Titanic (Scriptment) Page #14

Rose invites Molly to the dinner party, and Ruth tries to squirm out of it, saying the table is filled, but Rose says there's plenty of room, and Ruth can't come up with a socially acceptable refusal. Molly accepts.

To rub salt in the wound Rose tells Molly that Jack will be joining them as well, at Cal's invitation.

ROSE:

Isn't that right, Mr. Dawson?

Jack has to back her play.

JACK:

Wouldn't miss it. I hear the food's pretty good up here.

Now Ruth is really appalled. How will that look to the distinguished people at the other tables?

Ruth reminds Rose that they have to get going. They are taking tea with the Wideners at the Palm Court, and they're going to be late. The last thing Rose wants to do is go to another endless tea with a bunch of society's finest prattling on about polo ponies, skiing in St. Moritz, who's wearing what, and the latest gossip and scandal. She says she'll stay on deck and take the air.

Ruth commands her to come with her, so the Wideners won't feel snubbed. It's clear she also wants to get Rose away from this riff-raff. Molly Brown comes to her rescue.

MOLLY:

If Rose is old enough to get married, she's sure old enough to decide whether she wants to have a cup of tea, don't you think? Time to start loosenin' up on the reins a bit there, Ruth.

Before Ruth can protest or get a word in edgewise, Molly has her by the arm, steering her off down the deck.

MOLLY:

When I was younger'n Rose I was living in a gold-mining town in Colorado and nobody was tellin' me who to have tea with...

Rose takes Jack's arm and walks him quickly the other way. They look at each other, trying to keep a straight face. Seeing the other one trying not to laugh causes them both to burst out laughing. Rose covers her mouth with one white-gloved hand.

ROSE:

Did you see the look on her face?

JACK:

Rose, I can't come tonight. I'll just embarrass you. I don't have the right kind of clothes...

ROSE:

You don't need white tie. Just wear your best suit, you'll be fine.

(sees his look)

No suit, huh?

Rose's face lights up with a great idea.

THE SHIP'S STORE. Titanic was a floating city and it even had a small men's store. Rose sweeps in with Jack and commands the storekeeper to fit Jack for a suit and evening wear. She tells them to put it on the account of her room, B-53. The mention of the most luxurious suite on the ship gets the storekeeper hopping.

IN JUMP CUT OR MONTAGE STYLE we see Jack trying on jackets, shoes, getting measured for pants... looking uncomfortable at first but starting to make a game out of it with her. You see them having fun with each other, laughing. Rose picks out everything, making him try on five things to pick one. Jack is just happy to be with her, so he goes along with the whole process.

At the end of it Jack emerges from the changing room dressed in a very dapper suit and tie, complete with a bowler hat. Rose takes off the dour hat, replacing it with a snappy white skimmer. She gives him an ivory handled walking stick. She is enjoying playing Henry Higgins.

Jack looks at himself in a mirror and grins, striking a casual stance. Jay Gatsby never looked better. The storekeeper hands him a big package with his evening wear in it, and Rose takes him by the arm, satisfied with her creation.

THEY EMERGE ON DECK TOGETHER in the late afternoon light. The high collar is cutting into Jack's neck. He tugs at it with one finger. They are walking along the "A" DECK PROMENADE, which is under the boat deck. Sunlight slants in, splashing the wooden deck.

Now comes the real test. Passing for first class. Rose tells him it's all a question of attitude. Just act like you're better than everybody else. She gives him some pointers, and in the process of analyzing the psychology of the privileged class, it begins to seem absurd to her.

Jack is getting into the game now. She starts to introduce him to some snooty aquaintances and Jack steps forward, speaking with a French accent, and gives them a long and really bogus French name. He takes the woman's hand and kisses it, very smoothly. They buy it totally.

Rose and Jack walk on, cracking up. He says he saw that move in a nickelodeon moving-picture once. Next he pretends to be a German Count, clicking his heels and doing a pretty good Prussian accent.

They play games with the passengers and crew. We see her playful, inventive side emerge. The cloud lifts when she is with him. Her smile, seen for the first time, is radiant.

They run into DANIEL MARVIN, with his big wooden movie camera, cranking away as MARY MARVIN once again stands awkwardly in front of something.

DANIEL:

Try to look more natural, dear.

He stops filming, seeing Rose and Jack next to him.

ROSE:

Mary, Daniel, I'd like you to meet my friend Jack Dawson.

DANIEL:

(shaking his hand)

Good to meet you Jack. Are you of the Boston Dawsons?

JACK:

No, the Oshkosh Dawsons, actually.

Daniel tells them his father is going to let him direct a one-reeler, and he's practicing up. Jack suggests he film Rose, and pushes her in front of the camera. Daniel tells Jack to get in there too.

SERIES OF CUTS:

Rose posing dramatically at the rail, a tragic parody of Jack's sketch, the back of her hand to her forehead.

Jack on a deck chair, pretending to be a Pasha, the two girls pantomiming fanning him like slave girls.

Jack, on his knees, pleading with his hands clasped while Rose, standing, turns her head in bored disdain.

Rose cranking the camera, while Daniel and Jack have a western shootout. Jack wins and leers into the lens, twirling an air mustache like Snidely Whiplash.

AFTERWARD, out of film and flushed with the fun, Jack, Rose and the Marvins sit around a table at the PARISIEN CAFE.

Daniel is talking about the moving picture business. Apparently there is a lot of talk amongst the New York studios about going out west to California "for the light", but he doesn't think it will ever happen. Can you imagine, leaving the greatest city on earth, New York, for an ugly little port town like Los Angeles? Less than a hundred thousand people there and nothing of any value ever came out of the place.

Rose jumps as a bellboy sounds the dinner bugle right behind her. Dinner is in one hour. Jack and Rose stroll out to the aft rail of B deck under a dusk sky. The ship's lights come on.

It is a magical moment... everything perfect.

JACK:

I was there once... Los Angeles. Went down the coast after my first summer logging in Oregon. I even rode the roller coaster at the Santa Monica pier. Great place.

ROSE:

I'd love to go there.

JACK:

Rose, you're rich, you can go there any time you want. First class. Cal can buy the railroad and you can have your own private car with--

ROSE:

Ssshhh! Stop it.

(looks at the dusk sky)

Why can't I be like you, Jack? Just head out for the horizon whenever I feel like it.

(turning to him)

Say we'll go there sometime, even if we only ever just talk about it.

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