In 1912, the RMS Titanic, a luxury cruise ship, struck an iceberg. This caused it to sink, leaving 1,517 passengers and crew dead. This is an important and fascinating event in history that has many movies, books, and plays written about it to honor those who passed and to inform others about the tragedy. One of the most famous movies being, The 1997 film “Titanic,” directed by James Cameron. It was highly successful for many reasons; The dramatic love story, history, and fantastic sets and displays.

The depressing storyline of “Titanic” pushed many to watch the film. The two main characters, Jack and Rose, came from different economic classes and still fell in love. Rose DeWitt Bukater was a seventeen year old wealthy, first-class passenger who went aboard the Titanic with her millionaire fiance Caledon Hockley also known as Cal. Rose felt trapped in her engagement to Cal and did not truly love him. She met Jack Dawson, a poor, third-class passenger who wanted to travel to New York on the Titanic. He won his ticket to the ship in a card game since he could not afford one on his own. The characters met while Rose was attempting suicide since she felt hopeless in life and felt as if she had no purpose. Jack saw her standing on the stern of the ship while she was contemplating her decision and convinced her not to jump. As a result of their class differences, the people aboard the vessel accused Jack of harming Rose while he was actually saving her life. However, their social classes did not stop the two from having an epic love until the very end. After the ship’s sinking, Rose laid on a piece of wood while Jack held on, half his body in the freezing water, waiting for rescue. Before getting hypothermia and sinking into the deep icy ocean, Jack said to Rose, “Promise me you'll survive. That you won't give up, no matter what happens, no matter how hopeless. Promise me now, Rose, and never let go of that promise.” Rose responded, “I'll never let go." I'll never let go, Jack. I'll never let go.” Jack sacrificed himself for Rose to survive because of his passion for her. Their love lasted until their last moments together, and Rose never forgot about her one true selfless love. Their devotion inspires others and shows a beautiful message that economic status does not affect true love.  

The 1997 film was based on the true story of how the RMS Titanic sank with aspects of truth and fiction. For those interested in the true history of how the “unsinkable” ship came to lay in its oceanic grave, not much is known. Although the tragic love story of Jack and Rose was fictional, some of the characters had some historical accuracy to those who would actually be on the Titanic. Many of the actors portrayed people who would have actually been on the ship. One scene shows two elderly passengers holding hands while their room fills up with water. This occurred in real life with Isidor Straus and Ida Straus, the co-owner of Macy's department store, because they refused to be treated in a particular way because of their age and status. In another scene, Thomas Andrews, who was the Chief Designer for the Titanic, was seen smoking in a first-class room while looking at a painting of the Titanic on his wall as the ship went down. Many people on board the vessel claimed this was true and actually how he passed away. Another historically accurate scene was when Molly Brown helped passengers get onto lifeboats and kept them calm. She also tried to fill the lifeboats to their total capacity, to save as many lives as possible. These characters helped show people the actual personal events that occurred during the sinking of the Titanic. Many aspects of the film were historically accurate and helped tell the story of the RMS Titanic’s extreme tragedy. 

The ship, Titanic, was known for its extravagant decor and the great irony surrounding it. An unnamed crew member said, “God himself could not sink this ship.” Of course, that was, in fact, false, but the ship was popularly known for its elegant interior design. More specifically, the first class. The grand ballroom emphasized the luxury British style. The rooms were decorated with oak wood panels and brass accents. While watching the film, you notice the difference between the first and third-class cabins. The third class was notably less grand and could be compared to a prison cell. On the other hand, the first-class extremities look like something out of a royal palace. The grand staircase shown in many scenes, including the end where all the deceased welcome Jack to heaven, is an important piece of the boat’s architecture. While watching the parts where the ship is sinking, you can feel the emotions by the weather, time of day, and all the passengers rushing to get into lifeboats. While the boat’s sinking was not historically accurate, the feelings of the scene were displayed in a very emotional way that helped viewers understand how the passengers were feeling. You could tell the concern, fear, and sadness of each and every person there. 

Even though the film “Titanic” was not one hundred percent accurate to the events of how the night of April 15, 1912, occurred, the movie is widely enjoyed. The tragic romance, the factual history, and the scenery that portrays the emotions of those who experienced the tragedy are all reasons that the movie is praised by the masses. The film received numerous awards and is a fan favorite. The tragic film honors those who passed in the horrific sinking of the ship and reminds people of all who sacrificed themselves for others. If you are interested in any of these things, I recommend watching the movie “Titanic” on Netflix, The Roku Channel, SHOWTIME, Spectrum TV, Showtime Anytime, Prime Video, Vudu Movie & TV Store, VUDU, Redbox, or Apple TV.