20 Films From The 1950s That Everybody Should Watch

13. A Night To Remember

When considering the cinema depiction of Titanic's doomed 1912 voyage, most people will likely think of James Cameron's big-budget blockbuster, and perhaps justifiably so given it was (up until relatively recently) the highest gross film ever made. But ask a historian, and they'll likely refer you to 1958's A Night To Remember. Though significantly less technically impressive than its Leonardo DiCaprio equivalent, it has been long regarded as the most authentic and historically accurate film account of the ship's demise, largely based on Walter Lord's book of the same name. The film remains a classic because, despite its modest production values, it offers a deeply engaging and human account of the night. Whereas Cameron's film relies on spectacle and awe to hook its audience, A Night To Remember uses far more accessible characters, once again emphasising that the mark of a memorable film is not size, but substance.