Polygon Court: Did Titanic get the wrong ending?

Polygon Court hears nan lawsuit for James Cameron’s alternate ending

While James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water has passed Titanic connected nan database of all-time top-grossing movies, his 1997 Oscar-winner precocious sewage a boost from a 25th-anniversary theatrical rerelease that played to sold-out theaters and earned nan movie different $50 cardinal worldwide. It’s a grounds to nan powerfulness of Titanic’s cardinal emotion communicative and disaster movie thrills that moreover pinch nan movie readily disposable for location viewing, fans are still consenting to spell spot it again successful theaters.

But 1 point they won’t get successful theaters is simply a chance to spot nan alternate ending of Titanic, a longer and much elaborate trim that Cameron yet trimmed down to nan minimalist type successful nan theatrical edit. Many reason Cameron made nan correct choice, and avoided sinking nan movie’s last affectional beat. But are nan audiences lining up to spot Titanic again really missing out?

At Polygon, we’re split. So we’re present to coming our grounds and decide: Is nan alternate ending of Titanic amended than nan original?

Polygon Court is now successful session.

[Ed. note: End spoilers up for 2 versions of Titanic.]

Opening statements: Titanic’s ending, momentarily explained

Tasha: Let’s commencement pinch a speedy rundown connected nan 2 versions we’re debating here. James Cameron frames Titanic arsenic a wealth hunt, wherever successful 1996, salvager Brock Lovett (Bill Paxton) and his unit are searching for “the Heart of nan Ocean,” a monolithic bluish gem built into a necklace that supposedly went down pinch nan Titanic. After uncovering a drafting of a nude female wearing nan Heart of nan Ocean successful nan Titanic safe wherever they expected to find nan diamond, they way down nan taxable of nan painting, aged socialite Rose (Gloria Stuart), to capable them successful connected her clip connected nan Titanic successful 1912 (when she was played by Kate Winslet).

In nan theatrical ending, 1996 Rose slips retired of furniture aft nan communicative is complete and softly pulls nan Heart of nan Ocean retired of her pouch and throws it into nan sea. She had it each on arsenic a keepsake of her doomed romance pinch young pauper Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio), and didn’t show Brock, his crew, aliases her big granddaughter Lizzy (Suzy Amis), who’s besides connected nan salvage boat. Then she goes backmost to furniture and dreams of 1912. (Or possibly dies, and reunites pinch Jack? That’s my mentation for sure, but immoderate group decidedly spot it differently.)

In nan longer original ending, Brock and Lizzy spot her connected platform and deliberation she’s astir to termination herself by jumping overboard. They face her and spot she has nan necklace, and she lets Brock touch it and understand he’s ne'er going to ain it earlier she tosses it into nan water. Otherwise, nan ending is overmuch nan same. Does that sum up everything we request to know?

Patches: Let maine accent nan tonal quality of these 2 scenes: Backed by James Horner’s ethereal score, past a reprise of nan classical theme, nan charismatic ending to Titanic plays retired arsenic a infinitesimal of quiet closure. The alternate ending is benignant of for illustration a Super Bowl commercialized parody of nan existent ending, wherever Old Rose is abruptly played by nan rapping grandma from The Wedding Singer.

Presentation of evidence: Which Titanic is better?

Image: Paramount Pictures

Tasha, nan lawsuit for Titanic’s alt ending: I get why Cameron went pinch nan simpler version: It puts nan accent connected Rose and her emotions, and connected nan 1912 emotion communicative that makes this movie what it is. You don’t person to interest astir anybody else’s feelings astir chucking that diamond, and what it costs everyone other connected that boat. But that leaves everybody else’s communicative unresolved! Poor Brock mightiness conscionable walk nan remainder of his life looking for a necklace he’s ne'er going to find, while Rose conscionable silently smirks astir it! (Or, y’know, dies connected his boat.) Do you conscionable not attraction astir anyone else’s feelings here?

Patches, nan lawsuit for Titanic’s original ending: If Brock spent 3 hours listening to Rose show her communicative only to spell backmost connected nan hunt for nan Heart of nan Ocean, past nan man deserves nan unreality of nonaccomplishment that comes pinch a Sisyphean task. Brock sucks! He’s charming capable successful nan movie, because Bill Paxton was a deity among men.

But connected immoderate level, he’s nan anti-Cameron. Devout Cameron-watchers cognize he’s spent unimaginable amounts of money and clip building deep-sea submersibles conscionable for nan thrill of going wherever nary man has gone earlier — aliases successful nan lawsuit of his existent Titanic wreckage dives, to consciousness nan ghosts of nan past. Brock conscionable wants money. Cameron describes him successful Titanic’s screenplay arsenic “a wiley [sic], fast-talking wealth hunter, a salvage superstar who is portion historian, portion adventurer and portion vacuum cleaner salesman.” Emphasis connected vacuum cleaner salesman — nan feline is each basking air. I do not attraction astir his feelings, and Rose is correct to support him successful nan acheronian astir nan Heart of nan Ocean.

Tasha, nan lawsuit for Titanic’s alt ending: Brutal, Matt. Vacuum cleaner salesmen are group too! OK, if you don’t attraction astir nan emotions of nan alt ending, really astir nan humor? Brock’s tech adjunct Lewis (played by Lewis Abernathy) speaks for each of america erstwhile Rose hucks nan gem and he yells, “That really sucks, lady!” He’s right! And it’s cathartic! Brock and his squad are moving retired of money, and they’ve spent 3 years of their lives connected this point Rose conscionable whoopsies into nan oversea successful beforehand of them. She has nan correct — it’s hers, aft each — but don’t Brock and Lewis besides person nan correct to cognize their quest is over, and that this female deliberately lied to them, stymied them, and trim them disconnected astatine nan knees? Isn’t glossing complete each of that a small cheap?

Patches, nan lawsuit for Titanic’s original ending: Rose knows wealthiness does not bargain happiness — spot nan anterior 2 hours and 45 minutes! — and she’s really helping Brock by making that priceless gem disappear. In nan alternate cut, he would cognize wherever to dive next. And to your point, Rose looks downright sinister successful nan alternate cut. She has a existent Drag Me to Hell evil grin connected her look arsenic she dangles nan Heart of nan Ocean complete nan backmost of nan ship, taunting Brock for his greed. It’s existent first-draft worldly from Cameron, who, while nary alien to on-the-nose dialogue, knew this segment was everything he wanted to say, but shouldn’t opportunity retired loud. We cognize why it would beryllium bad for Brock to person nan Heart of nan Ocean, and why Rose needs to unload its weight into nan waters successful bid to move connected — from her past and nan mortal coil.

Tasha, nan lawsuit for Titanic’s alt ending: Hoo boy, you’re not trading maine connected nan “It’s for your ain good” angle. It takes a existent sadist to say, “I’m financially ruining you and making nan past 3 years of your life pointless, without moreover telling you astir it… For your ain good! You should beryllium little materialistic!” But I’ll cede you nan constituent connected Rose’s “ain’t I a stinker” facial look successful nan alt ending. That was a weird look.

One point I don’t emotion astir nan alternate ending is nan small infinitesimal of clone play wherever everyone thinks Rose is astir to jump into nan oversea and termination herself. It seems a inexpensive arsenic a measurement to goose up nan threat of nan moment. But it does make for an absorbing callback to young Rose contemplating termination by likewise hanging disconnected nan railing of nan Titanic erstwhile she’s successful despair complete nan matrimony she’s being forced into. I’m each for a ocular and communicative callback betwixt different eras successful a communicative for illustration this that spans truthful overmuch time.

Patches, nan lawsuit for Titanic’s original ending: I americium besides each for ocular and communicative callbacks betwixt different eras successful a story, but only erstwhile they’re not directed for illustration scenes from Crash.

Tasha, nan lawsuit for Titanic’s alt ending: OK, c’mon, you don’t get anything retired of nan infinitesimal wherever Rose lets Brock clasp nan gem he’s been looking for each this time, conscionable for a moment, and he consciously makes nan determination to fto it spell and not effort to extremity her? And past he laughs for illustration a loon astatine nan wealth he’s conscionable fto go?

Paxton himself said he was good pinch nan cuts and that his ain communicative didn’t request resolution, but that’s nan benignant of point actors opportunity each nan clip erstwhile they’re trying to beryllium bully sports and promo their projects without complaining astir their scenes getting cut. But I deliberation he does beardown activity successful this scene, and I really bask nan measurement that he communicates Brock’s conflicted emotions successful this moment. He knows he doesn’t person immoderate correct to nan Heart of nan Ocean if it isn’t salvage, he knows he can’t snatch it disconnected this aged woman and expect to support it, but he’s besides consciously choosing to fto spell of years of his life and who knows really overmuch money, each for nan liking of a stranger’s large symbolic moment. It’s meaningful!

Patches, nan lawsuit for Titanic’s original ending: I don’t deliberation Paxton’s blowing fume aliases remaining allegiant to his head erstwhile he says Cameron made nan correct move cutting solution for his communicative retired of nan film. That’s because Brock is not a characteristic successful nan communicative who requires solution — he is nan audience. This is Rose’s story, her romanticist saga, her push to go an independent female divided from taste norms. When viewed successful isolation — nan only measurement immoderate of america gets to spot this alternate ending — yeah, we get much of that sweet, saccharine Paxton juice, but it’s not base nan weight of nan erstwhile two-plus hours, seen wholly done Rose’s eyes. By nan existent ending, we’ve mislaid way of Brock’s hunt for nan Heart of nan Ocean, alternatively whisked done history. Just arsenic he has.

Tasha, nan lawsuit for Titanic’s alt ending: Don’t you deliberation her infinitesimal pinch nan gem is much meaningful erstwhile she has an audience? She’s saying goodbye again to Jack, and to her youth, and to her life, effectively. I for illustration having different group location to stock nan infinitesimal and understand nan effect of it — peculiarly her granddaughter, who’s seeing Rose and her life successful a caller ray successful that moment. (And besides watching her inheritance descend to nan bottommost of nan sea. She has a correct to cognize astir that, too.)

Patches, nan lawsuit for Titanic’s original ending: Rose does not beryllium anyone jack shit! (Or Jack’s shit, for that matter.) When Rose walks retired to nan separator of nan Brock’s vessel successful nan existent finale of nan film, she’s carrying a life good lived — and a romance that ne'er died. Releasing nan necklace untethers her from reality, and she’s capable to drift into her memories of nan Titanic, an ill-fated boat, and Jack, an unforgettable dreamboat. Who would want anyone astir for that? Reminiscing astir your dormant person is nan meaning of “me time.”

Closing arguments: Jury, see nan Titanics

Image: Paramount Pictures

Tasha, nan lawsuit for Titanic’s alt ending: I’ll conscionable opportunity this: Just arsenic nan sinking of nan Titanic isn’t conscionable Rose and Jack’s communicative — it’s a calamity for truthful galore people, and their suffering is important excessively — tossing a priceless gem into nan water arsenic a melodramatic motion is much than conscionable Rose’s moment. It’s worthy considering nan effect of what she does, and showing that connected screen.

Patches, nan lawsuit for Titanic’s original ending: With nan alternate ending, Cameron intended to cram much Message into nan last beat. The effect of nan speech is fundamentally him wagging his digit astatine nan audience. Rose goes and connected and connected and connected astir really she made it to this shape successful life without Cal, did it without indulging successful nan money she could person reaped from trading nan necklace, and correct earlier dropping nan necklace, reminds Brock, “You look for wealth successful nan incorrect place, Mr. Lovett — only life is priceless, and making each time count.” Hey, Rose, it’s called subtext!!