The 10 Most Quotable Jaws Lines

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Approaching its 50th year and currently streaming on Peacock, the iconic movie “Jaws” continues to defy its age, standing as a timeless cinematic masterpiece crafted by Steven Spielberg. Set in the fictional New England beach town of Amity Island, this film’s narrative unfolds during the July 4th holiday as a great white shark attack stirs up a town-wide debate about safety versus commerce. However, it is important to remember that sharks are indifferent to these discussions and continue their feeding spree unabated. The story follows police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider), marine biologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss), and local shark hunter Quint (Robert Shaw) as they embark on a mission to put an end to the shark’s rampage.

Jaws continues to be one of the most memorable films, with its dialogue being frequently quoted. The script was initially penned by Peter Benchley, based on his book of the same title, later extensively reworked and refined by Carl Gottlieb. With numerous iconic lines to select from, SYFY WIRE presents their top 10 favorite quotes and the reasons behind them.

The Top 10 Quotes from the Original Summer Blockbuster, Jaws

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“Sh…ark! There’s a shark in the pond!” – Local girl

Just after a prank by two local children sends beachgoers scrambling from the water in fright, a nearby artist, who happens to be a young woman, observes a real shark approaching the shallow area where some children are learning to boat. Her screams warn Brody and the panicked tourists of the impending danger, with particular concern for Michael Brody, the chief’s son, who is among those children on the supposedly safer waters.

“Well, this is not a boat accident! It wasn’t any propeller! It wasn’t any coral reef! And it wasn’t Jack the Ripper! It was a shark.” – Matt Hooper

Hooper has doubts about the coroner’s finding that the dead body resulted from a boating accident, so he demands to perform his own autopsy on the corpse. When he examines the injuries and the bite marks on the body, he becomes furious and passionately states that whatever was written in the report clearly does not correspond with what actually happened…which suggests a great white shark lurking in the nearby waters.

“You open the beaches on the 4th of July, it’s like ringing the dinner bell for Christ’s sakes.” – Chief Brody

Following the tragic shark attacks that claimed the lives of Chrissy and young Alex Kintner, Chief Brody advocates for closing the nearby beaches. However, he faces strong opposition from Mayor Larry Vaughn, who is primarily concerned about the potential financial loss to the town’s businesses due to a decline in tourism. During one passionate argument with the local elders, Brody eloquently emphasizes the dire consequences if they choose to keep the beaches open.

“Farewell and adieu to you fair Spanish ladies.” – Quint

The traditional British sea shanty, “Spanish Ladies,” often echoed through the movie, holds significant significance for Captain Quint. He frequently sings or hums this tune, using it at times as a playful jab (as seen when he sings it to Hooper) and other times as a chilling prelude (while intoxicated in the cabin). Over the years, the song has come to embody both Quint’s character and the film itself, ensuring its enduring popularity among new audiences.

“They caught A shark. Not THE shark.” – Matt Hooper

Following an intense effort by the fishermen of Amity Town to capture the shark responsible for the local attacks, a boat delivers a Tiger Shark that bears a strong resemblance to the suspect. However, upon examination by Matt and his subsequent measurement of its bite radius, he informs Brody and the Mayor that this particular shark is probably not the actual killer. This revelation sends chills down everyone’s spines.

“You yell barracuda, everybody says, “Huh? What?” You yell shark, we’ve got a panic on our hands on the Fourth of July.” – Mayor Vaughn

In the ongoing discussion about how Amity Island’s economy and tourism might be affected, Mayor Vaughn delivers a speech that showcases a clear focus on capitalism. Rather than prioritizing the concerns of those he’s supposed to represent, Vaughn seems more concerned with potential financial loss and political backlash if the beaches are closed as suggested by Brody and Hooper. While his argument may align with how people might react to shark danger news, it raises ethical questions.

“Boys, oh boys! I think he’s come back for his noon feeding.” – Matt Hooper

In the third act of Jaws, when the trio are out on the sea chasing the shark, Dreyfuss delivers a hilarious yet anxious line that catches Quint and Brody’s attention as they notice the shark returning to their boat with intent.

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“So, eleven hundred men went into the water, three hundred sixteen men come out, and the sharks took the rest. But we delivered the bomb.” – Quint

In terms of memorable monologues in films, Quint’s account of the Indianapolis disaster stands as one of the greatest. A significant portion of it was penned by Shaw, giving the scene an authentic and chilling feel. It’s as if you’re listening to the scariest ghost story ever told, because it’s rooted in actual events. Quint manages to transport the audience into the water alongside him and his unfortunate comrades who shared his fate. He concludes the narrative with a final sentence that is simultaneously sobering, heartrending, terrifying, and authentic.

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“Smile, you son of a b–tch.” – Chief Martin Brody

In the dramatic scene where Brody is alone on the precarious crow’s nest as it sinks, with only one more chance to confront the terrifying great white shark, he makes a nerve-wracking shot and delivers these rewarding words that resonate not just for him but for the entire audience. A fitting phrase to culminate the most exhilarating cat-and-mouse third act in movie history.

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“You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” – Chief Martin Brody

In this scene, Roy Scheider delivers a remarkable performance, particularly when he angrily throws chum to lure the shark and later calmly speaks a spot-on line to Quint. Interestingly, the chum does its job, causing Brody to witness the great white shark for the first time with his own eyes, revealing the true size and terror of their adversary… and it’s not promising. As he retreats from the boat’s edge into the Orca’s hold, Brody keeps his gaze fixed on the ocean, warning Quint that they are woefully unprepared for the dangers lurking in the depths.

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2025-06-20 21:17