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In Reply to: Re: Exactly right- internal logic posted by Bambi B on November 29, 2003 at 12:24:47:
... even though it's considered socially unacceptable these days. Yes, the script could have been better and the dialogue between Winslet and Di Caprio could have been more erudite and revealing of conditions of the era (although I suspect critics would then complain about it being overwrought), but by framing a very realistic and accurate portrayal of the historical events in the context of a fictional melodrama that was accessible to modern-day audiences, the film was very successful in conveying the tragedy of the Titanic disaster to the viewer in a way that "A Night To Remember" (the movie most "Titanic" detractors point to as a better portrayal of the event) is not able to match.A straight-forward documentary-style portrayal of the sinking not only wouldn't have had the same impact, it could never have been made with the same attention to detail and accuracy, because it would have no chance of recouping a $200 million production investment. Cameron was treading a fine line between historical documentary and melodrama for both practical purposes and artistic reasons. We can quibble with many of the choices, but you can't really argue with 11 Oscars and $1.2 billion worldwide gross, even if it was generated primarily from repeat viewings by adolescent girls (as the detractors are quick to point out). Cameron must have briefly considered freighting the story with poignant and detailed analysis of the social conditions of the times, but wisely came to the conclusion that doing so would have made the event more remote in the eye of the viewer and lessened the film's emotional impact. Actually, the one place he went to far in this direction was the corset lacing scene with Rose and her mother. It was exactly the type of ham-handed social commentary that would have sunk the movie if he had laid it on too thick. On the other side of the equation, Cameron deleted numerous historical references that were filmed at great expense and that would have painted a more accurate picture of how and why the tragedy happened, but probably would have slowed the movie, which was already long, to a crawl and bored a lot of people out of their wits. For example, nowhere in the movie are we reminded of the tragic irony that the Californian at a dead stop less than 1/2 hour away and in clear view of the passengers during the entire sinking with its radio shut down and its captain asleep. And nowhere in the film do we learn that Titanic's own radio operator admonished other ships in the area to "shut up" with the ice warnings as Titanic was entering the ice fields because they were busy relaying paid messages by passengers.
How would adding all the extraneous details of the Titanic sinking affect the pace of the movie? Perhaps an extended version, which Cameron is in the process of creating for a future DVD "special edition", will shift the viewpoint slightly away from the fictional melodrama more toward the actual history of the sinking and answer the question. My guess is that the result won't be pretty. For all its supposed flaws, I've never heard any proposed change that would improve the movie. (A subplot involving the Strausses? I don't think it would work.)
As far as the internal logic is concerned, I think Winslet's (Rose's) fiance (Cal - and yes, he was a rather gross stereotype of an arrogant rich jerk) planting the necklace on Di Caprio's character (Jack) works. In context of the melodrama, Cal didn't simply want to keep Jack away from Rose (apparently it was difficult at any rate for Cal to keep Rose from going below the water line, as you put it), he wanted to discredit Jack in Rose's mind. He came up with the plan of framing Jack upon seeing the nude drawing in the safe, knowing he had "lost" her to Jack. He was interested in winning her heart (apparent when he presented the necklace to Rose) and did care for her in his own way (he gave up an opportunity to leave on one of the last boats when he learned that Rose had not made it off the ship yet). Yes, the dialogue and interactions between the fiction characters is modernized and Americanized. You should have no problem with the "internal logic" of this by simply viewing the story as reminiscences filtered through the mind of a modern, albeit very old, woman.
I must admit I have a problem with the nude drawing scene as well. Ironically, there were two other Hollywood movies ("As Good As It Gets" and "Pleasantville") released around the same time as "Titanic" that had a similar conceit of a woman "freeing herself" by posing nude for a male artist. I have no idea where this comes from.
Is Titanic a great movie? Well, no. But it is a very good movie that is suffering from an undeserved backlash. It's certainly more memorable than "L.A. Confidential", "Good Will Hunting" or "As Good As It Gets" which are movies from the same year that most people who hate "Titanic" suggest are superior. If you go to the internet movie database and look up the movie, there are still people posting in great numbers about how much they HATE this movie, nearly 6 years after it was released. Ratings there show an inordinate number of "1" votes for the movie. I can't recall another movie that has been more fashionable to hate than "Titanic".
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Follow Ups
- I like Titanic, and I'm not afraid to admit it... - Dalton 01:20:37 11/30/03 (1)
- I like the boat movie, and I'm not afraid to admit it... - Bambi B 07:30:59 11/30/03 (0)
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