SOS Titanic is a TV movie US – UK from 1979 , directed by William Hale and David Janssen , with Cloris Leachman and Susan Saint James . It tells the story of the liner Titanicand its sinking in April 1912, through the eyes of passengers of first , second and third class .
The TV movie was first aired in long version on two evenings, then marketed in a short version. Although inspired by authentic testimonies, the film is not always faithful to the truth.
Synopsis
The Titanic leaves Southampton on. The film follows various passengers who are first class John Jacob Astor and his wife and the couple Marvin, on their honeymoon. In the second, the film follows Lawrence Beesley , then author of a book on the sinking. In third class, the story focuses on a group of Irish emigrants.
The film goes from one group to another and shows their life during the crossing. After four days, the ship hits an iceberg and sinks. Passengers must fight for their survival.
Technical sheet
The mentions below come from IMDb 1 .
- Title: SOS Titanic
- Director: William Hale
- Production: Lou Morheim
- Scenario: James Costigan
- Music: Howard Blake
- Photography: Christopher Challis
- Editing: Rusty Coppleman
- Budget: 7,000,000 $
- Country of origin: United States and United Kingdom
- Language: English
- Genre: disaster movie
- Duration: 144 minutes in original version, 109 in DVD version
- Release date :
Distribution
- Harry Andrews : Captain Edward John Smith
- Tony Caunter (en) : Chief Officer Henry Tingle Wilde
- Paul Young: 1 st Officer William McMaster Murdoch
- Malcolm Stoddard : 2 d Officer Charles Lightoller
- Warren Clarke : 4 th Officer Joseph Boxhall
- Karl Howman (en) : 5 e Officer Harold Lowe
- David Janssen : John Jacob Astor IV
- Beverly Ross : Madeleine Astor
- Cloris Leachman : Margaret Brown
- David Warner : Lawrence Beesley
- Susan Saint James : Leigh Goodwin
- Ian Holm : Joseph Bruce Ismay
- Geoffrey Whitehead (in) : Thomas Andrews
- Helen Mirren : Hostess Mary Sloan
- Ed Bishop : Henry Harris
- David Battley (in) : Steward cleaning shoes Sydney Stebbings
- Tony Maiden : Assistant steward cleaning shoes EJ Guy
- Nicholas Davies : Alfred King Lift Steward
- Matthew Guiness : Father Thomas Byles
- Jerry Houser : Daniel Marvin
- Deborah Fallender : Mary Marvin
- Victor Langley : Conductor Wallace Hartley
- Gérard McSorley (en) : Martin Gallagher
- John Moffatt : Benjamin Guggenheim
- Aubrey Morris : Steward John Hart
- Martin Murphy : Clarinet Steward Peter Fletcher
- Nancy Nevinson : Ida Straus
- Gordon Whiting : Isidor Straus
- Philip O’Sullivan : David Charters
- Robert Pugh : James Farrell
- Maurice Roëves : Fire Chief Frederick Barrett
- Norman Rossington : Captain Thomas King
- Peter Bourke : Assistant Telegraph Harold Bride
- Shevaun Briars : Katie Gilnagh
- Nick Brimble : Olaus Abelseth
- Jacob Brooke : Chief Steward 2 e John Hardy class
- Catherine Byrne : Bridget Bradley
- Lise Hilboldt (en) : Rene Harris
- Kate Howard : Countess of Rothes
- Kevin O’Shea : Watcher Reginald Lee
- Alec Sabin (en) : Watcher Frederick Fleet
- Anna Quayle : Turkish baths hostess Maude Slocombe
- Madge Ryan (en) : Violet Jessop Hostess
- Ronan Smith : Daniel Buckley
- Philip Stone : Captain Arthur Rostron ( RMS Carpathia )
- Christopher Strauli (en) : Telegraph Harold Cottam ( RMS Carpathia )
- Ian Abercrombie : Bridge Steward
- Tony Haygarth (en) : Chief Engineer Joseph Bell
- Anthony Heaton : Quartermaster Robert Hichens
- André Maranne : Michel Navratil (son)
- Ronnie Stevens : Dr. McGee ( RMS Carpathia )
- Tony Vogel (en) : 2 d Officer Jimmy Basset ( RMS Carpathia )
- Nicholas Young (in) Jack Thayer
Realization and diffusion
The outdoor scenes of the film are shot on board the Queen Mary . Scenes were also shot at the Waldorf Hotel in London . The film is the first film on the Titanic to be shot in color 2 . Some scenes have strong differences with the Atlantic film , latitude 41 ° 3 .
There are two versions of the film. The version broadcast on television in the United States lasts 144 minutes and is divided into two parts. She tells the story like a flashback from the Carpathia where the survivors are. The version broadcast in cinemas in Europe, then sold in VHS and DVD is shorter, follows the chronological order, and leaves room for inconsistencies due to cuts 2 .
Anecdotes
- David Warner , who plays one of the main characters ( Lawrence Beesley ), also appears in the 1997 movie Titanic . He plays Caledon Hockley’s bodyguard and valet.
- Norman Rossington who plays Coxswain also played in Atlantic, latitude 41 ° in the role of chief steward of 3 E Class James Kiernan.
- The film was shot on the Queen Mary boat . That’s why the inside of the ship in the movie has no resemblance to the real Titanic .
References
- ↑ (en) SOS Titanic [ archive ] , IMDb.com
- ↑ a and b (in) SOS Titanic [ archive ] , Titanic in film and television . Accessed April 10, 2010
- ↑ (in) “A Night to Remember” vs. “SOS Titanic” [ archive ] , Titanic in film and television . Accessed April 10, 2010