Jaws(1981)

The one and only original Jaws grossed more than half a billion dollars at the box office and was the number one movie of all time until Star Wars (1977) took the nod two years later. JAWS was a mixture of terror and humor that ignited the 1975 public that summer; Director Steven Spielberg caused as many people to stay out of the water as Alfred Hitchcock did with his PSYCHO (1960) shower scene. Today the film still stands as one of the best of its kind. Synopsis Shark! On Amity Island, a place not unlike New York's Fire Island, there is a plague of shark attacks. Several people are slain. The Mayor (Murray Hamilton) is the sort who doesn't believe in rocking the boat (or ruining business during the short summer season), so he tries to keep the news quiet and tells the local fishermen that he would appreciate it if they can take some time out from clamming and lobster traps to hunt down whatever it is out there. A good-sized shark is captured and killed, and Mayor Hamilton happily assures tourists and newsmen that the danger has passed and now it's safe to go back in the water. The more fool he.

A charming marine biologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) arrives to look deeper into the dead shark. He quickly becomes convinced that this creature could not possibly be the same one that did all the bloody work. He tells the police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) that there is no way this piddling fish could have been responsible. No, sir, this has to have been the work of—A Great White Shark. Martin thinks Matt is wrong but is soon convinced when there's yet another attack. Matt and Martin bring this to the attention of everyone at a town meeting, over the objections of Mayor Hamilton, who still wants to keep everything under wraps. The fishermen, upon hearing that the culprit is a Great White, decide that their lives are too valuable to risk in stalking such a beast. A seaman Quint (Robert Shaw) with a penchant for foul language and a loner attitude then steps forward and says he can kill the gargantuan fish if they come up with some serious money. The town council hems and haws but finally agrees, and Quint, Matt, and Martin join forces on Quint's boat for the hunt. Hunting the great white Now the story resembles Moby Dick as Quint trails the shark the way Ahab did the whale. There's a bit of time out for some funny dialogue between the disparate men, but then the action begins in earnest. They spot the shark; Quint harpoons it several times, but it's like pinpricks to the 28-foot shark and it toys with them. With John Williams' haunting theme playing in the background, the shark starts to counterattack and tows the boat further out to sea.

Next the shark gets annoyed by these intruders who've come to its neck of the ocean and decides to go after them. The final sequences are one shock after another as the shark capsizes the boat and swallows Quint whole. In the end, Martin saves himself and Matt by wedging an air tank in the mouth of the shark and exploding it. Background Fortunes soared Spielberg shows great restraint in his handling of the menace. The shark isn't seen, except for bits and pieces and shadows underwater, for an hour and twenty minutes into the movie. As a result, the first time it lurches above the water, grown men screamed and those of faint heart reached for their nitroglycerine pills.

The picture's success established Spielberg as a filmmaker. From this he went on to do one hit after another, with a brief time out for mistakes. Although many of the actors had appeared in films before, none was an accredited "bankable" star. Because of Jaws' success, many had their fortunes soar. The shark, which was designed by Joe Alves and cost almost a quarter-million dollars, can be seen as part of Universal's movie tour. Excellent production JAWS had been a best-selling book by Peter Benchley, and he coauthored the script with former improvisational comedian Carl Gottlieb, who also plays a small role as "Meadows." Benchley does a small role as a newsman; he should stick to his typewriter. Otherwise, the casting here is perfect, and all production credits are terrific. There were several production problems at the Martha's Vineyard location, and some worry that the film would never be completed. A huge promotional budget, sensational poster art, and carefully planned advertising by Universal all contributed to preparing a panting public for the event. The wait was worth it. The film was oddly overlooked by the Academy except for nomination as Best Picture.

Performer/Character

Roy Scheider, Police Chief Martin Brody

Robert Shaw, Quint

Richard Dreyfuss, Matt Hooper

Lorraine Gary, Ellen Brody

Murray Hamilton, Mayor Larry Vaughn

Carl Gottlieb, Meadows

Jeffrey Kramer, Deputy Hendricks

Susan Backlinie, Chrissie Watkins

Jonathan Filley, Cassidy

Michael Brody, Jay Mello

Sean Brody, Lee Fierro Mrs.

Production Credits

Producers: David Brown Richard D. Zanuck

Director: Steven Spielberg

Writers: Peter Benchley, Carl Gottlieb, Howard Sackler (uncredited), based on the novel by Benchley

Editor: Verna Fields

Musical Composer: John Williams

Production Designer: Joe Alves

Special Effects: Robert A. Mattey

Cinematographer: Bill Butler (Panavision, Technicolor)