Lizzie Borden Society Forum

Last night I watched most of "A Night To Remember," the film about the sinking of the Titanic. It's been many years since I last saw it. I hate to say this but I was very surprised at how boring the film was to me. Even after they struck the berg everything seemed to be low-keyed. Maybe I'm just used to the modern remake. It seemed much more exciting when I first saw this film over 30 years ago. The only reason I watched as much as I did was to see Honor Blackman, who didn't show up until they hit the berg.

Anyone else have any views on this 1958 film?

-1bigsteve (o:

I just saw it again, starting 1/2 way thu til the end, about a month ago. I love that movie. I've never seen the new one altho I bought the music!

I am curious to know, how do you - and everyone else - compare "The Titanic" starring Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck with this "A Night to Remember"?

I still like both films. That's all I had a chance to see of any Titanic movie until probably the made-for-tv movie "S.O.S. Titanic" with Susan St. James and Cloris Leachman. Then I thought "S.O.S...." was more appealing because it was in color, they paid more heed to historical facts, and it was more exciting as a whole.

Another made-for-tv one with George C. Scott as Captain Smith came out not real long before the Leonardo deCaprio one. I didn't like the subplot. But again, it was in color. ... Okay, I think it stunk.

The James Cameron version I think is the best. I didn't care for the sub-plot of "Jack" and "Rose". I thought it would be much better if they took one or two real stories of the passengers and used them. But the ship was the most authentic looking and they took you under water and were able to show you the ship wreck today and how it was in 1912. I thought it was the most historically accurate, but I read a piece in the newspaper of a list of things some critic wrote that said weren't, such as the running of the rats as the ship was sinking. Well, accurate or not, that is one of my favorite parts. And who knows if they were or not?

I remember watching 'A Night to Remember' on tv when I was real little, and seeing the scene of the drunk chef and the baby crying in the hallway with the water coming in. I was so scared for that baby. We had a black and white set anyway, and that's all we were used to until 1970.

I don't usually care for British films, because the accents throw me. And I feel they are pretty dull with everyone talking the same way. (Not putting British films down; just my opinion.) 'A Night to Remember' had all those British accents, and it wasn't as versatile when it came to most of the players. With the men on the overturned lifeboat, even tho it was like that in real life, it was boring. "Turn to the left .. now to the right ..." Years ago I loved it because it was all we had, except for the Clifton Webb one. I saw it recently, and I found myself compelled to watch it. Today it seems good for its time, and more 'The Story of Officer Lightholler'. (sp?) It made me think the most of the loss of massive life the occurred then.

The Clifton Webb version I saw a year or so ago again, and I think that was more standing for the tragedy of loss of individual lives. (The ship model they used in that movie is in the Fall River Maritime Museum now.)

I never understood why, if they were making a movie about a true event, why didn't they stick to the historical truths? And it was simply wonderful to see a Titanic movie in color and the ship looking like the Titanic did inside, as James Cameron's version. (Wish they hadn't done the Jack & Rose story, tho. A lot of people loved that, but I wish they would have used like the jeweled copy of the Rubyit of Omar Kyham (sp?) instead of a fictional necklace. But at least they had that car in the cargo hold!)

"A Night To Remember", one of my favorite movies and books. Don't know how historically accurate the movie was but it did a good job in conveying the tragedy of so many lost lives.

IMO, black and white conveys the time period better than color. Guess I'm getting too used to seeing all those Borden era photos.

As the "Titanic" was sliding down the slip I noticed the port propeller had four blades where as the real ship had three blades.

I like the Clifton Webb version better.

I think James Cameron tried to convey the "hopes and dreams" of all the passengers through the characters of Jack and Rose, rather than bounce from passenger to passenger and from cabin to cabin. I really love his film but the foul language, nudity, romping around in the car and gun play could have been left on the cutting room floor. I wish I could edit that out of my VHS tapes.

-1bigsteve (o:

It's my understanding that Cameron and crew left the ship mock-up to rot in Mexico (or Baja?) when they were thru filming. Just left all their trash and split. The town was pretty peeved and then the movie was a huge hit and the derelic set was looted for souvenirs. Then the production company was kicking themselves for leaving all that *film history* behind.

Was that a story from The Enquirer or did that really happen?

Well, when I went to the Titanic Historical Society museum in Massachusetts, I was the only one in there and talked to Ed Karmuda, the president and founder, and his sister. She did tell me the model of the ship was in Mexico. So you're on your way to being right, Kat!

Oh, YES, Big Steve - the nudity and the romping in the car really should have been cut out. I had my 5 year old son with me when I saw it!

I was thinking that instead of "Jack" and "Rose" they could center around one other couple that was real. I didn't mean to do everybody's story. There were so many good real stories to pick from.

Well, the people who were really on the real Titanic in 1912 saw everything in color ... I like the color for the ladies' dresses, and for the realism of the sea water, and the interior of the ship. I like each film for what it offers.