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The big surprise comes, however, when this charcoal drawing is shown on national television. A woman, Rose Dawson (Gloria Stuart), contacts Brock and claims to be the model, validating her words with mention of the Coeur de la Mer. In short order the 100-year old lady is helicoptered onto the salvage vessel, where she gets another glimpse of the fated ship. As memories come flooding back, Rose relates her story to Brock and his colleagues. Once again she becomes Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet), the fiancée of wealthy Cal Hockley (Billy Zane) and daughter of Ruth DeWitt Bukater (Frances Fisher). Onboard there are the rich, Molly Brown (Kathy Bates), and the poor, Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio). All trust in the ship's designer J. Bruce Ismay (Jonathan Hyde) and her master, Captain E.J. Smith (Bernard Hill).
From the very first frames of Titanic it's clear that James Cameron, the writer and director, is driven by a single over-riding desire; to bring his tale to life in authentic detail. In a long sweeping shot the ship, a stage, a setting and a motive, is revealed. Cameron almost caresses the hull, inviting us to share in its awesome majesty and clean line. When he leads us inside, the splendour is doubled and tripled; the rich hue of mahogany, the full scent of new leather and the quiet conversation of the super-rich. In First Class, where Rose lays her head, the opulence is palatial. It's a long way back to Steerage, yet even here the decor is impressive, solid and reassuring. For artisans like Jack the pleasure is multiple; not only is his destination the promised land of America but the journey itself is relatively luxurious. In this beginning, the placing of the central characters, Cameron promises the world.
As Captain Smith brings his ship up to cruising speed, the drama that is to play out unfolds. While Rose is of good stock and has a promising future with Cal, she is also young and restless; she wants to live and experience, free of her mother's corseted commands. Winslet competently transmits this conflict, flip-flopping between heart and duty; fortunately Titanic doesn't ask too much of Winslet. Before long she is playing to her strengths, being wilful and winsome in equal measure. The catalyst for this change is Jack, a bohemian and general lover-of-life. DiCaprio is an excellent choice for the part, conveying passion, trust, insouciance and ingenuity. While Cameron's characterisation barely taxes DiCaprio, so abundant is his talent, he still acts as if this were his most fulfilling role yet.
The problem is that these two almost-lovers are everything to Titanic; no other role is awarded but a fraction of their screen-time. Combined with the script's superficial treatment of these other characters, even those as close to Rose as Cal, the result is that they become of little importance or interest. This may, however, be a blessing in disguise because no one, apart from Stuart, gives a performance worth special consideration. Despite the fact that Stuart is little more than a framing device, she is the most affecting character in the entire film. The nightmares, the horror and the shock are imprinted upon her deeply lined face; beside Stuart all appear callow. As such DiCaprio comes off worst, despite his effort to be appealing. The problem is that Jack comes over as too perfect, someone who even has charming flaws. It becomes just a little tiresome, even with his beautiful torso distracting the attention.
There are, unfortunately, more serious drawbacks at work within Titanic. The worst of these is that Cameron has made the ship itself a framing device, using it to carry the familiar boy-meets-girl story arc. For all of his fidelity to the truth, Cameron tells us very little about the tragedy; an approach that feels just plain wrong. This is a tale of two thousand, not two. By suffocating the myriad of personal tragedies in this way we, as an audience, lose out badly. Since the other passengers, both real and imagined, have no complexity, they don't contribute to the emotional load. Hence as the ship sinks, the huge, terrible scale of the disaster never slams us in the gut, creating an almost physical discomfort. Because the crew is equally ignored, we also miss out on their sheer incompetence, the chain of stupidity that lead to a death toll far higher than should have been the case. The death of the Titanic was a calamity; Cameron makes it a Barbara Cartland novel.
Maybe it's a fixation that could be forgiven if Cameron were a better director, but he doesn't have a delicate enough touch for romance. At times he settles for the blatant, obvious course and it's a disappointment. For example, when Rose and Jack cling to the guard-rail as the stern churns its way below the surface, she actually reminds him (and us) that this is where they first met. It's unnecessary. We should catch the memory in a shared, unspoken look. Where Cameron displays his usual flair is in the mechanical and the industrial, despite the fact that Titanic is hardly an action movie. When we descend into the heart of the machine, the engines are overwhelming, shining piston giants wrapped in fire, noise and smoke. This is where Cameron, as a director, achieves perfect fusion with his production designer Peter Lamont. They are of one mind.
Yet in the instant of watching, Titanic is itself an event, a ride that rarely drags its heels. Russell Carpenter's photography is glorious, rich in hue and exceptionally detailed. The costumes are wonderful, appropriate to the era and interesting to the eye. Every special effect is convincingly integrated, serving the film rather than vice versa. Cameron's overall control is excellent, despite his free use of cheap shock and cliché. It's only on reflection that you see how Cameron failed the R.M.S. Titanic, even though the opportunity was there to cover every angle. By diminishing the true story in favour of his fictional romance, Cameron's treatment is uneasy and exploitative. From a distance the film looks like a diamond, close up it's a disappointing cut glass phoney. Ultimately Titanic entertains despite its faults, not because of its virtues.
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