Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane
Release Date: Dec. 19, 1997 (USA)
Running Time: 194 min
Genres: Drama, Romance
Commentary Titanic is a tragic story of intense romance cut short by an ill-fated voyage. The story, acting and special effects are superb. Nevertheless, I think it is an overrated movie.
Plot Summary
Introduction: Titanic tells the story of Rose de Witt (Winslett), a 17-year old girl who boards the Titanic along with her mother and fiancee Caldeon Hockley (Zane) on April 10, 1912, the day it departed from England on its ill-fated voyage. Rose is not in love with Cal and doesn't want to marry him, though her mother insists that she does since he's rich. Meanwhile, an artist named Jack Dawson (DiCaprio) and his friend win tickets aboard the Titanic in a poker game. Rose meets Jack and the two soon fall in love. They have a hard time seeing each other, but eventually Rose decides to pose for Cal wearing nothing but her precious diamond and asks him to paint a picture of her. Afterward, they lock up the painting and the diamond in a safe and go into a car in one of the ship's cargo holds, where they make love.
Disaster: On the night of April 14, the Titanic strikes an iceberg, the crew not having time to avoid it once they spot it. Soon the Titanic starts taking in water and begins sinking. Shortly thereafter, Cal learns of Rose's relationship with Jack, whence he orders the master of arms to handcuff and trap Jack in a room, which is quickly filling with water. Rose has a chance to abandon ship along with her mother in a lifeboat, but she decides to look for Jack instead. She finds him and frees him by cutting the chains with an axe. The two then try unsuccessfully to get to a lifeboat. Cal manages to sneak aboard the last lifeboat. Most of the rest of the passengers end up drowning by falling off the Titanic into the freezing water. Rose and Jack manage to stay on board until the last minute. Jack offers Rose a small wooden platform to stay on, which is only big enough for her. Jack dies but Rose manages to survive by whistling to a rescue crew to come pick her up. Rose manages to hold on to the diamond, but throws it overboard as an old woman in 1996 after telling the story to a treasure-hunting crew.
Critical Acclaim and Financial Success Titanic is one of the most successful movies ever made. It won 11 Academy Awards including Best Picture of 1997, tying the record for the most Academy Awards won along with Ben Hur (1959) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003). Titanic is also the highest grossing movie of all time, but only sixth highest when adjusted for inflation.
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Title: Titanic 
