Before Jaws redefined summer blockbusters in 1975, a little-known 1969 Burt Reynolds thriller called Shark! dove into theaters, pitting man against beast in a gritty, low-budget adventure. Directed by Samuel Fuller and filmed in Mexico, this B-movie about a gunrunner chasing sunken treasure in shark-infested waters beat Spielberg’s classic to the punch with real sharks and a notorious marketing stunt. Though panned by critics and overshadowed by Jaws, Shark! remains a curious footnote in cinema history, blending film noir with pulpy thrills.
In Shark!, Reynolds plays Caine, a cynical gun smuggler stranded in a dusty Sudanese coastal town after a botched deal. Lured by a seductive femme fatale, Anna (Silvia Pinal), and her shady partner, Professor Mallare (Barry Sullivan), Caine dives for gold hidden in a shipwreck, only to face betrayal and real sharks. Unlike Jaws’ suspense-driven terror, Fuller’s film leans into greed and double-crossing, with underwater scenes showcasing divers grappling with live sharks—impressive for its time but tame by modern standards. Reynolds, fresh off TV’s Gunsmoke and years from his Deliverance breakout, brings a rugged charm to the role, though the script’s meandering pace and shoddy dubbing hold it back.
The film’s infamy stems from a grim publicity stunt: producers claimed stuntman José Marco was killed by a great white during filming, a story splashed across Life magazine with a dedication in the movie’s opening. A diving magazine later debunked it as a hoax, revealing no evidence of the death, but the controversy boosted Shark!’s buzz. Re-released as Man-Eater post-Jaws, it flopped again, criticized for its sparse shark action—only two brief attacks—and lackluster execution. Fuller, known for gritty classics like Pickup on South Street, disowned the project after producers recut his vision, leaving a film that’s more campy curiosity than masterpiece.
Despite its flaws, Shark! offers a glimpse into pre-Jaws shark films, highlighting how Spielberg’s 1975 hit revolutionized the genre. Available on Blu-ray with restored Technicolor visuals, it’s a must for Reynolds fans or B-movie buffs craving a dive into cinema’s murkier waters. Stream it on niche platforms or hunt down a copy to see where shark thrillers began—just don’t expect a great white chomping through the screen!
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