It is a little slut, isn't it?
To Rose the blow is inconsequential compared to the blow her heart has been
given. Cal grabs her shoulders roughly.
CAL
Look at me, you little--
There is a loud knock on the door and an urgent voice. The door opens and
their steward puts his head in.
STEWARD BARNES
Sir, I've been told to ask you to please put on your lifebelt, and come up
to the boat deck.
CAL
Get out. We're busy.
The steward persists, coming in to get the lifebelts down from the top of a
dresser.
STEWARD
I'm sorry about the inconvenience, Mr. Hockley, but it's Captain's orders.
Please dress warmly, it's quite cold tonight.
(he hands a lifebelt to Rose)
Not to worry, miss, I'm sure it's just a precaution.
CAL
This is ridiculous.
In the corridor outside the stewards are being so polite and obsequious they
are conveying no sense of danger whatsoever. However, it's another story
in...
CUT TO:
166 INT. STEERAGE BERTHING AFT
BLACKNESS. Then BANG! The door is thrown open and the lights snapped on by a
steward. The Cartmell family rouses from a sound sleep.
STEWARD #2
Everybody up. Let's go. Put your lifebelts on.
IN THE CORRIDOR outside, another steward is going from door to door along
the hall, pouncing and yelling.
STEWARD #2
Lifebelts on. Lifebelts on. Everybody up, come on. Lifebelts on...
People come out of the doors behind the steward, perplexed. In the
foreground a SYRIAN WOMAN asks her husband what was said. He shrugs.
CUT TO:
167 INT. WIRELESS ROOM
ON PHILLIPS, looking shocked.
PHILLIPS
CQD, sir?
SMITH
That's right. The distress call. CQD. Tell whoever responds that we are
going down by the head and need immediate assistance.
Smith hurries out.
PHILLIPS
Blimey.
BRIDE
Maybe you ought to try that new distress call... S.O.S.
(grinning)
It may be our only chance to use it.
Phillips laughs in spite of himself and starts sending history's first
S.O.S. Dit dit dit, da da da, dit dit dit... over and over.
CUT TO:
168 EXT. BOAT DECK
Thomas Andrews looks around in amazement. The deck is empty except for the
crew fumbling with the davits. He yells over the roar of the steam to First
Officer Murdoch.
ANDREWS
Where are all the passengers?
MURDOCH
They've all gone back inside. Too damn cold and noisy for them.
Andrews feels like he is in a bad dream. He looks at his pocketwatch and
heads for the foyer entrance.
CUT TO:
169 INT. A-DECK FOYER
A large number of First Class passengers have gathered near the staircase.
They are getting indignant about the confusion. Molly Brown snags a passing
YOUNG STEWARD.
MOLLY
What's doing, sonny? You've got us all trussed up and now we're cooling our
heels.
The young steward backs away, actually stumbling on the stairs.
YOUNG STEWARD
Sorry, mum. Let me go and find out.
The jumpy piano rhythm of "Alexander's Ragtime Band" comes out of the first
class lounge a few yards away. Band leader WALLACE HARTLEY has assembled
some of his men on Captain's orders, to allay panic.
Hockley's entourage comes up to the A-deck foyer. Cal is carrying the
lifebelts, almost as an afterthought. Rose is like a sleepwalker.
CAL
It's just the God damned English doing everything by the book.
RUTH
There's no need for language, Mr. Hockley.
(to Trudy)
Go back and turn the heater on in my room, so it won't be too cold when we
get back.
Thomas Andrews enters, looking around the magnificent room, which he knows
is doomed. Rose, standing nearby, sees his heartbroken expression. She walks
over to him and Cal goes after her.
ROSE
I saw the iceberg, Mr. Andrews. And I see it in your eyes. Please tell me
the truth.
ANDREWS
The ship will sink.
ROSE
You're certain?
ANDREWS
Yes. In an hour or so... all this... will be at the bottom of the Atlantic.
CAL
My God.
Now it is Cal's turn to look stunned. The Titanic? Sinking?
ANDREWS
Please tell only who you must, I don't want to be responsible for a panic.
And get to a boat quickly. Don't wait. You remember what I told you about
the boats?
ROSE
Yes, I understand. Thank you.
Andrews goes off, moving among the passengers and urging them to put on
their lifebelts and get to the boats.
CUT TO:
170 INT. MASTER AT ARMS OFFICE
Lovejoy and the Master at Arms are handcuffing Jack to a 4" WATER PIPE as a
crewman rushes in anxiously and almost blurts to the Master at Arms--
CREWMAN
You're wanted by the Purser, sir. Urgently.
LOVEJOY
Go on. I'll keep an eye on him.
Lovejoy pulls a pearl handled Colt .45 automatic from under his coat. The
Master at Arms nods and tosses the handcuff key to Lovejoy, then exits with
the crewman. Lovejoy flips the key in the air. Catches it.
CUT TO:
171 INT. BRIDGE
Junior Wireless Operator Bride is relaying a message to Captain Smith from
the CUNARD LINER CARPATHIA.
BRIDE
Carpathia says they're making 17 knots, full steam for them, sir.
SMITH
And she's the only one who's responding?
BRIDE
The only one close, sir. She says they can be here in four hours.
SMITH
Four hours!
The enormity of it hits Smith like a sledgehammer blow.
SMITH
Thank you, Bride.
He turns as Bride exits, and looks out onto the blackness.
SMITH
(to himself)
My God.
CUT TO:
172 EXT. BOAT DECK - NIGHT
Lightoller has his boats swung out. He is standing amidst a crowd of
uncertain passengers in all states of dress and undress. One first class
woman is barefoot. Others are in stockings. The maitre of the restaurant is
in top hat and overcoat. Others are still in evening dress, while some are
in bathrobes and kimonos. Women are wearing lifebelts over velvet gowns,
then topping it with sable stoles. Some brought jewels, others books, even
small dogs.
Lightoller sees Smith walking stiffly toward him and quickly goes to him. He
yells into the Captain's ear, through cupped hands, over the roar of the
steam...
LIGHTOLLER
Hadn't we better get the women and children into the boats, sir?
Smith just nods, a bit abstractly. The fire has gone out of him. Lightoller
sees the awesome truth in Smith's face.
LIGHTOLLER
(to the men)
Right! Start the loading. Women and children!
The appalling din of escaping steam abruptly cuts off, leaving a sudden
unearthly silence in which Lightoller's voice echoes.
ON WALLACE HARTLEY raising his violin to play.
HARTLEY
Number 26. Ready and--
The band has reassembled just outside the First Class Entrance, port side,
near where Lightoller is calling for the boats to be loaded. They strike up
a waltz, lively and elegant. The music wafts all over the ship.
LIGHTOLLER
Ladies, please. Step into the boat.
Finally one woman steps across the gap, into the boat, terrified of the drop
to the water far below.
WOMAN IN CROWD
You watch. They'll put us off in these silly little boats to freeze, and
we'll all be back on board by breakfast.
Cal, Rose and Ruth come out of the doors near the band.
RUTH
My brooch, I left my brooch. I must have it!
She turns back to go to her room but Cal takes her by the arm, refusing to
let her go. The firmness of his hold surprises her.
CAL
Stay here, Ruth.
Ruth sees his expression, and knows fear for the first time.
CUT TO:
173 INT. STEERAGE BERTHING AFT / CORRIDORS AND STAIRWELL
It is chaos, with stewards pushing their way through narrow corridors
clogged with people carrying suitcases, duffel bags, children. Some have
lifebelts on, others don't.
STEWARD #2
(to Steward #3)
I told the stupid sods no luggage. Aw, bloody hell!
He throws up his hand at the sight of a family, loaded down with cases and
bags, completely blocking the corridor.
Fabrizio and Tommy push past the stewards, going the other way. They reach a
huge crowd gathered at the bottom of the MAIN 3RD CLASS STAIRWELL. Fabrizio
spots Helga with the rest of the Dahl family, standing patiently with
suitcases in hand. He reaches her and she grins, hugging him.
Tommy pushes to where he can see what's holding up the group. There is a
steel gate across the top of the stairs, with several stewards and seamen on
the other side.
STEWARD
Stay calm, please. It's not time to go up to the boats yet.
Near Tommy, an IRISHWOMAN stands stoically with two small children and their
battered luggage.
LITTLE BOY
What are we doing, mummy?
WOMAN
We're just waiting, dear. When they finish putting First Class people in the
boats, they'll be startin' with us, and we'll want to be all ready, won't
we?
CUT TO:
174 EXT. STARBOARD SIDE
Boat 7 is less than half full, with 28 aboard a boat made for 65.
FIRST OFFICER MURDOCH
Lower away! By the left and right together, steady lads!
The boat lurches as the falls start to pay out through the pulley blocks.
The women gasp. The boat descends, swaying and jerking, toward the water 60
feet below. The passengers are terrified.
CUT TO:
175 EXT. / INT. TITANIC HULL AND MASTER AT ARMS OFFICE
TRACKING along the rows of portholes angling down into the water. Under the
surface, they glow green. PUSHING IN on one porthole which is have
submerged. Inside we see Jack, looking apprehensively at the water rising up
the glass.
INSIDE THE MASTER AT ARMS' OFFICE Jack sits chained to the waterpipe, next
to the porthole. Lovejoy sits on the edge of a desk. He puts a .45 bullet on
the desk and watches it roll across and fall off. He picks up the bullet.
LOVEJOY
You know... I believe this ship may sink.
(crosses to Jack)
I've been asked to give you this small token of our appreciation...
He punches Jack hard in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him.
LOVEJOY
Compliments of Mr. Caledon Hockley.
Lovejoy flips the handcuff key in the air, catches it and puts it in his
pocket. He exits. Jack is left gasping, handcuffed to the pipe.
CUT TO:
176 EXT. BOAT DECK / STARBOARD SIDE, FORWARD
At the stairwell rail on the bridge wing, Fourth Officer Boxhall and
Quartermaster Rowe light the first distress rocket. It shoots into the sky
and EXPLODES with a thunderclap over the ship, sending out white starbursts
which light up the entire deck as they fall.
WHIP PAN off the starbursts to Ismay. The Managing Director of White Star
Line is cracking. Already at the breaking point from his immense guilt, the
rocket panics him. He starts shouting at the officers struggling with the
falls of BOAT 5.
ISMAY
There is no time to waste!
(yelling and waving his arms)
Lower away! Lower away! Lower away!
FIFTH OFFICER LOWE, a baby-faced 28, and the youngest officer, looks up from
the tangled falls at the madman.
LOWE
Get out of the way, you fool!
ISMAY
Do you know who I am?
Lowe, not having a clue nor caring, squares up to Ismay.
LOWE
You're a passenger. And I'm a ship's bloody officer. Now do what you're
told!
(MORE)
LOWE (CONT'D)
(turning away)
Steady men! Stand by the falls!
ISMAY
(numbly, backing away)
Yes, quite right. Sorry.
CUT TO:
