This year the film is being re-released, in 3D, I assume for both the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, as well as production company Paramount, who made this film. The 3D is most readily visible in shots of the underwater wreck and the modern day story, and the early scenes on the ship, but disappointingly, during the spectacular hour long section when the ship slowly sinks, there were not many 3D elements that I could make out at all. (This portion of the film does not need 3D to make it any more exciting and believable, so I would suggest you skip the upgrade to 3D if possible.)
Do we all know this film by now? The modern day story that frames the historic love story is about a treasure hunter (Bill Paxton) who has found the long-wrecked Titanic, and hopes to find a noted blue diamond that he believes sunk with the ship. An old woman (Gloria Stuart) sees a news report and contacts him. She is Rose, who was a young woman when her fiancé gave her that diamond while they were on board the Titanic. Her story brings us back over 80 years to when she was 17 (played by the perfectly casted Kate Winslet), betrothed much against her wishes to the dastardly Cal (Billy Zane, figuratively twirling his mustaches in every scene). Due to the death of Rose’s father, her mother Ruth (Frances Fisher) hopes to make this lucrative match so that she and her daughter will be set up financially and remain in high society.
Meanwhile, Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio), a young, poor American adventurer and artist, is on his way back home from Paris. He gambles for and wins two tickets for the Titanic in a poker game, allowing him and his Italian friend Fabrizio (Danny Nucci) to gain entrance to the doomed ship bound for America.
Boy meets girl and it’s love at first sight. Rose, a “poor little rich girl,” attempts suicide but is rescued by Jack who spies her from afar. While Rose’s mother and fiancé are at times indulgent with Jack’s presence in their company due to their trying to appear accepting for society’s sake, it is apparent that they really don’t want the relationship to go any further. Cal especially has his right hand man (David Warner) manage things to discourage and prevent Jack from seeing Rose, even if it includes endangering Jack’s life. Along for the ride is the newly-monied but friendly Molly Brown (Kathy Bates) and Mr. Andrews (Victor Garber), the architect of the ship.
During the weeks on the ship, Rose continues to spread her wings away from the people of her society and connect with Jack. They share “lowly” experiences like cavorting with the fun-loving third class immigrants below decks, or running about the ship to hide from Cal. Cal gives Rose the diamond as an engagement gift, hoping she will come to love him. She wears it--during a nude drawing session with Jack. Cal sees this drawing and sees all the implications of her behavior, and resolves to split them apart again and again. By the time the ship’s fatal sinking happens, Rose and Jack are deeply in love and even Jack’s heroic death cannot separate them.
I think the characterizations, although at times stereotypical and undimensional, fit well in this film. The character of Cal doesn’t give an inch in his dastardly behavior. At one point he rescues a poor urchin, and I thought naively that he had mended his ways—but no, he was just using her to secure a position for himself on a lifeboat. Supporting elements such as Mr. Andrews accepting the fatality of his ship and the infamous quartet playing music while the ship sank, add to the doom as well as the optimism of those on board.
The sequence involving the sinking of the ship gives a very real portrayal of both the human mistakes made and physical breakdown of the ship. Special effects were pretty seamless, especially since CGI was still fairly new in this era, and many scenes looked to have been created in camera or with old fashioned special effects. Whether or not this story is historically accurate, there is no doubt this is a pretty satisfying love story and historical drama.
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