shuttles carrying his "master race" to an orbiting space station while releasing the nerve toxin globally to exterminate humanity. This false defeat reveals the stakes are planetary genocide.
Opposition
Bond and Holly are captured, escape, and are recaptured repeatedly. Drax accelerates his timetable, launching his fleet of shuttles to the hidden space station. Bond and Holly are forced aboard a shuttle as prisoners. Drax's operation appears unstoppable as globe-orbiting toxin capsules are prepared for deployment.
Collapse
Aboard Drax's space station, Bond and Holly are captured and sentenced to be ejected into space. Drax reveals the nerve toxin globes are already positioned to wipe out all human life on Earth. With no apparent escape and global extinction imminent, all seems lost.
Crisis
Bond and Holly await execution while Drax monologues about his new Eden. Bond appeals to Jaws, pointing out that his girlfriend Dolly wears glasses and wouldn't qualify for Drax's genetic "perfection." This plants the seed of doubt that will lead to Jaws's betrayal.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Jaws switches sides after realizing Drax's perfect race has no place for him or Dolly. He helps Bond and Holly escape, and Bond disables the station's radar jammer, allowing the US Space Marines to detect and assault the station. The synthesis of Bond's human appeal and military force creates a path to victory.
Synthesis
A massive space battle erupts between US Marines and Drax's forces. Bond confronts Drax, shooting him with a cyanide dart and ejecting him into space with the quip "Take a giant leap for mankind." Bond and Holly pursue the three launched toxin globes in a shuttle, destroying them with laser fire before they can enter Earth's atmosphere.
Transformation
Bond and Holly are caught in a compromising zero-gravity embrace when MI6 patches their shuttle feed to a roomful of dignitaries including Q and the Minister of Defence. Bond quips about "re-entry." Humanity is saved, the spy gets the girl, and the world's governments are blissfully unaware how close they came to extinction.