Titanic first awed audiences back in 1997, and 26 years later, movie watchers continue to be awestruck by Jack and Rose’s tragic love story aboard the RMS Titanic. The historical romance film debuted to wide critical acclaim and led to a generation of fans obsessed with Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. Titanic would go on to break all kinds of box office records, quickly becoming one of Cameron’s most successful films.
While Titanic‘s legacy is partly rooted in its financial success, fans also can’t help but love the talented cast, production design, and especially James Cameron’s attention to detail. Coming off directing hit films like Aliens and The Abyss, Cameron was already well known for his artistic eye and intentionally detailed creative choices. Titanic was yet another film where Cameron displayed just how well he can focus in on even the smallest details.
As Titanic celebrates its 26th anniversary, it seems like the perfect time to take a closer look at the small, fascinating details that James Cameron hid throughout, what some fans might consider, his magnum opus. Here are the best Titanic movie details that add a whole new layer of greatness to an already great film.
1. A Perfectly Timed Sinking
Photo: Titanic / Paramount Pictures
From Redditor u/bloughead09:
If you exclude all of the present-day scenes, leaving only those taking place in 1912, the film would run for 2 hours and 40 minutes – the exact time it took for the Titanic to sink. Needless to say, James Cameron is a perfectionist.
2. Bringing A Photograph To Life
Photo: Titanic / Paramount Pictures
From Redditor u/CaptainJZH:
Jack passes by two men watching a boy play on deck. This is actually a recreation of a real photograph…even including the coat he steals!
3. Inspired By An Actual Priest
Photo: Titanic / Paramount Pictures
From Redditor u/sangbum60090:
The priest Jack and Rose see when the ship is nearing her end was a real person named Fr. Thomas Byles. He stayed on the ship to help passengers escape and gave absolution and prayed with more than a hundred people.
4. A Reference To Mythology
Photo: Titanic / Paramount Pictures
From Redditor u/serg27:
As the ship sinks this woman is heard telling her children about “Tír na nÓg, the land of eternal youth and beauty.” In Irish mythology, Tír na nÓg can be reached by going under water or across the sea.
5. Based On A Real Couple
Photo: Titanic / Paramount Pictures
From Redditor u/Longduckdon22:
The couple shown in bed together having accepted their fate is Isador and Ida Straus. They were the co owners of Macy’s. Ida refused to leave his side when he refused a life boat spot b/c there were still women and children on board. They were last seen walking arm and arm together.
6. Noting The Correct Time Of Sinking
Photo: Titanic / Paramount Pictures
From Redditor u/remybader:
Towards the end of the movie you can see a Grandfather clock telling the time 2:20, which is the same time the Titanic began to sink in real life.
7. A Small Detail From The Beginning
Photo: Titanic / Paramount Pictures
From Redditor u/HellotoHorse:
Jack and Fabrizio win a pocket knife in the beginning of the film while playing cards. Fabrizio later uses the knife to cut the ropes of the life boats.
8. Just Enjoying A Bowl Of Warm Soup
Photo: Titanic / Paramount Pictures
From Redditor u/harveydent89:
Chief Engineer Joseph Bell was shown warming soup over one of the pipes as the order comes in to set the engine full astern. On the real Titanic, engineers would sometimes warm soup or other food on the pipes and boilers.
9. Living A Full Life
Photo: Titanic / Paramount PIctures
From Redditor u/sjmccorm:
Rose’s bedside photos are everything she was going to do with Jack. She ice fishes, learns to fly a plane, alluding to the “Come Josephine My Flying Machine” song, rides a horse like a man, and rides roller coasters until she throws up. There’s a roller coaster in the background w/horse.
10. Staying Accurate To The Actual Ship
Photo: Titanic / Paramount PIctures
From Redditor u/One_pop_each:
The 4th smoke stack isn’t emitting any thick smoke. That’s because the real Titanic’s 4th stack was a dummy, only used to look more proportionate.
11. More About This Background Character
Photo: Titanic / Paramount Pictures
12. Correcting A Past Mistake
Photo: Titanic / Paramount Pictures
From Redditor u/hani_yassine:
Neil deGrasse Tyson criticized the scene where Rose looks at the night sky after the ship sank, saying the placement of the stars was inaccurate. After speaking with Tyson, Cameron corrected the scene in the 3D version, it was the only scene to be completely redone for the re-release.
13. The Artist Behind Jack’s Infamous Drawing Of Rose
Photo: Titanic / Paramount Pictures
From Redditor u/Tokyono:
The nude sketch of Rose was created by director James Cameron. He is a skilled artist and even did some concept art for a few of his movies (The Terminator and Aliens).
14. A Trend In The Costuming
Photo: Titanic / Paramount Pictures
From Redditor u/SwissMercyMain:
At the start of the movie Rose’s hair and dresses are rather formal and restrictive. Her very first dress even resembles the clothes of a prisoner due to the black and white stripes. The more she falls in love with Jack, the more loose and free her hair and dresses become.
15. In His Final Moments
Photo: Titanic / Paramount PIctures
From Redditor u/caraboo930:
Mr. Andrews changes the clock on the mantle to read about 2:12, estimating when the ship will be fully submerged. The Titanic officially sank entirely at 2:20 a.m.
16. Seeing The Master At Arms One Last Time
Photo: Titanic / Paramount Pictures
From Redditor u/masiakasaurus:
The Master at Arms that arrests Jack (played by Ron Donachie) is next to them when the ship breaks in half.
17. Rose Wasn’t Floating On A Door
Photo: Titanic / Paramount Pictures
From Redditor u/luckysisi:
Rose wasn’t on the door, but on the door frame of Titanic. That’s why Jack couldn’t fit on it with her.
18. Same Dress, Different Color
Photo: Titanic / Paramount Pictures
From Redditor u/ibrittanybutler:
The dress Rose wears to meet Jack at the grand staircase clock earlier in the movie, is the same one she wears (in white) when she meets him there again at the end of the movie.
19. This Fun Fact About The Set
Photo: Titanic / Paramount Pictures
From Redditor u/vivu_kun:
Only the port side of the exterior set was built but in 1912, the ocean liner was docked on its starboard side. To resolve this issue, the costumes and signage were reversed and the image was later flipped in post-production.
20. Fine Dining While Filming ‘Titanic’
Photo: Titanic / Paramount Pictures
From Redditor u/Tokyono:
The actors ate real Beluga caviar while filming the first class dining scene.