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All Movie Info
Directed By
James Cameron
Written By:
James Cameron
Cast:
Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Gloria Stuart, Jonathan Hyde, Danny Nucci, David Warner, Bill Paxton, Bernard Hill, Victor Garber, Suzy Amis, Bernard Fox, Jenette Goldstein, Seth Adkins
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Titanic (1997)
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Movie Review by Jarrod 
August 31st, 2007
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'Titanic' is undoubtedly one of the biggest blockbusters of all time, rightly or wrongly, I thought it was overhyped and certainly not worthy of 11 Oscars, and expected more of James Cameron, but this was the film that got him hooked on the legendary luxury cruiser that sank back in 1912, and interested perhaps in anything else that may lay at the bottom of the world's oceans, but then The Abyss probably sparked that. I will say that, as a technical achievement, 'Titanic' is extraordinary. Its massive budget was invested primarily in recreating the huge ship room-by-room, it is indeed an awe-inspiring creation, and the second half of the movie, where it hits the iceberg and sinks, is astounding, as chaos sets in and people scramble to the lifeboats, the poor travelers (many of them immigrants, from Ireland, Italy, Russia, and the Middle East) are standing behind gates waiting to be let out, as their quarters flood, the wealthy passengers in first-class get evacuated first, certainly reflective of the time. Nearly an hour passes as the 'Titanic' tragedy unfolds, it is dramatic, yet incredible to behold. It absolutely amazed me when I first watched it.
The problem is the first part, which is a sugary romance, between Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet). He is a street urchin, who happens to be a talented artist, she is a rich girl with a domineering mother (Frances Fisher), who wants her to marry millionaire Cal Hockley (Zane), an arrogant and selfish man who thinks of women as his personal property, who should old what they are told. Rose is a bit too willful and headstrong for her mother or for Cal. She is attracted to Jack, and they fall in love, predictably enough, and share a steamy moment in the back of a car in the cargo hold, and he draws her while she poses naked, and they run from Cal's lackey Lovejoy (David Warner). Rose introduces Jack to the people of first class, including the delightful Molly Brown (Kathy Bates), who is nouveau-riche and carries a bold and brassy personality that makes her a nuisance to someone as uppity and uptight as Rose's mother.
OK, so I don't care for the love story, which is drawn out longer than it should be, though Winslet and DiCaprio make a cute couple, and have great chemistry. We also have Gloria Stuart, as old Rose, who recounts her experience with a crew of explorers led by Bill Paxton, who have studied the Titanic and have recovered a priceless necklace Rose once wore, as a present from Cal. Even this is more interesting than the love story. But once disaster strikes the 'Titanic' the film gets exciting, and turns into a real entertainment. Fisher and Zane are great as thoroughly unlikable characters, Bates is wonderful, and so is Victor Garber as Thomas Andrews, who designed and built the 'Titanic', and feels responsible for its demise, which is why he stays onboard as it sinks. The same can also be said of Captain Smith (Bernard Hill), who valiantly follows that old maritime proverb, and refuses to leave, taking the helm as water pours over him.
Looking at DiCaprio now, to see what a fine actor he has become, working with Martin Scorsese, he has grown up and no longer looks like a teenager. Here, he was a fresh-faced kid, who became an international phenomenon and heartthrob, but it perhaps extended his career and allowed him to be what he is today. 'Titanic' is loved by many, hated by some, I am more impartial to it, I can appreciate it on its own terms, and admire its visual effects, but I can dismiss it easily as anything close to a masterpiece, or something worthy of one of the largest Oscar sweeps in history, though it was preceded in this feat by Ben-Hur and followed by Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. That any film should win 11 Academy Awards is illogical to me, regardless.
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