The Magic of Movie Making
When we think of the Titanic, images from the movie of grandeur, romance, and tragedy flood our minds. Yet, behind the magic, the reality of movie-making is often far less glamorous, and this one scene proves it.
One might envision the door scene as a risky shoot in freezing waters, but Kate Winslet recently disclosed an intriguing fact. The topic of her iconic movie Titanic surfaced during her appearance at a New York City event promoting her upcoming film Lee.
In a candid conversation regarding the makings of the scene, she revealed that it was filmed in an infinity tank. Winslet shared, “To burst the bubble, it was waist height at that time.”
Referring to Leonardo Dicaprio in Titanic movie, she added, “Leo is, I’m afraid, kneeling down. I shouldn’t be saying—anyways, Jimmy Cameron’s gonna be ringing me,” joking about the possible tell-off by the movie director, James Cameron for revealing the film secrets.
Behind the Curtain
The scene was filmed in an infinity tank to simulate open water. While the infinity tank provided a controlled environment for filming, it required actors to adapt to unique conditions. Winslet shared how DiCaprio spent a considerable amount of time kneeling, which added to the awkwardness of the shoot.
She recalled, “There was constant water rushing,” recalled Winslet, highlighting the immersive yet challenging conditions they faced. “The last 22 minutes of the movie are entirely looped,” she noted, referring to the need to re-record their lines to ensure clarity in dialogue delivery.
Unlike the intense scene suggested, the waist-high setup allowed her to take bathroom breaks easily. “So first of all, I was regularly like, ’Can I just go for a pee?’ And then I get up, get off the door, walk to the edge of the tank, sort of 20 feet away, and I literally have to fling my leg over and climb up and come and get back on the door again. It’s terrible.” She added.
Kate’s Emotional Journey
Beyond the technical aspects, Winslet’s thoughts on her experiences provide a glimpse into her connection with the film. She shared her somewhat emotional experience during the initial viewing of Titanic. She recalls sneaking into a packed theater after missing its London and Los Angeles premieres to watch her film.
“When it premiered in London, I was really unwell. I had terrible food poisoning, and I was actually in hospital in London, really weird. And then when it came out in the U.S., actually, I was at the funeral of a boyfriend,” Winslet explained.
“I mean, it’s a horrible thing to even think about now. And obviously, I wasn’t gonna miss that, so I sort of missed everything around the release of Titanic, which I don’t know, is that the universe’s way of protecting me or just reminding me to do the things that matter?” she added.
The actress finally had a chance to watch the film at a packed theater in New York.
“I snuck in with two friends, and that was where I saw it for the first time,” she said. “I just remember thinking, ’Oh my God. It’s packed. That’s weird. It’s a packed theater. I’m in one of those films where actually people go and fill every seat.’ That was quite strange,” she said, sharing her emotional experience at the time.
A Debate that Won’t Sink
The “door” scene has remained a point of contention among Titanic fans. Could Jack and Rose have both survived if they had shared the door? The debate is so enduring that even James Cameron recreated the scene to settle it once and for all. However, Winslet humorously speculated that DiCaprio might have PTSD from being asked about it so often.
The Titanic door scene continues to be a hot topic of discussion among fans. While the film’s narrative suggests that Jack’s sacrifice was necessary, the internet remains filled with attempts to refute this claim, with countless diagrams and calculations arguing that both Jack and Rose could have fit on the door.
In another interview, Winslet admits that her character, Rose, indeed lets Jack go, contrary to the promise of never letting go that she gave him in his last moments. However, as this topic remains a never-ending topic of debate, a new input from the actress’s part has given us a deeper understanding of how much effort actually goes into making a film that superhit.
