'A Night to Remember' - A Tribute to the Titanic

107 years ago, the Titanic sailed off into the Atlantic Ocean on her maiden voyage. Little did the ship’s crew and over 2,000 passengers know that the night of April 15 would forever be one of the greatest tragedies at sea.

A Night to Remember is a 1958 classic showcasing the events of the tragic night when the Titanic struck the iceberg. Passengers and the ship’s crew feverishly struggled to save everyone’s lives in the lack of lifeboats as the ship slowly disappeared into the cold Atlantic Ocean. Based off on numerous eye witness accounts, the heroic tales are brought out to their own recognition.

Did you know that the first Titanic film was created a month after the ship sank? The impactful story of TheTitanic has implored the minds of many generations.

What does this day mean to you?

Based on the book by Walter Lord, A Night to Remember captures every minute detail of the evening of the sinking. In contrast to other films about theTitanic, this film only focuses on the real passengers and only the night of the sinking, instead of going to great lengths to portray the entire journey.

If you are ever writing a story or making a movie based on the Titanic, the most important detail everyone needs to include is how serious this night was. Nobody should ever make a mockery of the events nor its passengers. The best focus is on the great ship with a mixture of stories from the passengers, whether fictional or real.

The film is very well acted. There are numerous actors to credit for their powerful performances to portray either a survivor, a victim, or a hero from that night. A Night to Remember pays close attention to Second Officer Charles Lightoller and his commemorative actions. Kenneth More did a wonderful job, especially with special advice from the son and widow of the real Charles Lightoller.

Captain Edward John Smith will always be a hero. Laurence Naismith’s performance was all about his terror-stricken expressions and bravery to command a night of stress. Any actor who portrays him has to portray his heroism and terror. In a way, each actor had to act through acting just like the numerous survivors or victims who had to wear their bravest masks.

I also really enjoyed Tucker McGuire's performance as the Unsinkable Molly Brown. She added a touch of comedy into the picture.

George Rose, who portrayed Chief Baker Charles Joughin, is so fun to watch. Drinking helped save his life. Watching him able to stand upright on a slanted deck as he stares confused at everyone who is falling down is a funny picture.

Due to the deep melancholy tone, Titanic films need at least some comedic undertone to give viewers a break from the overwhelming story.

The story splits between many passengers of different classes. The first 10 minutes of the film are a slow pace, getting to know the passengers. You can just feel their excitement when you know there is an inevitable doom lurking in the midst of the ocean.

The Titanic is a very overwhelming topic of discussion. Director Roy Ward Baker gave audiences a film that helps us understand what this night was like. No scenes are forced.

Full scale or miniature models of the ship were used. It's fascinating to learn in all the films about the Titanic how they created an authentic sinking ship. The music is also very gripping, perfectly adding to the stress and fear. Due to dipping the set higher and higher, those creaking noises heard are actual noises from the set. I am glad the director kept them in to make the film even more genuine.

However, there has been controversy over the actions of Californian, a ship that was only 10 miles from where the Titanic was sinking. I felt that the ruthless actions of theCaliforniancrew were overdone and I think they were wrong to view the ship’s crew as careless.

107 years later there are no Titanic survivors left. The whole story is based on eyewitness accounts. We all have different interpretations of the disaster and actions of each passenger. A story like this cannot be bottled up.

I have been a fanatic over the Titanic since I was a young child. Every time I went to a book sale, I wanted to find something on the Titanic. I have spent countless hours reading facts about the ship. I even visited museums in Branson, Missouri, Novia Scotia, and even Foxborough, Massachusetts. I will never forget this story.

Take this time to remember all the lives that were lost, honor the officers and the engineers who worked until the very end, and be thankful for all the heroes. The Titanic still lies at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean floor. It will forever be a mark of history that no ship is unsinkable. The story still continues on.

Rest in peace, Titanic.