Titanic (1953)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Jean Negulesco

Writers:

Charles Brackett (written by) &
Walter Reisch (written by) ...

Release Date:

21 August 1953 (West Germany)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

TITANIC in Emotion...in Spectacle...in Climax...in Cast!

Plot:

Unhappily married and uncomfortable with life among the British upper crust, Julia Sturges takes her two children and boards the Titanic for America...

Plot Keywords:

Iceberg | Ship | Titanic | Unsinkable Molly Brown | Disaster

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Clifton Webb	...	Richard Ward Sturges
Barbara Stanwyck	...	Julia Sturges
Robert Wagner	...	Gifford Rogers
Audrey Dalton	...	Annette Sturges
Thelma Ritter	...	Maude Young
Brian Aherne	...	Captain E. J. Smith
Richard Basehart	...	George Headley
Allyn Joslyn	...	Earl Meeker
James Todd	...	Sandy Comstock
Frances Bergen	...	Madeleine Astor
William Johnstone	...	John Jacob Astor

Also Known As:

Nearer My God to Thee (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Basque | French | Spanish

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Canada:PG (video rating) | South Korea:12 | Finland:S | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1995) | USA:Approved (PCA #16223) | Germany:6

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The character of Maude Young, portrayed in this motion picture by Thelma Ritter, was obviously based upon Mrs. J.J. "Unsinkable Molly" Brown of Denver, Colorado. Even though the actual names of some of the other passengers were used in the film, Mrs. Brown's was not. It has been suggested that there was some dispute between 20th Century Fox and the Brown estate over the use of Molly Brown's character. Therefore, Molly Brown of the Denver, Colorado gold silver mining fortune became, for this motion picture, Maude Young of Montana lead mining.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the Titanic is shown about to hit the iceberg in the pitch darkness, it casts a shadow on the berg.

Quotes:

Maude Young: [running to the lifeboat] Give me one of them paddles!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Hidden Hollywood: Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Film Vaults (1997) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Rule Britannia

Holds Its Own

Although not as honored as the 1997 Leonardo DiCaprio-Kate Winslet story about the Titanic disaster, this version of Titanic starring Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck can definitely hold its own. In fact it got an Oscar itself in 1953 for Best Story and Screenplay.

Although there was a lot more sociology in the 1997 blockbuster, people do remember most from it the story of ill fated young love between DiCaprio and Winslet. In this version we're dealing with an older married couple whose marriage is on the rocks. The old story of staying together for their children's sake is what's holding them together. But Stanwyck isn't having any more.

It's her children, Harper Carter and Audrey Dalton, that she's most concerned about. Though American from the Middle West, due to their father's influence they're taking on old world and very haughty airs. And you can't get more haughty than Clifton Webb on screen.

Brian Aherne is the foolish, but brave Captain Smith whose eagerness to do the bidding of his employers and set a record crossing led to the disaster. Robert Wagner has a nice role as the young college kid who Stanwyck tries to match up with Dalton to wean her away from her father's fascination with titled nobility.

Also look for good performances by Thelma Ritter as the Molly Brown in all but name role, Richard Basehart as the defrocked priest and Allyn Joslyn as the eager social climber.

It's Webb and Stanwyck who carry the story. Webb who originally is an snob, shows in fact some real character during the disaster. And Barbara Stanwyck's last moments as the film ends are some of then best in her long distinguished career.

It's your father's Titanic and a good one too.