Trivia: In the film, the Mayor is acting out of his concern for the town and its people, fearing an economic collapse if summer is ruined for beachgoers. In Peter Benchley's novel, things are a bit more complicated as the Mayor owes and is being manipulated/extorted by the mob due to their grip on Amity in general and money owed for a loan he took out to help save his then-ailing-and unaware-wife.
Erik M.
17th Jan 2020