In the climactic scene of the epic film Titanic (1997), as the renowned ship sinks, the passengers desperately search for a way to survive. Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) helps Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) climb onto a piece of floating debris, allowing her to survive while he succumbs to the icy waters below. This tragic moment has become one of the most discussed events in cinematic history. Twenty-five years after the film’s release, the ending still sparks debate among devoted fans. While some may feel sorrow, others firmly believe that the fate of Jack and Rose was determined by director James Cameron’s intentions, which he has chosen not to alter.
The ending has kept fans debating for 25 years.
Entertainment Weekly reported that Titanic would be re-released in 4K 3D, and director James Cameron decided to collaborate with a team from National Geographic to conduct an experiment aimed at dispelling the long-standing debate concerning Jack’s fate. With the support of scientists, the 68-year-old director recreated this iconic scene with different parameters. The entire experiment was documented in a special program titled Titanic: 25 Years Later With James Cameron.
James Cameron and his team recreated the scene with different variables.
In the initial script, Jack and Rose could both fit on the door, but they chose to avoid the cold water. Given this scenario, it would not take long for them to succumb to the freezing temperatures. Thus, this version of the script is quite different.
Next, the team had the two actors cling to the door in a scenario where they were submerged in water, or at least partially submerged, which helped enhance the drama of survival. “Without being submerged in the cold water, Jack’s shivering would have contributed to the character’s struggle for survival,” said director James Cameron. “According to this scenario, Jack could have lasted quite a while. It could be a few hours.”
James Cameron outlined the scenario where Jack could survive, but both would quickly face challenges through the experiment.
In the final experiment, the two actors reenacted the scene where Jack and Rose fought for survival against other passengers clinging to a fragile piece of debris. It was a dramatic retelling of another passenger who pushed Rose down to save themselves. In this version, Cameron and the team decided to add an element not present in the original script: Rose gives Jack her life jacket.
Reflecting on this experiment, James Cameron noted: “The scenario of that moment is much more profound. In this version of the script, we suspect Jack could have survived when the ship went down. We could argue, but this version has too many variables. I think Jack’s state of mind in that scene would be: ‘I won’t do anything that puts Rose in danger,’ and that would guide all of his actions.”
Jack could have survived if Rose had given him the life jacket. However, doing so would put him in jeopardy.
Not only did fans debate Jack’s fate in Titanic, but the actress herself, Kate Winslet, also addressed whether Jack and Rose could have survived together during a press event for Avatar: The Way of Water. She shared during a guest appearance on the podcast Happy Sad Confused: “To be honest, I don’t think both of them could have survived if they had both climbed onto the door. I think Jack could have laid across it, but it wouldn’t have been easy to stay afloat. There’s no doubt.”
