10 Times Movies Did Their Research (And Nailed It)

Before there was Jack and Rose, there was Mr. and Mrs. Strauss.

Although 1958's A Night To Remember has seen been usurped by James Cameron's 1997 mega-movie in the popular consciousness, it's actually the older film that acts as a more accurate portrayal of the last moments of the Titanic.

To be fair, both films had very different objectives. Whereas Cameron's film was primarily a love story that made full use of the megastar wattage supplied by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, A Night To Remember set out to be an accurate retelling of what occurred on April 15, 1912.

To that end, A Night To Remember employed survivors of the tragedy as consultants on the set. As detailed in the enjoyable documentary that came out on the film's 35th anniversary, Fourth Officer Joseph Boxhall and the widow of 2nd officer Charles Lightholler - the film's main character - were on hand to discuss what actually occurred the night the Titanic sank. The insight of the survivors - combined with sets built on actual blueprints of the Titanic - resulted in a movie that masterfully captured the chaos, confusion and heartbreak of history's most infamous naval tragedy.

(And for this writer's money, Mrs. Strauss' final promise to her husband - "Wherever you go, I go" - is even more heartbreaking than "I'll never let go, Jack").