S.O.S. TITANIC

US, 1979, 180 minutes, Colour.
David Janssen, Cloris Leachman, Susan Saint James, David Warner, Ian Holm, Helen Mirren, Harry Andrews.
Directed by William Hale.

S.O.S. Titanic is the third time round - akin to the semi-fictional 1953 Titanic rather than 1958's A Night To Remember, based on Walter Lord's research. This is generally low-key, less melodramatic panic (especially in the wake of so many disaster films). The implications of class distinction on the Titanic focus the basic human interest ingredients with David Warner and Susan St. James, middle-class hero and heroine (also highlighting the U.S./British co-production) mouthing the moral of the film, first class elegance and snobbery (plus Cloris Leachman acting quite unsinkable as Molly Brown) and the Irish in the steerage. The disaster and rescue are relatively brief - and the whole production is interesting rather than memorable.

1. The memory of the Titanic as a mammoth ship, its disaster on its maiden voyage? The memory over the decades? The feat of building the ship, the symbol of Edwardian elegance? The magnitude of the disaster?

2. The film presentations of the tragedy - the 1953 fiction, the 1958 documentary style film? This telemovie adapted for the how audience? Cinema audiences? Within the disaster trend of the '70s?

3. The film as a period piece: the presentation of the ship and what it symbolised, shipboard life in the early 20th. century, people, manners, decor and costumes? The disaster effects?

4. The structure of the film: launching to rescue? The use of initial newsreel material, the elaboration of the days of the voyage, the cumulative effect of the disaster and rescue?

5. The impact of the cumulative effect of the film: The launching of the ship and the establishing of the importance of the Titanic, the introduction to the various characters, to the various classes? Shipboard, relationships, emotional crises, presumption, the disaster, the rescue?

6. The impression of the ship - the use of the Queen Mary for filming? The particular levels, the first class and its decor and wealth, the second class and its ordinary comfort, the steerage and the lack of amenities? The working of the ship - from bridge and the Captain's orders, to the officers, to the telegrams, to the furnaces and engines? The importance of the various classes - the arrival of the people at the ship, the owner, the crew? The stop in Ireland and the migrants? The stressing of the classes and the contrasts throughout the film, the various barriers, the steerage people invading first class at the end in disaster? The ship as a microcosm of the world of the time? A world about to be plunged into the disaster of World War One - and changed?

7. The presentation of steerage - the attractive presentation of the Irish port, the boys and girls and their migrating, hard life in Ireland, hopes for America, fear of the sea? Their banding together? The dances? The romance of the central couple and the romanticising of the dance? Life together on the ship, the build-up to the disaster, the need for escape and the men helping the women? The women escaping from the first class? The lack of lifeboats and jackets in steerage? The importance of the visit of the steerage people to the first class dining room?

8. The contrast with the second class - Laurence Beesley as teacher, Leigh Goodwin as exchange teacher? Their arrival, Leigh's arranging of the coincidences for their meting, their dining together, dancing? Shipboard romance? The available cabin and yet their proper behaviour? Participation in the deck games? Their being the mouthpieces of views of society at the time? Their both being rescued? Their final comments about the situation? How well delineated the characters - for audience identification?

9. The wealth of the first class - the Astors and the Guggenheims , Astor and his wealth, his young bride, the honeymoon? Guggenheim and social ostracising? The meals, the dances? Molly Brown and her unsinkable behaviour? Her friend? The young man with the camera and his wife? The gamblers oblivious of anything else? The way of life, elegance, meals? The Astors' maid and the incident with the dress? Ismay and his farewell to his wife, his pride in ownership of the ship?

10. The humour, the stories, snobbery, wealth, hopes? The ordinary human themes illustrated on shipboard? The cross-section of British and Americans?

11. The Captain and his reputation, the qualities of the crew, the warnings, the sequence about full speed and the hopes of arrival, the ice floes and the warnings? The Captain and his arrogance? The clash with Ismay?

12. The striking of the iceberg, the initial reactions, the sudden cutting open of the ship, the crew and their capacity for coping, the Captain and his decisions, Ismay and his panic and saving himself, the contrast with the Carpathia and its receiving the messages, its hastening to the rescue?

13. The visual presentation of the disaster - icebergs, the sea? Special effects especially with the capsizing and sinking of the ship? The silent behaviour of so many of the people, the lack of lifejackets, the filling up of the boats, the crew and their having to use guns? The women and children being saved? The dignified partings? Ismay in contrast with this? The time element for the sinking, morale? The piano playing and singing? People jumping into the water, erratic behaviour, controlled behaviour? The steerage and their escape, the steerage maid and purser? Advice? The second class people escaping? The first class and their decisions? The Astors' maid and her staying? The designer and his staying? The presentation of death, the listing of the ship, the muted panic, the sudden sinking?

14. The sequences of rescue, the Carpathia and the taking on of the passengers, the observing of people after the disaster? The numbed reaction, the lady with the refreshments?

15. The observations on God especially by Mrs. Astor? Themes of death, pride, technology and presumption, the inevitability of disaster?