Jaws: A Classic with Secrets Beneath the Surface
Jaws (1975) isn’t just a thriller — it’s a film packed with surprises both on and off screen.
A deleted scene nearly showed young Alex Kintner’s full death, but it was cut to avoid pushing the PG rating. The famous line “You’re gonna need a bigger boat” was improvised by Roy Scheider and nearly lost in the audience’s screams, so Spielberg adjusted the scene to make sure it landed.
John Williams’ two-note score? Spielberg laughed at it at first — until it became iconic.
Behind the scenes, tensions ran high. Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss didn’t get along, and Shaw’s drinking caused chaos. Still, he nailed the chilling USS Indianapolis speech on his second try.
Years later, a menu item called the “Alex Kintner Sandwich” led to a touching reunion between the actors who played Alex and his mother.
With $476.5 million earned and fans still obsessed, Jaws proves that even a movie with flaws can become a masterpiece.
