"You're gonna need a bigger boat": The story behind the iconic line
The most unforgettable films in cinematic history are usually defined by one memorable line. These quotes, ranging from clever and amusing to inspirational and even hard-hitting, stay in the minds of millions as a reminder of the experience a film has given them.
The 1975 thriller Jaws is no exception. In fact, "You're gonna need a bigger boat" has become so iconic that it's on the American Film Institute's list of 100 greatest movie quotes.
And though actor Roy Scheider, who played Chief of Police Martin Brody, famously ad-libbed the scene in question, he didn't actually come up with the words on the spot. Read on to find out about the line's clever origins!
An inside joke
It was only over 40 years after the film's release that actor-writer Carl Gottlieb revealed the quote's backstory. In a 2016 interview, Gottlieb recounted that he was first pulled into the project by his friend, the then relatively-unknown Steven Spielberg, who asked him to look over the script for Jaws less than a month before principal photography began.
"Eviscerate this," Spielberg requested. Gottlieb then quit his day job to work full-time on reworking the script — and on playing minor character Harry Meadows.
Meanwhile, the quote that renowned horror writer Stephen King called the greatest in movie history began as a pointed remark towards the film's reportedly thrifty producers, Richard Zanuck and David Brown. Jaws was the first major film to be shot in deep waters, resulting in many complications.
All the filming equipment was carried on a barge christened the S.S. Garage Sale by the cast and crew, and its only support boat was visibly too small for the job. Consequently, the cast and crew would reprimand the producers, saying, "you're gonna need a bigger boat." Soon, the line was being used for every minor inconvenience that occurred on set.
Perfect timing
Eventually, Roy Scheider brought the line to the shoots, as well. And though he ad-libbed the words on multiple occasions, it was during one particular scene that it resonated enough to be included in the film's final cut.
While on the fishing vessel, Orca, Brody attempted to lure the shark by tossing raw meat in the waves. After it broke the surface and made its appearance, a shocked Brody ran to Quint and said: "You're gonna need a bigger boat."
Flawless editing by Verna Field made the words a natural fit for the scene. It has since been referenced to no end, including on sitcom How I Met Your Mother, the 2007 film Evan Almighty, and even in a Taco Bell commercial.
What goes around comes around
Since then, Gottlieb has heard the famous line requoted to him in various forms. As he memorably recalled, however, the strangest instance of all occurred during a game of poker.
Gottlieb revealed that he was quite confident he had a winning hand at the time, and for good reason. After all, he had a full house, which occupies the fourth spot on this poker hands ranking chart. Also known as a full boat, it has a high chance of beating out most other hands in the game.
After putting his cards on the table, however, the player across him said, "you're gonna need a bigger boat" — and proceeded to place a larger full house on the table.