Bond and Manuela’s fling in Moonraker might just be his most efficient romantic subplot ever. He lands in Rio de Janeiro for a mission, and before he can even unpack, a mysterious woman is tailing him and snapping photos of him while driving. Next thing you know, she’s in his presidential suite, and the two are sharing a very diplomatic evening.
Their whirlwind romance continues at the Rio Carnival parade, full of color, music, feathers, and a near-death experience courtesy of Jaws, who apparently doesn’t take nights off. Bond swoops in, saves Manuela from Jaws’ jaws, and then politely suggests she “rest.” And just like that, their affair is over. It’s possibly the shortest, most compact Bond tryst in franchise history.
