devoid of a sense of period

Rating: 5/10 (27 January 2002)

Titanic is a good example of triumph of substance over art, or advertising budget over quality. No doubt it is visually impressive. The story in its broadest outline is a sure winner. But where is the genuine feeling for its period? Characters are made to act as a modern audience might think they would have done in the early part of the last century. Without a sense of period this version could never be a truly great film. It also suffers from utilising stereotypes excessively, from a hostility to the Edwardian upper classes from both America and Britain, and also a poor choice of actor in some of the key roles. The relationship between the two principal characters is also highly improbable in that era - and Rose DeWitt Bukater's slutish behaviour highly unlikely not to mention reprehensible, for a supposedly well- brought up girl.