A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

UK, 1958, 123 minutes, Black and white.
Kenneth More, David Mc Callum, Honor Blackman, Alec Mc Cowan, Michael Goodliffe, Laurence Naismith.
Directed by Roy Baker.

A Night to Remember is a semi-documentary feature on the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, based on the book by Walter Lord. It is made in the traditional British manner, excellent cameo performances of passengers and crew and Kenneth More type heroism. Nevertheless it is always an interesting film and alarming In Its presentation of such an unforeseen disaster.

Jean Negulesco directed a fictionalised version of the sinking of the ship in Titanic (1953). The present film is superior both in its characterisations and its re-creation of the tragedy.

A fine film asking for reflections on the human sense of superiority and achievement, and on life and death.

1. What is the fascination of the sinking of the 'Titanic' that makes it a continued topic of interest for books, films, articles?

2. How much pride went into the building of the 'Titanic'? How much presumption? (e.g. Lightoller in the train, the dock scenes, the ship itself.)?

3. Did the initial scenes of information and personal vignettes build up a satisfactory impression of the times and the people? How?

4. What was the effect of using cinema footage from 1912 in the film?

5. Why did the film focus on Lightoller?

6. What difference does it make to a drama when you know what is in store? Does this make the watching of A Night to Remember more suspenseful and ironic? How?

7. Why did the ship collide with the iceberg? Why was rescue so slow? How did this highlight chance and human error? Who was to blame?

8. How much sympathy in the audience by the film's presentation of the designer, played by Michael Goodliffe?

9. How helpless did one feel when one saw the result of so much avoidable human error? (The lack of boat drill, the telegraphing, the lack of lifeboat space)?

10. How did the film show human heroism in the face of disaster? Are most people heroic?

11. How did the film show people's cowardice and selfishness in the face of disaster? Are most people selfish?

12. How did the film highlight the reactions, find them convincing? the band playing, the gamblers playing cards, the owner escaping, the lowering of the boats before they were full, the woman who wanted her lucky pig and not her jewels, Guggenheim and his valet, the Captain, the Jewish couple, snobbery in the boats, the wireless men and the stealing of the jacket, the need for shots?

13. Were you moved by the presentation of death, fear and prayer?

14. Who is to blame for disasters like this?