All-around excellent accounting of the doomed ship

Rating: 9/10 (27 November 2014)

The hype surrounding James Cameron's "Titanic" when it was released during Christmas, 1997, and early 1998 was so great that it worked against the film in a way. Few films could live up to such ballyhoo. Nevertheless, viewing it apart from the mass hoopla, it shines in all-around greatness.
The movie of course details the doomed maiden voyage of the magnificent Titanic from April 10-15, 1912. This is one of the greatest tragedies in human history. There were only enough lifeboats for half of the over 2200 men, women and children aboard. Why? Because the Titanic was so great they thought she was unsinkable. When it was all over only a little over 700 people survived and 1500 people went to their grave in the cold North Atlantic.
This is a movie and not a documentary and, as such, includes a fictional drama to hook the viewer. This is where people will either embrace the film or criticize it. As far as I'm concerned, the story of Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet) is excellent. Rose is only 17 years old and is being forced by her fearful mother (Frances Fisher) to marry the pompously rich Cal (Billy Zane). Jack, by contrast, is a dirt poor wandering artist who's free as the wind and brims with life, love, and humble honesty.
Rose instinctively feels trapped and would rather die than marry some fake snob, no matter how handsome and wealthy. She's attracted to Jack because he's the antithesis of Cal. By contrast, her mother views Jack as a threat because she thinks that her only hope of retaining the airs of wealth is through marrying her daughter into a rich family. The "Unsinkable" Molly Brown (Kathy Bates) is another significant personality. She's new enough to "high society" to still relate to the "commoners" and so goes out of her way to help Jack and his brushes with the stuffy aristocracy. Thrown into the mix is Cal's priceless diamond necklace for Rose and what happens to it.
Speaking of which, there's a modern story (1996 anyway) that brackets the main plot. Bill Paxton stars as a treasure hunter obsessed with the necklace, Suzy Amis as Rose's granddaughter and Gloria Stuart as old-aged Rose. Gloria was 85-86 years old during filming and she just shines in the role.
The casting and acting is exceptional, particularly the main performers. It's no wonder that DiCaprio and Winslet went on to great success. In addition, the depictions of the vessel and her tragic sinking are magnificent.
Yet it's the powerful subtext that inspires most. What good is great wealth without love, virtue, respect and freedom? In her untainted teenage idealism, Rose would rather die than have this. Jack lacks the former but possesses the latter and, therefore, possesses the former as well, even if you can't see it (if you know what I mean). Rose instinctively senses this and therefore throws all caution to the wind. Some criticize that she goes too far by prematurely getting intimate in the vehicle, but – remember – she grew-up with her life-stifling, greedy, fear-mongering mother and so when she finally gets away from her clutches she naturally goes overboard. Have some compassion!
As for the fate of the necklace (***SPOILER***), Rose didn't cash-in on the diamond because she didn't want to rely on Cal for money; and she didn't give it to her granddaughter or the treasure-hunter because it wasn't hers to give. Since the insurance company paid out on the policy Cal's dad took out on it, the diamond belonged to the insurance company if found; it was no longer the property of Hockley or his heirs, and it wasn't the property of Rose either, because it was not made over to her by a deed of gift or a bequest. She came into possession of it by mistake and so was obligated by law to turn it over to the rightful owners or, if that was not possible, to legal authorities. More importantly, the necklace was a reminder of her promise to Jack to "Never let go." She thus throws it into the ocean because she had fulfilled her promise to live life to the fullest and was now ready let go, particularly since she finally returned to Jack's watery grave (***END SPOILER***).
It wouldn't be right to fail to acknowledge the great score by James Horner and the theme song sung by Celine Dion. Great movies are great because their producers take the time & effort to achieve excellence on every level.
Needless to say, because the film runs 3 hours and 14 minutes you have to be in the mood for a long movie to fully appreciate "Titanic."
GRADE: A