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Four-star movie: A Night to Remember
Jan. 16th, 2015 04:05 pmA Night to Remember
Director: Roy Ward Baker
Year: 1958
I had been dreading this movie to a certain extent, because I don't like suspense, whether I know how it turns out or not. This movie was the movie about the Titanic's sinking until James Cameron made his. I haven't seen that one, so I can't really compare them, though I know the special effects of the modern one are supposed to be stunning. On the other hand, the attention to detail in this one is also stunning. The recreation of the first class dining room, the smoking room, even the bridge with the correct heading shown are all impressive. I wish it had been filmed in color, but perhaps the B&W filming covered some infelicities that I would have noticed. And I doubt the movie could have made use of actual historical footage as it does had it been in color.
The movie is based on the book of the same name, and is as attentive to historical detail as possible, though some of the real-life people were combined in the movie. The actual story is full of ironies and close calls: it was the captain's last voyage before he was supposed to retire; the ship's designer was aboard; the nearest ship never came to investigate; the ship had lifeboats for about half those aboard (2,200 total, lifeboats for about 1,000), but so many lifeboats were sent off unfilled that only 700 or so survived.
I'm glad I watched it, but -- as with so many of these four-star movies -- once is probably enough.
Also: new icon!
Director: Roy Ward Baker
Year: 1958
I had been dreading this movie to a certain extent, because I don't like suspense, whether I know how it turns out or not. This movie was the movie about the Titanic's sinking until James Cameron made his. I haven't seen that one, so I can't really compare them, though I know the special effects of the modern one are supposed to be stunning. On the other hand, the attention to detail in this one is also stunning. The recreation of the first class dining room, the smoking room, even the bridge with the correct heading shown are all impressive. I wish it had been filmed in color, but perhaps the B&W filming covered some infelicities that I would have noticed. And I doubt the movie could have made use of actual historical footage as it does had it been in color.
The movie is based on the book of the same name, and is as attentive to historical detail as possible, though some of the real-life people were combined in the movie. The actual story is full of ironies and close calls: it was the captain's last voyage before he was supposed to retire; the ship's designer was aboard; the nearest ship never came to investigate; the ship had lifeboats for about half those aboard (2,200 total, lifeboats for about 1,000), but so many lifeboats were sent off unfilled that only 700 or so survived.
I'm glad I watched it, but -- as with so many of these four-star movies -- once is probably enough.
Also: new icon!
