Titanic–Alternate Ending

Did you know the movie Titanic had an alternate ending?  I didn’t either.  But more on that in a minute.

I love everything about the history of Titanic, its been one of those things that has always fascinated me….ever since the December 1985 edition of National Geographic that showed actual pictures from the wreckage.

To see those images of ghost ship haunted me back in the day, and I could not get enough information about it.  Of course, this plays to the Trivia Nut that I am, but I ‘m not complaining. 

Did you know -

• Titanic was never christened.  White Star Line did not believe in the practice.
• Even though it had four smoke stacks, only three worked?  If you see a picture of “Titanic” and all four stacks are spewing, then you are actually seeing her sister ship Olympic.
• Two songs were reportedly played as the ship was sinking - "Songe d'Automne" or "Nearer Thy God To Thee".  I prefer the later for reasons some of you will understand.
• On board were 15,000 Bottles of Ale and Stout, 1000 Bottles of Wine, 850 Bottles of Spirits and 8,000 cigars.
• One of the unique items claimed to insurance as lost (everyone knows about the car) was four cases of Opium.

As you can see, the ship was fascinating…and would be still even if she hadn’t sunk.

So, needless to say, when the film released….I went to see it.  I saw the movie just before Midnight on New Years Eve 1997.  Why New Years and why alone, that is another story….but needless to say, it made my night and year.  I wasn’t captivated by the acting, music or storyline (the Ship Sinks)…but instead the grandeur and attention to detail of the set.  Incredible.  Definitely worth the Best Picture Oscar over Good Will Hunting, The Full Monty (which I also loved) and LA Confidential. 

So, imagine my surprise to learn there was an alternate ending to the movie.  No…the ship still sinks.  Instead of an aged Rose sneaking to the tail of the ship, dropping the Heart of the Ocean and then going back to her bed to dream about being back onboard with Jack (and presumably dying), we have a scene with Bill Paxton and Suzy Amis (later to marry James Cameron) that involves her telling how she gets drunk and dances, while Bill Paxton gives his cigar speech.

The scene has other surreal moments and dialog, such as -

• Old Rose looking like Evil Bilbo Baggins (1:57)
• “The Hardest part about being so poor was being so rich” (2:20)
• “I don’t know what to say to a woman that tries to jump off Titanic when its not sinking, and then jump back on when it is” (2:33)
• “Wait! Just let me hold it in my hand” (2:55)
• Being asked to believe that once it is in Bill Paxton’s hand, that he couldn’t just snatch it away (3:25)
• “That Really Sucks Lady!” (4:16)
• Bill Paxton revisiting the Chet Smile from Weird Science (4:36)
• Bill Paxton laughing like Charlton Heston (4:40)

Enjoy