7 Craziest Film Fan Theories (That Actually Make Total Sense)

Without meaning to burst anyone’s bubble, if you’re one of the millions of Titanic devotees that’s made this film one of the biggest successes in the history of cinema, then there’s some bad news coming up… there’s a theory that goes that this magical, tragical story of love’s young dream isn’t actually a true one.

Not in real life: of course the love story between working class Jack Dawson and upper class Rose Dewitt Bukater is an invention of the film. No, it’s possible that Rose may be lying her wrinkly old ass off when she tells the research vessel’s crew about her time on the Titanic. In fact, she might not even be Rose at all.

The idea goes that Rose Dewitt Bukater actually did go down with the Titanic. The woman that gives her name as Rose Dawson Calvert and is identified as the subject of a nude sketch wearing the necklace the crew is trying to find is a third-string actress, a woman clinging to past glories that never were, hence surrounding herself with pictures of herself in various on-set roles. 

In an attempt to become the star of one of history’s greatest recent tragedies, the old woman invents a tale of romance between the classes and between the decks of the Titanic.

The reason that no one can find any record of the existence of Jack Dawson, as a passenger on the ship or anywhere else in the world, is that he never existed. The reason that many of Jack’s stories seem to involve anachronisms, tales of things that he couldn’t possibly have seen yet, is because the old woman’s story isn’t foolproof - she’s just got some of the facts mixed up. 

And the reason that she drops the necklace the crew are searching for into the water? The theory goes that she’s held that back until the following day to drag out the telling of her marvellous tale… but that night, ‘Rose’ gets cold feet that the clever fake will be easily spotted, and her whole story revealed to be a lie. So (the theory goes) she decides it’s not worth the risk, and disposes of the fake before she can be caught out.

At a certain point, ‘Rose’ murmurs that Jack Dawson exists only in her memories. That’s truer than they know. The alleged love of her life is a figment of her imagination. She's not meeting him in the afterlife at the end... she's dreaming him, just as she has all along.

What’s your favourite crazy film theory? Does it actually stand up, when you really think about it? Tell us all about it in the comments!