Titanic (Scriptment) Page #16

He smirks, having fun with the role, not taking it too seriously. Ruth, of course, scrutinizes him constantly. This is all going on while the dinner conversation circulates to various topics. Only for the briefest moment is Jack's heroism brought up.

Cal is condescending, having a few jokes at Jack's expense, as if to say between the lines: of course you can dress them up, but it doesn't change the man underneath.

Jack feels humiliated, but gets in a few good licks of his own.

And he is able to discuss art quite well, surprising them all. Rose announces to everyone that Jack is a very talented artist himself.

Cal says, by way of further rewarding him and demonstrating his largesse to the group, that Jack should do a portrait of Rose.

Get the trained dog to do a trick for them.

Jack, smiling, agrees. Rose's fiancee is going to pay him to spend more time with her. Trick question?

Jack is grilled by Ruth, whose questions are surgically precise in belittling him in front of the elite group.

She asks how he has the means to travel.

He tells her how he works his way around, different places. Taking jobs that take him somewhere new. It's a big world, and he wants to see it all before he dies. His mother never left the town she was born in, and she died there unexpectedly, always talking about taking that trip to see the ocean.

She never did. You can't wait, he says, because you never know what hand you're going to get dealt next.

Molly Brown salutes him with a toast.

COLONEL GRACIE:

Here, here. Well said.

Ruth, annoyed that Jack has scored a point, presses him further.

Jack explains that he was going to work his way back to the states on a freighter, but he won his ticket on the Titanic in a poker game. Considers it a very lucky hand. He looks at Rose and winks.

They have a lot of eye contact during the dinner. She's enjoying his discomfort in her stuffy world. And she admires his verbal rallies... that he's not intimidated by these people. Jack is simply in stupefied awe of her.

ROSE:

Have you heard of this man Ernst Rutherford? He's published a theory, which has apparently been accepted, that everything is made up of infinitesimally small bits he calls atoms. You, me, this mousseline, the sun... we're all made of the same thing... these atoms. Isn't that amazing?

Cal changes the subject and the conversation moves on, dominated by the men, of course. She looks at Jack and raises one eyebrow: see?

LATER, after dessert, THE ORCHESTRA strikes up a lively waltz. Molly suggests that they get up and dance off a bit of the dinner. She shoots Jack a look like "hurry up, you dolt" but Jack doesn't know how to waltz and while he hesitates, Cal takes Rose's hand and smoothly escorts her to the dance floor.

Jack watches her dance with clockwork perfection with Cal, and feels outclassed, clumsy, foolish and out of his league. But Rose never smiles... she is like a social robot, moving smoothly but passionlessly.

Molly appears next to Jack.

MOLLY:

Ask me to dance, nitwit, so I can show you the steps.

Molly gives him a crash course in waltzing, counting one-two-three as they move around the floor. The number ends and she c*cks her head toward Rose, who is sitting back down at the table. Cal goes off to the smoking room to talk business with his rich cronies.

CLOSE ON ROSE looking up as Jack stands before her.

She stands and they go to the dance floor. WALLACE HARTLEY leads the orchestra into a slower waltz.

Rose is trembling as he takes her right hand in his left. His other hand slides to the small of her back.

It is an electrifying moment. The music starts and they are off.

Jack is a little jerky so he asks her to lead.

She says I've never led. It makes her self-conscious, and self-aware... makes it new. And Jack is utterly swept with her.

He steps on her foot. She doesn't mind. He starts to get into it, gaining confidence. They whirl around... and the rest of the room seems to fade away.

They gather speed. Camera twirls dizzily. And Rose smiles as she dances, her eyes sparkling and alive.

They stop, and she is flushed, breathless.

JACK:

Would you like to go to a real party?

CUT TO STEERAGE:
The third class common room is crowded and alive with music, laughter and raucous carrying on. Jack and Rose enter and she is assaulted by the energy of the place. Playing instruments they have brought with them... a fiddle, an accordion, a tambourine... an ad hoc band is gathered near the upright piano, honking out a lively jig. People of all ages are dancing, drinking beer and wine, smoking, laughing, even brawling.

Jack spots the guys and takes her hand, leading her through the crowd to them.

JACK:

These are my friends... uh, this is Fabrizio, he's going to America to be a millionaire, and Massimo, and Tommy... and this is Ara. He's Armenian. His family got wiped out by the Turks and he's going to live with a second cousin in Toronto.

ROSE:

I'm sorry about your family, Ara.

JACK:

He doesn't speak any English.

ROSE:

So how do you know all this?

JACK:

Because that guy over there is Armenian but he speaks some Italian

(indicates an older guy)

and Fabrizio translated, right Fabri?

Rose starts talking to Fabrizio in fluent Italian. Fabrizio's heart skips a beat. He says in Italian (subtitled) that Jack is a loser with no prospects whereas he, Fabrizio, is a man with a future. A much better choice.

Tommy hands her a pint of stout and she hoists it, showing them all that a first class girl can drink. Jack meanwhile has been attacked by the Cartmell kids and he dances with Cora, or tries to, with her standing on his feet. The band is playing jigs and flings, lively stomping music. Everybody is dancing and clapping. Rose watches him, seeing his life force, so strong, compared to the "gentlemen" of her class. She cuts in on young Cora, taking Jack's hand.

ROSE AND JACK DANCE to the music of accordion and piano, and she lets her inhibitions go. Rose takes off her tight high-heeled shoes and dances in her stocking feet. The steps are fast and she shines with sweat. A space opens around them, and people watch them, clapping as the band plays faster and faster. She puts in a couple of ballet moves and gets a big round of applause.

FABRIZIO AND HELGA. They have surmounted the language problem enough to be dancing. He whirls her, then she responds by whirling him, surprising him with her strength.

IN THE FIRST CLASS SMOKING ROOM Cal is lighting a cigar over a fine port. Discussing polo ponies and stock deals with Astor and Guggenheim. The room is full of blue smoke as the captains of industry and finance talk quietly, or play cards. It is an all-male preserve... the fortress of the white Anglo Saxon male elite. White gloved waiters circulate, bringing gin tonics and brandies.

BACK IN STEERAGE, the scene is rowdy and rollicking. A table gets knocked over as a drunk crashes into it. Rose gets a beer spilled all over her and doesn't even care. Even Tommy is dancing, though he almost gets in a fight and Jack has to jump in and good-naturedly break it up. Rose sees that Jack is a man of action, quick thinking in a spot... but good with people, kind and full of humor. Tommy stands there, all piss and vinegar, chest puffed up.

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