S.O.S. Titanic

1

'Her name gave promise

of something mighty and splendid.

'They called her Titanic.

'She was the longest, tallest,

most luxurious ship in all creation.'

- I'm sailing.

- Yes, well, so am I, as it happens.

So much for the smoking room

and the palm court.

The electronic lifts

are behind the staircase

and forward of that

there are some 30-odd cabins.

This goes to the boat deck.

- Are we going back to the bridge?

- No, they won't want anyone under foot.

Come on.

Excuse me. Thank you.

Look, it's almost sailing time.

- Such a beautiful clock.

- Thank you. I chose it myself.

It's meant to be

Honour and Glory crowning Time.

- They ought to be crowning you, lsmay.

- Hello.

Never mind, every sort of honour and

glory will come your way after today.

We thought the Olympic

was the last word.

- This is the summit.

- Congratulations.

Too kind.

- Who's that?

- A countryman of yours.

- John Jacob Astor and his bride.

- His child bride.

Half the millionaires in America

are on this crossing.

Aha!

The man of the hour himself!

- Hail to thee, O chief designer!

- How are you, Bruce? Julia?

I've been taking bows for your handiwork

all morning.

I can't seem to convince anyone

that you built it, so I've stopped trying.

- What are you togged out for?

- Still working?

Just tightening up the odd bolt

here and there.

Tommy, you've got

an army of helpers for that.

If I do it myself, I've no one but me

to blame if it's not done properly.

Own up, you're a perfectionist.

A hard case.

All ashore that's going ashore!

All ashore that's going ashore!

You two, come and be immortalised.

Is it true this is your last voyage,

Captain?

And er... you're going out

in a blaze of glory, as it were?

Not quite, though I do see retirement

in my immediate future.

I'm looking forward

to a long, tranquil time in dry dock

before they finally sell me for scrap,

as it were.

Now, how is this?

Keep coming.

Keep coming. Smile, darling.

Walk right on past me.

That's it.

- Tugs are all fast, sir.

- Good.

Mr Bowyer, we're in your expert hands

until we reach the Nab.

May we have your orders? We have

a rendezvous this evening in France.

Thank you, sir.

- Let go your stern ropes.

- Let go the stern ropes.

Aft tug away, sir.

- Slow ahead.

- Slow ahead.

Slow ahead it is, sir.

Gentlemen, we're under way.

Since there was no formal launching,

I should just like to say

God bless this ship

and all who sail in her.

Like it?

I'm sorry, madam,

I had no business...

No, no, it suits you.

Let's see.

It's a very good colour for you.

You're bigger here than I am.

You'll want to have it let out a little.

- I will?

- It's yours when we reach New York.

Oh, no, madam, I couldn't possibly.

You like it, don't you?

It's the most beautiful dress

I've ever seen.

Then it's settled.

Oh, no, but I... I can't.

- Did you find everything you need?

- Yes.

There's no bidet in the bathroom,

of course,

but then it's a British ship.

One mustn't expect miracles.

Mrs Astor likes her comfort, huh?

I'm awfully spoilt, aren't I,

for the rather ordinary daughter

of a man from Brooklyn.

You were never ordinary.

I don't care who your father is.

And you're not half as spoilt as you're

going to be when I'm through with you.

Did you spoil Ava

when you were first married?

Nobody spoils Ava, she's the one

that spoils things. Everything.

I got used to her insulting me,

calling me stupid and clumsy.

I never got used

to her cruelty to Vincent.

At the time

he was no bigger than that.

Shaming him

in front of her guests.

He's about the same age

as you are now.

I don't suppose he's ever had

a kind word from her.

Everywhere he goes, people say,

"Ah, your mother,

the greatest beauty of the age."

He just looks at them.

I'm not beautiful.

Yes, you are.

Not like her.

But I can be kind.

I can be infinitely kind.

What do you think of it?

I don't know what to think.

It gives me the shivers.

Big is one thing, but that.

It'll seem small enough

when we're a thousand miles from land

and nothing but the great ocean

all around.

You've been to sea before, then?

I haven't.

Me neither.

Mr Astor.

Will you look this way, Mrs Astor?

Smile, please.

How do you and your bride feel

to be aboard the Titanic?

No more.

Louise-Kate, I didn't know you were

on board. May I introduce my wife?

- Friends of Ava's?

- Yes.

- Doesn't matter.

- Of course it matters.

Maggie!

Maggie! Maggie!

I beg your pardon.

Are you addressing me?

How's it gonna look

when I make my legitimate stage debut?

Maggie Brown?

Oh, I'm sorry.

Molly. Molly!

- I keep forgetting.

- So do I.

- Hello, Emma. Are you dining with us?

- Try and stop us.

- Come along, please.

- We'll get you sorted out.

This alleyway's something.

The officers named it Park Lane

after the poshest street in London.

The crew calls it Scotland Road.

If you've never been to Liverpool,

it's very disreputable.

- My cabin's already full up.

- Come on, join the parade.

You've got to expect little mishaps

on a brand-new ship.

- I'm sorry. Mary Agatha, is it?

- Bridget. Bridget Bradley.

- I'm Mary Agatha.

- I'll get it.

- The pair of you's the problem.

- She's Kate and I'm Katie.

Shocking business, putting four of us

in a space this small.

- Small, is it? Seems massive to me.

- Go on!

She means it.

She's one of ten kids.

And two rooms in the house.

We was three and four to a bed.

- Mercy, what's that?

- An explosion.

Not to worry, they've just started

the engines. You're near the casing.

- Are we moving?

- We will be soon.

I'm going to be seasick, I know.

Well, think that way and you will.

Is it "Abandon ship"

or "Run for your life"?

- It's lunch.

- Da-da-da! Da-da-da!

Do you do that every time it's lunch?

And breakfast and dinner. Third-class

dining saloon, one deck down.

Dinner?

They call tea dinner?

What swank.

I never had dinner in my life.

We're on our way to ruin,

the bunch of us.

Good.

- Daniel, my stomach's growling.

- Almost finished.

Be careful.

Watch out.

- Oh!

- Oh, I'm sorry.

No harm done.

- Watch out.

- This reel is nearly used up.

That's quite an expensive toy.

- It was a wedding present.

My dad's in moving pictures.

Tell him to save his money and invest in

something with a future like Vaudeville.

Henry's a theatrical producer.

Broadway.

- Henry Harris. How are you?

- Dan Marvin. This is Mary.

I'm Renee.

Do you think the movies

are a flash in the pan?

Well, my father used to say

sinking cash into novelties was like

waiting for ships that never come in.

- Sinking ships? Was that funny?

- Only by accident.

Enough about accidents.

Let's eat.

Oh, sorry.

It's all right, Miss Sloan.

It's only me.

Mr Andrews?

Yes, the Astors have gone to lunch.

I just nipped in to give a prod

to that fan you reported out of order.

Were you taking a last look at Ireland?

Yes, yes.

Isn't it foolish?

We're hardly away and I'm homesick.

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