Five key differences in Roy Scheider's portrayal of Chief Brody in JAWS and JAWS 2
Hello, Islanders!
So the boss asked me to point out some key differences in the way Roy Scheider portrayed Chief Brody in Jaws to the way he played him in Jaws 2. I had to do a lot of thinking because, as an actor dedicated to the work, Roy had to put aside some personal issues – mostly not wanting to be there – but still make the character likeable. My thoughts:
More assured
In Jaws, Brody had to put up with the mayor, selectmen and, really, the entire town, fighting him when he wanted to close the beaches. He depended on those around him, presumably more knowledgeable as they had been on the Island for some time, to give him guidance. In Jaws 2, Brody is no longer restrained. He marches into the council meeting, throwing a photo on the table and declaring “that’s a shark!”
Gruffer
In the first film, Brody is father of the year material, bonding with Sean at the dinner table and cajoling Michael to please put his boat in the pond. In Jaws 2 he is more direct, refusing to let Mike take his boat out and yelling at him in front of his friends during the killer whale discovery scene.
Not as tender
In Jaws, you can see that Martin and his wife, Ellen, despite years of marriage, were still very much in love. Whether considering getting drunk and fooling around to their tearful goodbye as Brody gets on the ORCA, you can see the genuine affection the two actors had for each other. The Jaws 2 Brody plays more like the way the character is portrayed in Peter Bencley’s novel. Despite a comment about the first time they slept together during a dance at the beginning of the film, and Ellen assisting Brody when he comes home inebriated after being fired, nothing on screen screams that these two are in love. Lorraine Gary has commented that Roy’s attitude was different on Jaws 2, presumably because he didn’t want to do the film.
No more Aquaphobia
It is made clear in the first film that Brody is not a fan of the water. His insistence on riding in his car when taking the ferry is a good sign. Pay close attention to the aftermath of the Alex Kintner attack. As the people are running out of the water, Brody hangs on the shore, often looking down to make sure he’s not in the water. And how about the way he reacted when Hooper decided to go exploring after cutting open the tiger shark. Compare those actions to the ones in Jaws 2. Wading out in chest-high water to retrieve wreckage from the speedboat explosion. Taking the police boat out unaccompanied. Taking on the shark in just a small rubber raft. He fears the water no more!
Job comfort
In Jaws, Brody took everything upon himself. Buying the materials for the “Beach Closed” signs, personally heading out to April Bay to stop the scouts from earning their merit badges, filing out police reports (he has a secretary). In Jaws 2 he delegates more to Hendricks, brushes off constituents and, based on his tan, obviously has a lot more free time!
Words by Michael A Smith. Michael is co-author of Jaws 2: The Making Of The Hollywood Sequel. You can order the book by contacting Michael at OsFanMike@aol.com.
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