This movie has a different meaning to everyone. There's some piece of it that sticks with you and has special meaning. I was just wondering what piece of the movie stuck with you. whether it be a quote, character, scene or all three, and why did you choose that piece. What special meaning did it give to you?

-- Kate (r_dawson23@hotmail.com), February 09, 1998

Answers

Response to meanings

Oddly enough, my favorite quote wasn't even included in the film itself. It is hidden near the end of the script, spoken by Old Rose: "Can you exchange one life for another? A caterpillar turns into a butterfly. If a mindless insect can do it, why couldn't I? Was it any more unimaginable than the sinking of the Titanic?" To me, this quote personfies the overwhelming loss of a great love and the unbelievable courage required to pick up and go on. The theme of great loss and the courage to move on has been repeated many times in art and literature. Somehow, though, in Titanic, it was incredibly poignant. Even if its fictional (i.e. Rose's loss of Jack. Many people did suffer similar losses of loved ones in the sinking.), such a story really puts things in perspective, helps you to appreciate the people in your own life, and gives you courage to bear the (relatively) small burdens in your own life.

-- Rose (rosemarie17@hotmail.com), February 09, 1998.

Response to meanings

Rose, I like this quote very much, I remember it when I read the script. I remember many parts, be it visual, sound or picture, dialogue or all combined. Their individual power is different every time I see the movie. But I enjoy the "Promise me you'll never let go...no matter how hopeless"; "Right now my address is the RMS Titanic. After that I'm in God's good humor"; "After that, the 700 people in the boats had nothing to do but wait...Wait to live, wait to die, wait for an absolution that will never come"; "That kinda thing teaches you to take life as it comes to you, to make every day count"; "Now you know there was a man called Jack Dawson and that he saved me in every possible way".

-- Dan Draghici (ddraghic@ccs.carleton.ca), February 09, 1998.

Response to meanings

I TOTALLY agree that this movie means something different to each person. It makes me upset when you're in the chat rooms and you get "slammed" for not agreeing with everyones' ideas. (1) My fave scene/line is when the violin player comes back to start playing "Nearer My God to Thee" and all that transpires during this Hymn; and then he says "Gentlemen, it's been a privilege playing with you this evening." I play the clarinet in a symphony and this really touched me. (2) I have been a student of the human species' Will to Live. In particular, women and their often downplayed strongness. I commend this movie on making such a STRONG female role in Rose. I have felt like Rose did hanging off the back of that boat- like the only way out of troubles is death. However, Rose discovers _within HERSELF_ that she can make her own destiny, save herself. Jack was really just a catalyst in this discovery; he himself says in the gym that "I can't save you Rose, only YOU can do that." I can some up my bumbling feelings by bringing up my favorite movie quote: "Get busy LIVING, or Get busy dying" - Shawshank Redemption. EACH one of us has that power within to go after our dreams and survive - whether or not we are lucky enough to have a support person in this person, like Jack was to Rose.

-- Jennifer E. Bialek (JenBialek@AOL.com), February 09, 1998.

Response to meanings

One of the good ones (and true, I believe): "This ship can't sink!"/ "She's made of iron, sir. I assure you she can!".

-- Peter Nivling (pcnivling@capecod.net), February 09, 1998.

I have to say that the line "Wait to live, wait to die, wait for an absolution which would never come." It really illustrated to me that even the people who were "saved" were never going to be the same. I imagine that there was a substantial amount of guilt to live with after the life boats were emptied on the Carpathia.(sp?) It really hit home the fact that this happened, and what nightmares the survivors most have had for years to come.

-- Beth (KLindu@AOL.com), February 10, 1998.

The scene that meant the most to me was when Jack and Rose were in the water after the ship had gone under.. He was going to give up his life for her, a girl whom he had only known for a few days, and yet it was true love. I hope I can find a man like that!

-- Heather (Rynn56@aol.com), February 10, 1998.

The most enduring part of this story for me is the scene where Jack shows Rose how to fly on the bow of Titanic. This not only is the passionate reunion of these lovers, it is an intensely emotional and uplifting portrayal of a person truly being saved, a child being given the permission to soar to the heights. The beauty of this liberation, in my minds eye, is almost unbearable to endure. It has reduced me to uncontrollable weeping on many occasions. Would that we all had this unfettered encouragement to be free throughout our lives.

-- Douglas M. Wenzel (dmwenze@aecengineering.com), February 11, 1998.

I think one of the most enduring scenes in the movie, besides the wonderful drawing scene (which I loved) was the scene where Rose is trying to find someone to help her release Jack from his handcuffs before the room is underwater. When the lights go out, you can feel her terror, her uncertainty and her hopelessness. She is almost about to give up but she doesn't. She thinks thru the situation and has the unbelievable courage to find a possible solution and go back to Jack, and risk her life not even knowing if he'd still be alive when she got there. Even though Jack saved her in the end, she saved herself too because she saved him.

-- kelly (klliven@ibmnet.net), February 11, 1998.

There are several qoutes, scenes and images that have really stuck with me. Some are the classic scenes everyone loves, others are small scenes that maybe don't affect others the same way. I've already mentioned in other responses, how the image of Rose in the water blowing the whistle, at first hesitantly and then stronger and louder, as her resolve to "never let go," strengthens, really had an impact on me. The scenes of Jack and Rose being chased by Lovejoy; Rose giving him the finger while Jack laughs with glee, the two of them running through the boiler room cracking jokes, those images of them so exhilerated, energetic and in love, stay with me. Another scene which really brings it all home for me is when Rose has just finished the story and we are brought back to current day. When you realize that this all happened 84 years ago, and the story is still fresh and vivid in her heart and mind, as though it happened yesterday, and she can "still smell the fresh paint," and "she never even had a picture of him, he only lives in her memory," that's when the impact of their love story was magnified a hundred times over, for me. I thought I was going to die, when at the end, Old Rose climbed up on the railing of the boat with her eyes closed to remember, and feel once more like she was "flying" again. And of course the final scene, when the camera pans over the pictures representative of Rose's life and you see all the wonderful things she did, and you know the promise was fulfilled. Then finally, finally, when Rose has passed onto Heaven and she is starting to ascend the staircase and you see Jack at the top with his back turned to her, looking so cute, just the way he did when they met the night after the First Class dinner, and he turns, smiles, and they are finally reunited and passionately embrace. I know that scene stays with everyone. I can't believe I'm making myself cry again. Ok, I just thought of one last little scene. This one didn't affect me until after I read the script and saw the movie again. The scene in which Jack is sketching Rose and they show a glimpse of just his eyes over the sheet of paper. He is looking at her so intently in the dimly lit, romantic room. In the script it says that the image of him looking at her over his drawing tablet would stay with her for the rest of her life. And I noticed, in my second viewing, that when Old Rose sees the resurected drawing, she closes her eyes briefly and they flash the image of Jack's eyes looking at her over the tablet. Rose said, "my heart was pounding the whole time. It was the most erotic moment of my life, well, up until then, at least." That image now stays with me too. OK, I'm done!

-- Jen Alexander (jmalexande@mofo.com), February 11, 1998.

That was wonderful, Jen! You described those scenes and their impact to a tee!!

-- Julie (joiner@stsplus.msstate.edu), February 11, 1998.

Jen- That was the best answer. You made me think of all the parts and I almost started crying. I think one of the best parts is when Rose is in the boat,and she's looking at Jack, and he looks at her for the last time and she knows he's going to die and she jumps out of the boat and they find each other and Jack says" Rose, you're so stupid, why'd you do that" and she says" You jump I jump, remember." I totally died at that part.

-- Sara (sarar@rnet.net), February 11, 1998.

Okay Jen, you've done it again!! You've brought me to tears! I actually had to come back after reading your response, so I could post mine.

The scene that sticks with me the most and means the most to me, is very small, but yet, very powerful.

The scene of the mother telling her children a bedtime story. (That's where I lose it, and just keep on losing it from that point on). To see that flash of those two little babies being tucked in bed, while they're mother talks in her soothing voice, and comforts them. They have NO IDEA what is about to happen. I think this scene, no matter how small tells such a BIG story. It's literally brings me to tears each time I think about (I'm a little choked up right now). To think of the mother being so BRAVE to comfort her children, knowing that they soon will die a horrendous death, fills me with such EMOTION, that it breaks my heart. I know this scene affects me most, because I too am a mother of two young children (boy and girl just like the movie), and I can't help but think what it would be like to KNOW that they will NEVER grow up. That this is THE END for your children, all there hopes and dreams are gone. My prayers go to those parents and children that died on the Titanic and I hope that their souls are at peace.

(And as Forest Gump would say "That's all I have to say about that...")

-- Caron (bianchi@iserv.net), February 12, 1998.

Jen: How eloquent! Maybe you can collaborate with Cameron on his next screenplay. :) Caron, I join you in a prayer for all the mothers and children, wives and husbands, friends and lovers who met a tragic, final end on the Titanic in 1912. Even though everyone gushes about the special effects and the superb acting, the reality of the tragedy and the sacredness of the memory of Titanic remains with us, as well. May they rest in peace; they are honored by the present.

-- Rose (rosemarie17@hotmail.com), February 13, 1998.

One of the things that stood out to me was Jack's philosopy on life. At the dinner scene, he says something like "Life is a gift, and I intend to make it count". And we see this in him throughout the movie: the "king of the world" scene, the 3rd class party, etc. All the more touching that someone this much in love with life so readily gave up his own for Rose without a second thought. And, of course, Rose adopts Jack's philosophy and goes on to do all the things they had talked of together, like flying and horseback riding. Even though Jack had a short life, in many ways he lived a fuller life than most people. It's the quality, not quantity of life that counts. This reminds me of a line from my other favorite movie, Braveheart: "Every man dies. Not every man really lives." I think one of the things we're left with after seeing Titanic is that life is too short and precious to be wasted on petty things, like society's expectations, the pursuit of material things, social climbing, whatever it is in our lives that confines us like Rose was. Live each day like it was your last, and go out there and "MAKE IT COUNT!".

-- Cindy (cydwalker@aol.com), February 15, 1998.

The part of the movie that really struck me was when the ship was sinking, the camera moves back to a wide high angle shot showing the Titanic sending up it's hopeless distress rockets. That pathetic speck of light, "the greatest achievement of man", in the inky blackness, totally impotent against the awesome power and judgement of Nature really crystallized the lesson to be drawn from the tragedy for me.

-- Tom M (tmcd@ionet.net), February 21, 1998.

The most moving scene for me was the scene of the Straus couple lying on the bed holding each other, waiting to die. I saw Titanic right after it came out. And they show the scene where Ida decides to stay on the boat with her husband and not go on the lifeboat. When I saw the movie again in January, that scene was removed. This made the scene with them on the bed, have far less impact. That is really annoying. When I read the script, the movie had far more impact for me, because all sort of little vignettes all of a sudden made

-- C.Rieger (crieger@rogers.wave.bc.ca), March 08, 1998.

The scene where we see Thomas Andrews for the last time before the ship sinks is one of the most powerful scenes in the movie for me.The image of a man who knows that he is about to die,yet refuses help,and is thinking only of the safety of others is so noble.And that his love for,and pride in the ship would compell him to adjust the clock to the proper time,while chaos is breaking out all around him,is incredibly moving to me.

-- danny (dss40@ix.netcom.com), March 08, 1998.

wow, Jen, u have a way with words! the most movin parts for me were : 1. when the ship was "bobbin like a cork" on the surface of the ocean and jack and rose r holdin onto the railings (may i note that its where they met) then u see all the ppl, fallin and slidin down into the the freezin water. women grabbin onto anything they could reach to stop themselves. men that fall and hit posts and railings on the way down *sobs* 2. seein all the pictures in the final scene. she truly lived up to the promise 3. and finally, when the rescue boat comes back and finds all the lifeless bodies driftin in the water and the officer says "they waited too long...." xx

-- Becki Peake (playboi_eyecandi@hotmail.com), April 13, 2004.