CUT TO: 29 INT. IMAGING SHACK / KELDYSH
It is a darkened room lined with TV monitors. IMAGES OF THE WRECK fill the screens, fed from Mir One and Two, and the two ROVs, Snoop Dog and DUNCAN.
BODINE: Live from 12,000 feet.
ROSE stares raptly at the screens. She is enthralled by one in particular,
an image of the bow railing. It obviously means something to her. Brock is studying her reactions carefully.
Rose and Jack smiled as they remembered exactly what that bow railing meant to them.
BODINE: The bow's struck in the bottom like an axe, from the impact. Here... I can run a simulation we worked up on this monitor over here.
Lizzy turns the chair so Rose can see the screen of Bodine's computer. As
he is calling up the file, he keeps talking.
BODINE: We've put together the world's largest database on the Titanic. Okay,
here...
LOVETT: Rose might not want to see this, Lewis.
"I don't think any of us want to see it." Mr. Andrews announced with a grimace. Everyone nodded in agreement, hoping that the man wouldn't show anything.
ROSE: No, no. It's fine. I'm curious.
Bodine starts a COMPUTER ANIMATED GRAPHIC on the screen, which parallels his rapid-fire narration.
BODINE: She hits the berg on the starboard side and it sort of bumps along... punching holes like a morse code... dit dit dit, down the side. Now she's flooding in the forward compartments... and the water spills over the tops of the bulkheads, going aft. As her bow is going down, her stern is coming up... slow at first... and then faster and faster until it's lifting all that weight, maybe 20 or 30 thousand tons... out of the water and the hull can't deal... so SKRTTT! (making a sound in time with the animation)
... it splits! Right down to the keel, which acts like a big hinge. Now the bow swings down and the stern falls back level... but the weight of the bow pulls the stern up vertical, and then the bow section detaches, heading for the bottom. The stern bobs like a cork, floods and goes under about 2:20 a.m. Two hours and forty minutes after the collision.
There was a lot of wincing as that explanation went on. Mostly from the Captain, Mr. Ismay, and Mr. Andrews.
The animation then follows the bow section as it sinks. Rose watches this
clinical dissection of the disaster without emotion.
BODINE: The bow pulls out of its dive and planes away, almost a half a mile, before it hits the bottom going maybe 12 miles an hour. KABOOM!
The bow impacts, digging deeply into the bottom, the animation now follows
the stern.
BODINE: The stern implodes as it sinks, from the pressure, and rips apart from the force of the current as it falls, landing like a big pile of junk. (indicating the simulation) Cool huh?
ROSE: Thank you for that fine forensic analysis, Mr. Bodine. Of course the
experience of it was somewhat less clinical.
"I don't think I want to experience that." Rose said wincing.
"I will try to keep things safe for you, Miss. Dewitt Bukater." The captain said in a firm voice, he decided that he was going to listen to every one of the ice berg warnings this time.
LOVETT: Will you share it with us?
Her eyes go back to the screens, showing the sad ruins far below them.
A VIEW from one of the subs TRACKING SLOWLY over the boat deck. Rose
recognizes one of the Wellin davits, still in place. She hears ghostly waltz music. The faint and echoing sound of an officer's voice, English accented, calling "Women and children only".
There were shivers at that thought. "I'm so sorry that you have those memories, Rose." Jack whispered in her ear softly. Rose said nothing as she held Jack tighter.
30 FLASH CUTS of screaming faces in a running crowd. Pandemonium and
terror. People crying, praying, kneeling on the deck. Just impressions... flashes in the dark.
31 Rose Looks at another monitor. SNOOP DOG moving down a rusted,
debris-filled corridor. Rose watches the endless row of doorways sliding past, like dark mouths.
32 IMAGE OF A CHILD, three years old, standing ankle deep in water in the middle of an endless corridor. The child is lost alone, crying. 33 Rose is shaken by the flood of memories and emotions. Her eyes well up and she puts her head down, sobbing quietly.
Jack's heart broke at the sight of his Rose crying like that. He snuggled closer to the woman that he loved trying to keep himself from crying.
LIZZY: (taking the wheelchair) I'm taking her to rest.
ROSE: No!
Her voice is surprisingly strong. The sweet little old lady is gone, replaced by a woman with eyes of steel. Lovett signals everyone to stay quiet.
"That's my, Rose." Jack said in a shaky voice. Rose chuckled softly at that as Jack kissed her hair.
LOVETT: Tell us, Rose.
She looks from screen to screen, the images of the ruined ship.
ROSE: It's been 84 years...
LOVETT: Just tell us what you can—
Rose's eyes narrowed, "Is he going to allow me to finish?" She asked no one in particular. No one said anything as they continued to watch the movie.
ROSE: (holds up her hand for silence) It's been 84 years... and I can still smell the fresh paint. The china had never been used. The sheets had never been slept in.
He switches on the mini recorder and sets it near her.
ROSE: Titanic was called the Ship of Dreams. And it was. It really was...
"It truly is beautiful, Mr. Andrews." Rose said with a smile on her face. Jack, Tommy, and Fabrizio just nodded in agreement while Molly smiled and Ruth scowled. Cora giggled as Helga watched Fabrizio lovingly.
Mr. Andrews blushed slightly, "Thank you, my dear, it was something I loved doing. I only hope she will have more than one voyage…" Captain Smith looked thoughtful before allowing a small smile to grace his lips. He had decided to slow down the ship when he returned to his post…and maybe put a few more men on lookout.
As the underwater camera rises past the rusted bow rail, WE DISSOLVE / MATCH MOVE to that same railing in 1912...
MATCH DISSOLVE: 34 EXT. SOUTHAMPTON DOCK - DAY
SHOT CONTINUES IN A FLORIOUS REVEAL as the gleaming white superstructure of Titanic rises mountainously beyond the rail, and above that the buff-colored funnels stand against the sky like the pillars of a great temple. Crewmen move across the deck, dwarfed by the awesome scale of the steamer. Southampton, England, April 10, 1912. It is almost non on ailing day. A crowd of hundreds blackens the pier next to Titanic like ants on a jelly sandwich.
There were no words throughout the room, as they all had smiles on their faces as they remembered how speechless they were when they first saw the ship.
IN FG a gorgeous burgundy RENAULT TOURING CAR swings into frame, hanging from a loading crane. It is lowered toward HATCH #2. On the pier horsedrawn vehicles, motorcars and lorries move slowly through the dense throng. The atmosphere is one of excitement and general giddiness. People embrace in tearful farewells, or wave and shout bon voyage wishes to friends and relatives on the decks above.
Awhite RENAULT, leading a silver-gray DAIMLER-BENZ, pushes through the
crowd leaving a wake in the press of people. Around the handsome cars people are streaming to board the ship, jostling with hustling seamen and stokers, porters, and barking WHITE STAR LINE officials.
The Renault stops and the LIVERIED DRIVER scurries to open the door for a
YOUNG WOMAN dressed in a stunning white and purple outfit, with an enormous feathered hat. She is 17 years old and beautiful, regal of bearing, with piercing eyes.
"You really are beautiful. My beautiful Rose." Jack whispered in her ear. Rose blushed as Fabrizio and Tommy cat-called and wolf-whistled. Ruth had a disgusted look on her face as she watched her daughter interact with the third-class.
Alice, seeing Ruth's face decided to speak up. "Is something the matter Ruth?" she asked innocently. Jess had to cover her laughter with her hand.
"Why would you ask? You don't seem First Class." Ruth said with an air of arrogance.
"I may not be 'First Class' but I do know what I'm talking about. I can tell if someone is upset or just plain stuck-up, but I'm having a hard time placing you." Alice said with a small grin. Ruth looked insulted.
"I think she just has a stick up her as-" Jess started but Alice's hand found her mouth before she could continue. Everyone in the room had an idea of what she was going to say so they all burst out laughing, including Rose and Molly. Ruth's face just became as red as a tomato. Alice then quickly pressed play before things got anymore out of control.
It is the girl in the drawing. ROSE. She looks up at the ship, taking it in with cool appraisal.
ROSE: I don't see what all the fuss is about. It doesn't look any bigger than the
Mauretania.
Rose faintly blushed, "I truly am sorry Mr. Andrews. I only said that because I was upset, I did not really mean it."
"It's alright, dear. We all have days like that I'm afraid." Said man said kindly. Jess and Alice just watched the group with amusement.
A PERSONAL VALET opens the door on the other side of the car for CALEDON HOCKLEY, the 30 year old heir to the elder Hockley's fortune. "Cal" is handsome, arrogant and rich beyond meaning.
CAL: You can be blasé about some things, Rose, but not about Titanic. It's overa hundred feet longer than Mauretania, and far more luxurious. It hassquash courts, a Parisian cafe... even Turkish baths.
Alice started to grumble to herself as Cal was on screen. Jess was trying to hide her amusement as Rose and Jack laughed. Ruth narrowed her eyes at the four teens.
"Aww lighten up Ruthie!" Molly said with a laugh, "The kids are just having some fun." Ruth muttered something unintelligible as everyone continued to watch the movie.
Cal turns and fives his hand to Rose's mother, RUTH DEWITT BUKATER, who descends from the touring car being him. Ruth is a 40ish society empress, from one of the most prominent Philadelphia families. She is a widow, and rules her household with iron will.
CAL: Your daughter is much too hard to impress, Ruth.(indicating a puddle)Mind your step.
RUTH: (gazing at the leviathan)So this is the ship they say is unsinkable.
There was an eerie silence to the room as Ruth spoke those words. Mr. Ismay even shuttered.
CAL: It is unsinkable. God himself couldn't sink this ship.
Mr. Andrews sighed, "That's not entirely true. God, I hope we can change this." Alice and Jessica smiled at each other. Wanting to change the future was the first step in actually doing so.
Cal speaks with the pride of a host providing a special experience.
This entire entourage of rich Americans is impeccably turned out, a quintessential example of the Edwardian upper class, complete with servants. Cal's VALET, SPICER LOVEJOY, is a tall and impassive, dour as an undertaker. Behind him emerge TWO MAIDS, personal servants to Ruth and Rose.
A WHITE STAR LINE PORTER scurries toward them, harried by last minute loading.
PORTER: Sir, you'll have to check your baggage through the main terminal, round that way-
Cal nonchalantly hands the man a fiver. The porter's eyes dilate. Five pounds was a monster tip in those days.
Captain Smith's eyes narrowed, Mr. Hockley was supposed to check his own baggage. Not have one of his staff do it for him.
CAL: I put my faith in you, good sir. (curtly, indicating Lovejoy) See my man.
PORTER: Yes, sir. My pleasure, sir.
Cal never tires of the effect of money on the unwashed masses.
Jack tried to seem indifferent as Cal used money to buy people but if someone were to ask he was pissed. He had to work his ass off, (excuse his language) and Mr. Hockley gets everything he ever wanted by being a bastard. Rose saw this and squeezed his hand gently, showing him that while Cal got the money Jack had received her.
LOVEJOY: (to the porter) These trunks here, and 12 more in the Daimler. We'll have all this lot up in the rooms.
The White Star man looks stricken when he sees the enormous pile of steamer trunks and suitcases loading down the second car, including wooden crates and steel safe. He whistles frantically for some cargo-handlers nearby who come running.
Cal breezes on, leaving the minions to scramble. He quickly checks his pocket watch.
That time Jack couldn't hold it in any longer, "Bastard."
Ruth looked at the man, scandalized. "Mr. Dawson!"
"Come on Ruth, Cal is acting like a bastard." Molly said with a shrug. Cora just giggled into her hand as Ruth turned her scandalized stare over to the 'new money'. Everyone else, including Jessica and Alice, were watching the two women with very amused expressions.
CAL: We'd better hurry. This way, ladies.
He indicates the way toward the first class gangway. They move into the crowd. TRUDY BOLT, Rose's maid, hustles behind them, laden with bags of her mistress's most recent purchases... things too delicate for the baggage handlers.
Cal leads, weaving between vehicles and handcarts, hurrying passengers (mostly second class and steerage) and well-wishers. Most of the first class passengers are avoiding the smelly press of the dockside crowd by using an elevated boarding bridge, twenty feet above.
They pass a line of steerage passengers in their coarse wool and tweeds, queued up inside movable barriers like cattle in a chute. A HEALTH OFFICER examines their heads one by one, checking scalp and eyelashes for lice.
"That was unpleasant." Ruth said with narrowed eyes and in a snobbish manner. Jack just rolled his eyes. This was going to be a loooong day.
They pass a well-dressed young man cranking the handle of a wooden Biograph "cinematograph" camera mounted on a tripod. NANIEL MARVIN (whose father founded the Biograph Film Studio) is filming his young bride in front of the Titanic. MARY MARVIN stands stiffly and smiles, self conscious.
DANIEL: Look up at the ship, darling, that's it. You're amazed! You can't believe how big it is! Like a mountain. That's great.
Mary Marvin, without an acting fiber in her body, does a bad Clara Bow pantomime of awe, hands raised.
Fabrizio, Tommy, Helga, Rose, and Jack laughed at that as the '1st class' had grimaces on their faces.
Cal is jostled by two yelling steerage boys who shove past him. And he is bumped again a second later by the boys' father.
CAL: Steady!
MAN: Sorry squire!
The Cockney father pushes on, after his kids, shouting.
CAL: Steerage swine. Apparently missed his annual bath.
Jessica growled at that, Alice just sighed a shook her head. "That filthy bastard! How dare he! I bet he's never had a bath! Sometimes I just wish I could have slapped him." Alice raised her eyebrows at the girl as if to say, 'really?'
RUTH: Honestly, Cal, if you weren't forever booking everything at the last instant, we could have gone through the terminal instead of running along the dock like some squalid immigrant family.
Everyone turned their glares to said woman. "Mother!" Rose said exasperated, she hadn't been paying enough attention on the day she arrived on the Titanic.
CAL: All part of my charm, Ruth. At any rate, it was my darling fiancee's beauty rituals which made us late.
ROSE: You told me to change.
CAL: I couldn't let you wear black on sailing day, sweetpea. It's bad luck.
ROSE: I felt like black.
Jack frowned, "You should have been able to wear whatever you wanted." Rose just smiled at him and kissed his cheek. Ruth's eyes narrowed again though Rose and Jack ignored her.
Cal guides them out of the path of a horse-drawn wagon loaded down with two tons of OXFORD MARMALADE, in wooden cases, for Titanic's Victualling Department.
CAL: Here I've pulled every string I could to book us on the grandest ship in history, in her most luxurious suites... and you act as if you're going to your execution.
"The irony of that isn't even funny." Alice and Rose mumbled. They looked at each other in shock before bursting out into laughter.
Rose looks up as the hull of Titanic looms over them...a great iron wall, Bible black and sever. Cal motions her forward, and she enters the gangway to the D Deck doors with a sense of overwhelming dread.
OLD ROSE (V.O.): It was the ship of dreams... to everyone else. To me it was a slave ship, taking me back to America in chains.
CLOSE ON CAL'S HAND IN SLOW-MOTION as it closes possessively over Rose's arm. He escorts her up the gangway and the black hull of Titanic swallows them.
OLD ROSE (V.O.): Outwardly I was everything a well brought up girl should be. Inside, I was screaming.
Jack frowned he hated the thought of Rose unhappy. Rose saw his expression and sighed. "Jack, the only reason why I felt like that was because I felt like a piece of property that had just been sold. After I met you…everything changed. And when the ship docks I'm getting off with you."
"Rose!" Ruth cried.
"This is crazy." Jack said with a smirk and a shake of his head.
"I know, it doesn't make any sense. That's why I trust it." Rose said with a laugh ignoring her mother.
Alice and Jess 'Awwed' at the cute moment before pressing play again so they could continue with the movie.
~A/N~
I'm SOOOOO sorry for the long wait but my uncle passed in April and I got a summer job as a lifeguard so I was gone every day…but please don't hate me! Next up! Jack's story!