Sunbathers pack the beach, practically butting elbows under striped cabanas while boats patrol the nearby water. No one dares breach the surf until one brave soul ventures forward, triggering a surge of swimmers and waders, determined to enjoy their fun in the sun … until a fin pokes above the water.
Beach scenes abound in films, but Steven Spielberg’s 1975 adaptation of Peter Benchley’s Jaws cemented itself in cinematic history by being set on the Fourth of July. Filmmakers often use parades and fireworks to heighten suspense and romance – a la “The Fugitive” and “To Catch a Thief” – but linking to our nation’s birthday itself adds a particular resonance. It invests us in the story personally. Sure, a great white shark stalking Amity Island is terrifying, but its holiday attack (after a cardboard fake-out) ratchets up the tension, the horror – and the umbrage.
Evoking this most American of American holidays is a universal call to empathy. Sometimes it works; sometimes it’s ham-fisted; but it’s intended for emotional impact, be it patriotism, honor, justice, grandeur, even righteous indignation. It’s one reason Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, and Will Smith don’t fight an alien invasion on Flag Day.
Check out the other films I highlight here, such as “Pride of the Yankees” and “Zodiac,” where filmmakers use Independence Day to spark a response.