a night to remember (roy ward baker, 1958)

A Night to Remember is a 1958 British retelling of the voyage of the Titanic. It is very similar to James Cameron's Titanic ... similar, if you take away the gargantuan special effects and the fictional stories of the characters played by Leo and Kate et al. Which is to say, it's not v.similar at all. Because the love story is the heart of Titanic. Take that away and you have a different movie. A Night to Remember takes a more documentary approach ... very few particular characters stand out, it's more about the community of people in danger that strikes the viewer. This movie also manages to make its points about honorable actions and class distinctions without clubbing you over the head a la Cameron. I love Kate Winslet as much as anyone on the planet, but if I'm watching a movie about the Titanic, I want to see a movie about the Titanic. A Night to Remember is that movie.