Titanic (B+ or 3.5/4 stars)
There have been several films about the 1912 sinking of the Titanic before James Cameron made his epic 11-time Oscar winner in 1997. There was also a dramatic film made about the true events in 1943. 1958's British film, 'A Night to Remember', starring Kenneth More, is highly regarded. And in this 1953 version, 'Titanic', directed by Jean Negulesco, the sinking of the luxury liner is again used as a backdrop for several fictional, melodramatic subplots. The main plot involves a family-in-crisis: snobby socialite Richard Ward Sturges, his wife, Julia (Clifton Webb, Barbara Stanwyck), & their 2 children. Julia has booked passage on the ill-fated passenger ship with her daughter & son (Audrey Dalton, Harper Carter), leaving Richard behind.
Richard manages to board the Titanic at the last second, & discovers that Julia plans to divorce him; further informing him that he is not the father of their only son. Richard is devastated, yet reacts by being cold to his adoring son. When the Titanic sideswipes an iceberg & starts its slow, horrifying descent in the Atlantic Ocean, the women & children are put on the lifeboats while the men stay behind, facing death with utmost nobility & heroism (all except for a coward played by Allyn Joslyn, who disguises himself as a female). Richard acts with bravery, steering several lower-class passengers to safety. He is reunited with his son, who courageously sacrifices his own lifeboat seat to an old woman. Any former tensions/misunderstandings btwn. father & son disappear, as Richard & his brave little boy face their fates together. Richard's love/pride for him is filmed opposite of Julia & the other survivors as they watch the sinking vessel in horror.
Yes, 'Titanic' recounts the terrible true events of that fateful April night quite well. But 'Titanic' is also a fairly involving melodrama. Clifton Webb is appropriately stuffy as Richard, then heartbreaking near the end. It's a good lead performance. Barbara Stanwyck is excellent as Julia, an outwardly assured woman, yet inwardly lonely wife who struggles to keep her floundering emotions in check; never more so than in the hectic climactic moments. Thelma Ritter, who plays an 'Unsinkable Molly Brown' type, is a hoot as a tough 'ole broad who plays cards with the big boys & spouts off her typically cynical/witty commentaries. Robert Wagner is pretty good as Giff Rogers, a young romantic type who falls for Stanwyck's daughter. They're cute together, though, they ain't no Jack & Rose (Leo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet) from the 1997 film. And Brian Aherne is great as Capt. E.J. Smith; who is woefully realistic about the prospects of the fate of his ship & passengers.
Visually, 'Titanic' impresses, as well. In the movie's best sequence, a miniature recreation of the Titanic is shown sinking beneath the icy waves {though, this is well before we found out that the ship snapped in half before completely sinking, & not submerging in-tact}. The black-&-white cinematography is top notch. The production design (ship) & costumes are suitably opulent. I really enjoyed 'Titanic' -- as much as one can enjoy a colossal tragedy. Now, not everything works. Some of the performances are better than others. Some scenes are a bit clunky. And of course, shoehorning fictional, melodramatic scenes into a 'true story' is always going to have drawbacks; disingenuous beats. Still, for what it is, I was entertained; particularly by Stanwyck & the heightened chaos of the last Act.
Richard manages to board the Titanic at the last second, & discovers that Julia plans to divorce him; further informing him that he is not the father of their only son. Richard is devastated, yet reacts by being cold to his adoring son. When the Titanic sideswipes an iceberg & starts its slow, horrifying descent in the Atlantic Ocean, the women & children are put on the lifeboats while the men stay behind, facing death with utmost nobility & heroism (all except for a coward played by Allyn Joslyn, who disguises himself as a female). Richard acts with bravery, steering several lower-class passengers to safety. He is reunited with his son, who courageously sacrifices his own lifeboat seat to an old woman. Any former tensions/misunderstandings btwn. father & son disappear, as Richard & his brave little boy face their fates together. Richard's love/pride for him is filmed opposite of Julia & the other survivors as they watch the sinking vessel in horror.
Yes, 'Titanic' recounts the terrible true events of that fateful April night quite well. But 'Titanic' is also a fairly involving melodrama. Clifton Webb is appropriately stuffy as Richard, then heartbreaking near the end. It's a good lead performance. Barbara Stanwyck is excellent as Julia, an outwardly assured woman, yet inwardly lonely wife who struggles to keep her floundering emotions in check; never more so than in the hectic climactic moments. Thelma Ritter, who plays an 'Unsinkable Molly Brown' type, is a hoot as a tough 'ole broad who plays cards with the big boys & spouts off her typically cynical/witty commentaries. Robert Wagner is pretty good as Giff Rogers, a young romantic type who falls for Stanwyck's daughter. They're cute together, though, they ain't no Jack & Rose (Leo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet) from the 1997 film. And Brian Aherne is great as Capt. E.J. Smith; who is woefully realistic about the prospects of the fate of his ship & passengers.
Visually, 'Titanic' impresses, as well. In the movie's best sequence, a miniature recreation of the Titanic is shown sinking beneath the icy waves {though, this is well before we found out that the ship snapped in half before completely sinking, & not submerging in-tact}. The black-&-white cinematography is top notch. The production design (ship) & costumes are suitably opulent. I really enjoyed 'Titanic' -- as much as one can enjoy a colossal tragedy. Now, not everything works. Some of the performances are better than others. Some scenes are a bit clunky. And of course, shoehorning fictional, melodramatic scenes into a 'true story' is always going to have drawbacks; disingenuous beats. Still, for what it is, I was entertained; particularly by Stanwyck & the heightened chaos of the last Act.