From the cast of Titanic to the film’s stunning costumes, hair and makeup, to the impressive special effects to its thrilling, romantic, dramatic, and devastating story, there are numerous reasons why Titanic remains so memorable decades after the James Cameron movie arrived in theaters — and the 1997 film certainly has the awards to prove it.
After recently rewatching the epic film, which tells the tale of the ocean liner that sank in 1912 through a fictional love story between two young people on board, I had no trouble coming up with a list of the many scenes and quotes that help make this movie truly iconic. Hopefully some of your favorites made the cut!
Starting In The Present Day
Titanic opens in the present day, which -- in addition to introducing the story about Brock Lovett's (Bill Paxton) quest to find the Heart of the Ocean diamond -- provides some background information about the ship. Of course, most viewers likely already know what happened to Titanic, but this technical and historical explanation of how the ship ultimately sank is a stark contrast to the emotional tale Rose is about to share with us, which places an emphasis on the people on board and the lives that were lost.
The Transition Between Present and Past
The transition between the present and the past is done beautifully as we see Rose (Gloria Stuart) look at footage of the remains of the ship, while flickers of the past begin to surface in her mind, bringing the story to life before our eyes.
When Rose First Sees Titanic
In a word: Stunning. Not only is the sight of Titanic set before the bustling port beautiful, but Kate Winslet arriving on screen looking unimpressed and unhappy in her glorious hat is a sight to behold.
When We First Meet Jack
Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) is introduced to us during a tense game of poker. "If you got nothing, you got nothing to lose," he tells Fabrizio, making it clear to us that he does not come from money, and is flying by the seat of his pants. It's the perfect introduction and shows us just how quickly life can change for him.
Watching The Passengers Wave From The Deck
There are numerous scenes throughout the film that give us a view of the Titanic in all her glory. This is one of the earlier moments, and it's a scene that sparks excitement and hope. We can almost forget about the ill-fated journey of the ship as we see the passengers cheerfully waving to the people at the port.
Getting To See Staterooms In Different Parts Of The Ship
The set design of Titanic is incredible, and there are no shortage of details to admire in any given scene. One of the earlier moments of the film gives us a look at the third class staterooms where Jack and Fabrizio are staying, and we also see the luxurious cabins where Rose and her fellow passengers will spend their time.
"Let's Stretch Her Legs"
The "Let's Stretch Her Legs" scene is underrated, in my opinion. Of course, I love the rising score as we see Titanic setting off into the sea. But I especially love seeing the inner-workings of the ship as the speed is increased. Titanic isn't just sailing along at the turn of a wheel or a push of a button. As we see through this scene, there are gigantic moving parts and shifting rudders, and many people below deck working hard to fuel the engines. This sequence showcases that beautifully.
"I'm The King Of The World!"
If we're including quotes on this list, there's no better Titanic quote than Jack's thrilling "King of the World" moment. It's another great scene to show us who he is at this point of his life, embracing every new opportunity with gusto, and living in the moment.
The First Class Dining Scene
This isn't the only dining scene we get in Titanic, but it's such a great one. Not only do we see Rose's resistance as her mother and Cal are determined to control her every move, but Kathy Bates does an admirable job of stealing the scene in her role as Molly Brown with her smirks and comments.
Jack and Rose's First Conversation
Jack and Rose's first meeting isn't the first time they set eyes on each other, but it is the first time they shared words and their connection is instant as Jack talks Rose away from the railing and helps stop her from falling into the freezing water.
"You Wouldn't Have Jumped"
I don't think this is what Rose was expecting Jack to say to her when she asked him what he saw when he looked at her. But I interpret the "You wouldn't have jumped" comment to mean that he knew from the start that she was strong. At this point in the film, Rose seems to only just be realizing that as well.
When Jack Gives Rose Spitting Lessons
What better way to prepare for future adventures than to learn how to spit. Which is what Rose attempts to do with Jack. It's a charming and weirdly flirty bonding, somewhat phlegmy moment.
When Rose Sees Jack All Shined Up Like A New Penny
By this point in the movie, Rose seems to have already developed a crush on Jack, but it doesn't look like anything could have prepared her for the sight of Jack all dressed up for dinner. It's one of the many great romantic moments between the two as they continue to get to know each other.
Dancing Below Deck
As lovely as it is to see Jack and Rose dine together with the first class passengers, there’s something especially romantic about their time together dancing and listening to music below deck. It’s clear from this scene that Rose is very capable of letting her hair down and having a good time, even when she doesn’t know the steps.
"It's Not Up To You To Save Me, Jack."
There are numerous scenes where someone needs help in Titanic, but at its core, I don’t think this was meant to be seen as a story about Jack rescuing Rose from the life she was living. This is made clearer at points throughout the movie, but is probably most apparent here, when Rose tells Jack that it’s not up to him to save her, and he seems to agree. He wants her to be ok, but he also knows it has to be her choice to leave. And when she does make that choice, it's one more demonstration to herself of how strong she is.
"I'm Flying!"
Rose's "I'm Flying" moment is right up there with Jack's "King of the World" exclamation. After deciding to be with Jack, he helps her stand up at the bow and appreciate the flying sensation as the sun sets. It's a small taste of the freedom he's enjoyed his entire life.
When Jack Draws Rose
Rose letting Jack draw her seems to be as much an act of trust, intimacy, and appreciation toward his artistry as it is an act of defiance against Cal, considering how she chooses to wear nothing but the Heart of the Ocean diamond for the drawing.
When Cal Finds The Note Rose Left For Him
Rose clearly wanted Cal to know that things were definitely over when she left the drawing Jack did with the note that assures him he can now keep her and the giant diamond locked in his safe. Yikes.
When Jack and Rose Find The Car
There are so many ups and downs by this point of the movie, so some alone time together seems totally earned. After Jack and Rose manage to escape Lovejoy, they celebrate by spending some very romantic time in the car stowed below deck.
"Iceberg, Right Ahead!"
It was very easy to get caught up in the romance of Jack and Rose, but the movie brings us back to Earth when the iceberg comes into view and the crew member spots it. The whole pace of the movie shifts from this point on.
When Rose Says Goodbye To Her Mother, And Then To Hockley
Given the chaos that’s beginning to unfold, it’s understandable that Rose would default to listening to Cal and her mother, and boarding a lifeboat. But then they remind her of how out of touch with reality they are with their concern about class divisions in the lifeboats and which people deserve to be saved. Not only does Rose take this moment to bid her mother one very final “Goodbye, Mother,” when Cal tries to stop her from running back to Jack, she demonstrates her recently acquired spitting ability before walking away from him too.
When Rose Comes To Jack's Rescue
Jack came to Rose's aid earlier in the film, but this time it's her turn to come to the rescue. Rose proves how strong she is by managing to keep her cool in the face of a terrifying situation, not only when she descends to an icy-cold flooding deck to find Jack, but also when she uses an ax to free him from the pipe he's shackled to.
"You Jump, I Jump"
At this point, it should come as no surprise that Rose wouldn't be able to leave Jack behind. Especially when she knows in her heart that his chances of finding a lifeboat are unlikely. As frustrated as Jack seems that she left the lifeboat, he also seems a bit relieved to be with her again. They're in this together, for better or worse. "You jump, I jump."
When Cal Realizes He Gave Rose The Coat With The Diamond In The Pocket
Had Cal not been so determined not to let Rose leave him, he might never have lost his precious diamond. Alas, he left the massive stone in the pocket of the coat he put on Rose, and now she's gone and so is his diamond. And given everything he's done up to this point, it's impossible to feel sorry for him.
Cal's Desperate Attempts To Get On A Lifeboat
As if we couldn't dislike Cal Hockley even more, we see him sink to a new low. When his attempt at bribing his way onto a lifeboat fails, he snatches up a nearby child and uses them as an opportunity to board a boat. Technically he does "have a child," but it's not his child, and he soon passes the young one off to someone else once he's found a spot.
The Devastating "Nearer My God To Thee" Sequence
The "Nearer My God To Thee" sequence is a sort of devastating calm before the storm. There's still chaos everywhere, but amidst the sight of people desperately trying to find a safe way off the sinking ship, we see others who've accepted their fate. A mother reading a story to her children tucked in bed, an older couple cuddled together for the end, Mr. Andrews (Victor Garber) near a fireplace, and other characters waiting for the end to come. All of this is set to the song the quartet is playing on deck.
The Way The Whole Tone Shifts Starting When The Bridge Floods
It's near the very end when the ship is about to come apart and sink to the bottom of the ocean that things are at their most terrifying. The tone of the movie shifts once again, starting with the flooding of the bridge and following through to the final glimpses inside the ship before we see Jack, Rose and others desperately trying to get to the back of the ship.
When Molly Brown Insists They Return To Help
Once again, Molly Brown is the voice of reason. In this case, she's the one who's advocating for returning to the ship to help more people get into the lifeboat. While everyone else is either too cold and too scared to speak up -- or outright objects -- she's clearly unnerved by their unwillingness to help.
"I'll Never Let Go"
Titanic's ending is undoubtedly a tear-jerker. While we know the fate of the ship, up to this point, there's always hope that the story will end with Jack and Rose surviving the disaster and starting a life together. Alas, that wasn't meant to be, as Jack freezes to death in the water.
When Rose Saves Herself
There's a moment when it seems like maybe Rose is going to give up. After she realizes Jack has died, she rests her head near his hand, likely too sad, too tired and too cold to go on. But then she chooses to try -- first to scream, but she has no voice, and then to swim to the whistle to alert the nearby lifeboat. It's one more great demonstration of her strength, and also a relief as we see her get rescued.
Rose Returning The Diamond To The Ocean
Oh right, the diamond! After everything that's happened, it might be easy to forget that the whole reason they're out near the remains of Titanic in the present day is because Lovett is looking for the diamond. Turns out, Rose had it the whole time. And after telling her story, she appears to be ready to let it go. Which is what she does when she drops it into the ocean.
Rose's Return To Titanic
The movie ends with Rose in bed, surrounded by photos showing the adventurous life she lived in the many years after surviving the Titanic disaster. While it's possible that she's just sleeping, and dreaming of seeing Jack aboard the Titanic again, I interpret the final scenes to mean that she died, warm in her bed, just like Jack assured her she would someday. And that we're seeing her return to Jack after all of these years, reuniting with him, along with all of the other Titanic passengers and crew who lost their lives.
