As “Jaws” turns 50, who is the blockbuster’s real hero?
Steven Spielberg’s saga of man v shark is not the film you remember
That relentless, rumbling music—DUM-dum DUM-dum DUM-dum—like a heartbeat gone awry. The mayor who wants to keep the beaches open (and his equally obnoxious tailoring). “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” These may be your recollections of “Jaws”, released 50 years ago in June 1975. But as so often with classic movies, your memory may be as faulty as an animatronic shark. Watch it again and, in particular, you may conclude that the real hero is not who it first seemed.
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This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “The real hero of “Jaws””
Culture
June 14th 2025
From the June 14th 2025 edition
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