Jaws Page #24

Five people try to mount a rubber raft.

Ugly reminders that each of us is Number One.

Brody enters shot, yelling into his walkie-talkie, someone

charges past him to help an old man out of the water.

EXT. THE BEACH

Dragging the helpless from the surf. Tears well in Brody's

eyes. The screaming is deafening. The TV unit is hopping up

and down in rage and frustration.

TV DIRECTOR:

Why did we wrap? Get that! Somebody

get that!

One thousand survivors pack the beach, standing absolutely

still. A numbing cold sets in, and people shiver against

each other.

Muted sobs, whimpering, coughing.

The six burly lifeguards huddle together like Cub Scouts.

ANGLE - BATHING AREA

The monstrous black fin turns a slow circle as two Coast

Guardsmen manage to cut their own repellent line. All boats

converge on the dynamic fin. Men raise their guns to fire.

Others adlib nautical commands in a uniquely calculated

fashion.

CLOSE - FIN

It slips sideways, revealing for the first time a tiny blue

snorkel. Then appears the faces of two youngsters whom we

will recall from the coven behind the dune. The fin bobs

back, a beaverboard replica attached to a partially submerged

surfboard. One youngster looks up and is greeted by:

YOUNGSTER'S POINT OF VIEW

Twenty rifles and shotguns pointed directly at him.

Surrounding him on three sides. Some of the policemen start

to lower their guns -- struck dumb.

HOOPER IN HIS BOAT

He throttles back suddenly, subsiding into his own wake, his

eyes still restlessly searching.

CLOSE - YOUNGSTER

his only defense, he begins to cry -- and feebly raises his

hands in unconditional surrender.

ANGLE - ESTUARY

The narrow estuary leading into the half-mile is rough today.

Two children digging in the sand and unaware of the beach

panic one hundred yards away look up, and the little girl

points.

BLACK DORSAL FIN

is cruising through the narrows and toward the busy pond.

HOOPER IN HIS BOAT AGAIN

He sees it, and jams his throttle forward. He steers with

one hand, fumbling urgently for his walkie-talkie with the

other.

AERIAL VIEW:

The circle of boats around the little pranksters, the crowds

huddled on the beach, Hooper's boat suddenly arrowing towards

the estuary, leaving a huge boiling wake.

CLOSE ON VAUGHN:

He catches Hooper's boat out of the corner of his eye.

Curious, he follows its progress. It's urgency finally

communicates itself to Vaughn, who begins a shambling trot

across the dunes towards a rise overlooking the estuary.

OVERLOOKING THE ESTUARY

Vaughn gets there just in time to see the disaster. He

watches, helpless, trying to shout, out of breath. Stunned.

ANGLE - POND

Michael is tacking full-sail in his boat with a friend, Kit.

Kit is admiring the shark's tooth necklace around his own

neck while Michael rubs some water on the scratches left by

it.

The fin, huge, black and real, crosses behind them. They are

not yet aware. The fin seems to circle and return. It heads

toward Michael's boat when another small dinghy gets in its

way -- a weekend novice just finishing a thermos of coffee

when he is "bumped." The entire boat is overturned. Michael

sees the fin now as it collides with him, the entire bow

lifting out of the water and rolling over on the port side.

Michael and Kit are thrown head first.

Three heads in the water come up sputtering, the fin between

them crossing back. Michael freezes. The fin comes directly

at him, growing into the sky, passing him so close he could

touch it, but ignoring him as it follows the flailing and

panicked weekend novice. Catches him. Michael watches. That

all too familiar explosion of water -- a choked off scream --

the head and upper torso of the novice passing Michael swiftly

as though being carried off -- a current of blood trailing

behind.

THE VICTIM:

(passing a horrified

Michael, who half

extends one hand, as

if to help)

It's no good. I'm dead...

(and he is)

A renewed cry of shark!

CLOSE - BRODY

He turns. Oh God! Running through the slogging sand.

CLOSE - ELLEN

A sudden turn. She runs.

CLOSE - HOOPER IN BOAT

He's got the walkie-talkie to his mouth.

HOOPER:

Block the estuary! The estuary!

Three boats racing to carry out the orders. The black fin re-

passing the two children, racing to get out. Hooper reaches

the mouth before the others. The fin won't veer off. It smacks

into the little vessel, bumping it aside. The fin is left

racing into open water. Blood leavings. Hooper leaping over

the side, slogging towards Michael.

WIDE ON WATER:

Copter roars in buzzing the shark, but too late.

CLOSE - BRODY AND ELLEN

They are pulling Michael out of the water as Hooper splashes

up. Michael is conscious but in shock -- his eyes staring at

nothing.

BRODY:

(feeling his face)

He's in shock. Get blankets!

People gather and Brody snatches beach towels out of their

hands. They cover Michael and carry him off the beach, feet

raised above his head.

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