Cameron transcended the entire disaster movie genre with this film. Its wide praise by both critics and audiences is unheard-of since E.T. It is a shoo-in for multiple Oscar nominations, and probably victories. The criticisms I make against the film are little more than quibbles in the face of Cameron's brilliant recreation of history.
The story of the film, the sinking of the great ship, is framed by scenes involving the exploration of Titanic by a modern-day treasure-hunter (Bill Paxton) searching for a priceless gem. These framing scenes seem to exist only to allow Cameron to use some extraordinary submersible shots of the ship's remains. For no good reason, a century-old survivor of the disaster (Gloria Stuart) is brought to the expedition and tells her story of survival.
The tale she weaves begins simply as one of class difference. Rose (Kate Winslet) is aristocratic sans wealth and is engaged to the much-too-rich-and-snotty Cal (Billy Zane). Meanwhile, Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) has won third-class passage on Titanic through a high-stakes card game. Before you can say "Hey, wasn't DiCaprio in a movie about star-crossed lovers last year, too?", the two have met, courtesy of Jack saving Rose from a suicide attempt. The utterly snobbish Cal is forced to show some gratitude to the prole, so he unwisely (and unknowingly) allows for future meetings between his repressed fiancee and the young bohemian. As matters come to a head in this romantic triangle, Titanic unfortunately brushes against an iceberg, just enough to make sinking inevitable.
Then, the movie switches into high gear. What had been an enjoyable if long-winded drama of castes becomes a taut survival thriller. Who will survive, if anyone? Fortunately, Cameron serves history well. We see how the discrimination in favor of the rich continued even into the lifeboats, as third-class passengers were not even allowed onto the upper decks without a fight. We see how many chose to die: some cravenly, some with resignation, some stoically doing their duty, many helping others to survive. This movies is one in which, even if the stars live, it remains a devestating human experience.
Probably the highlight of the film was a view of the ship from the lifeboats paddling away. While the water is eerily calm (just as it was in history), we see the frantic running of the multitudes toward the stern as the ship sinks slowly and ever so quietly, bow first. These were the images that drove up film costs to unprecedented levels. They were worth it, however. Still, some of these scenes contradict the film's conceit that it is being narrated by a survivor, as a survivor could not have possibly seen some of the things that Rose saw, just adding to the pointlessness of the framing scenes.
These days, many films deal with death in a casual, even callous manner. The two this year that best handle the enormity of the subject have, ironically, the highest body counts: Titanic and Face/Off. While some of the principals of Titanic survive (I ain't sayin' who), the most poignant moments of the film are those which reflect on the enormous tragedy of the tremendous loss of life, as hundreds of men, women, and children die because of man's hubris. Ironically, the man whose hubris is perhaps most responsible for the disaster, Ismay (Jonathan Hyde), gets away alive.
Production design, costumes, cinematography, special effects, editing, all are first rate, and may well sweep the Academy Awards. With the exception of the hectoring Billy Zane, the acting is also universally fine, with Kate Winslet remarkably good in conveying feelings of loss and betrayal. James Horner's score is based on Celtic music, perhaps because Titanic was built in Irish shipyards, and is quite effective. Above all, however, this is James Cameron's show. While perhaps his screenplay is not so strong as his ability to direct amidst rumors of disaster, all in all, this is the work for which he will be remembered. While Cameron is known for stories of technology run amok (the Terminator films, Aliens), here he finds true humanity amidst the debris.
Three-and-a-half stars
Copyright 1998 by Dale G. Abersold