Jaws Page #6

Vaughn indicates the beach where the Scouts are flopping out

onto the sand, exhausted, glad to be finished.

BRODY:

I can't work in a vacuum. Why don't

you make Hendricks Chief? His family's

been here since the Puritans -- half

this island are his cousins.

VAUGHN:

Martin, we hired the best man we

could find.

All ad lib agreement.

VAUGHN:

We need someone who isn't prejudiced

by old feuds or family ties, someone

who can referee things.

MEADOWS:

You have our complete support.

VAUGHN:

Now then. We've got a vandalism

problem we ought to talk about...

The others surround Brody as Vaughn leads the way back to

the cars, ad libbing their problem with the little karate

choppers.

Hendricks puts the signs back into the trunk of Vaughn's

Cadillac. Vaughn waves casually to the Scouts and swimmers

who are vigorously toweling off in the background.

EXT. AMITY STREET - DAY

In front of Amity's only Music Store, a battered old pick-up

truck pulls in to the curb. Quint and his mate cross silently

heading into the music store.

INT. AMITY MUSIC STORE - DAY

A gently tinkling bell tolls Quint's entrance. Inside the

store, a ten-year-old boy is being shown a clarinet. He is

playing a mellow low tone, and running "Ode to Joy." Quint

looms past him like Neptune rising from the deep, and lets

his hand drop on the counter with a slap that sounds like a

club on flesh. The Shopkeeper abandons the little boy and

meets Quint.

SHOPKEEPER:

Hello, Mr. Quint.

QUINT:

Four spools of Number 12 piano wire,

Okay? I ordered them.

SHOPKEEPER:

(finding them under

the counter)

Yessir, right here. What do those

fish do, eat this stuff?

QUINT:

They choke on it.

Without waiting for it to be wrapped, he picks up the gleaming

wire in his gnarled fist, and drops a bill on the counter.

SHOPKEEPER:

Bye now.

No answer from Quint, who stops and sings along with the

boy.

The little kid's music degenerates into a series of awkward

squeaks and blurps, as Quint stares at him. Quint continues

out the door, threading his way through the people in the

street like some great fish. As he gets up into the cab of

his pick-up, its door swings open so we can see a crude

stylized shark decorating its side. It slams behind him as

Quint gets in and drives away.

EXT. AMITY BEACH - DAY

A plump jelly-bowl of a woman plunges into the ocean. There's

enough there to satisfy the most gluttonous shark. Buoyant,

joyful, she splashes away in abandon. From her, we pan off

to reveal other cheerful bathers enjoying that last

uncluttered weekend before the season starts in earnest.

ANGLE ON THE WATERLINE

A Man and his dog are romping at the water's edge. The Man

is throwing a stick out into the surf, the dog, a happy

retriever, is bounding into the waves after it.

TWO YOUNG PEOPLE ON THE BEACH

A Girl and her Boyfriend leave their blanket and run for the

water, playing tag, chasing each other, having a wonderful

time.

ANGLE ON BIRTHDAY PARTY ON THE SAND - MARTIN AND ELLEN BRODY

He is sitting stiffly in a beach chair, scanning the beach

with careful, cautious looks, eyeballing everything that's

going on.

Around their particular blanket and umbrella are a number of

adults and their kids, the youngsters gathered to celebrate

Michael's birthday. Ellen is dishing out ice cream and cake

from a cooler chest to the raucous 10-year-olds. Michael's

hand is still bandaged.

MAX TAFT:

(an adult)

Looks like another big season. Gets

worse every year.

MRS. TAFT

And none of them from the Island.

Just a lot of bother.

Brody (and we) hear a shrill scream from the water. He

stretches to look past the group, to see what's happening

out there.

BRODY'S POINT OF VIEW - THE WATER

The young lady is disappearing under the water, pulled under

the waves by some force. She is shrieking. She pops right up

again riding the shoulders of her boyfriend, who pulled her

under. She's laughing hysterically. Brody is unamused.

THE ADULTS:

BRODY:

(to Taft)

What?

TAFT:

Present company excepted, but off-

islanders are a pain in the butt.

Pardon my French.

Ellen captures Sean, and holds him playfully, an example.

ELLEN:

What about this kid? What if he were

born here. That make him an islander?

TAFT:

Just 'cause a cat has kittens in an

oven, it don't make them muffins.

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