S.O.S. Titanic (TV 1979)

The Titanic disaster is depicted, primarily as seen through the eyes of one couple in each of the three classes on board.

Director:

William Hale

Writer:

James Costigan

Stars:

David Janssen, Cloris Leachman, Susan Saint James

Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
David Janssen	...	John Jacob Astor
Cloris Leachman	...	Molly Brown
Susan Saint James	...	Leigh Goodwin
David Warner	...	Laurence Beesley
Ian Holm	...	J. Bruce Ismay
Helen Mirren	...	Stewardess: May Sloan
Harry Andrews	...	Capt. Edward J. Smith
Beverly Ross	...	Madeline Astor
David Battley	...	Chief Boots: S. Stebbing
Ed Bishop	...	Henry Harris
Tony Caunter	...	Chief Officer: Henry Wilde
Nicholas Davies	...	Lift Attendant: Alfie King
Matthew Guinness	...	Catholic Priest: Father Byles
Jerry Houser	...	Dan Marvin
Victor Langley	...	Band Leader: Wallace Hartley

Storyline

On April 14, 1912 the R.M.S. Titanic struck an iceberg on her maiden voyage. Over 1500 people were lost. This docudrama follows the personal stories of some of the passengers and crew aboard on that fateful night. John Jacob Astor and his new bride Madeline, Laurence Beesley, Molly Brown, a group of Irish emigrants, the wireless operators and the stewards are among the characters.

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Plot Keywords:

titanic | ship wreck | 1910s | ocean liner

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 September 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

O Titanikos

Filming Locations:

RMS Queen Mary - 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

EMI Films, Argonaut Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

180 min 180 min 102 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

4:3

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie was the first of two Titanic films about the RMS Titanic in less than a year, this movie debuting in theaters Stateside just eleven months before Raise the Titanic.

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Goofs

The actual RMS Titanic's lifeboats were labeled SS Titanic, but they are depicted as simply labeled Titanic.

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Connections

Edited into No Greater Love (1995)

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Soundtracks

"Rock of Ages"
Music by Thomas Hastings
Lyrics by Augustus Montague Toplady
Performed by the orchestra during the sinking

User Reviews

This one was my Favorite

Cameron's was nothing more than a teen aged frolic and a technical masterpiece, but as far as catching the effectiveness of the era and expectations and afterwards, he is far below this one.

No doubt, this movie is where my fascination with David Warner began, as his portrayal of Lawrence Beesley is a marvel to listen to. Cameron felt the romance with Leigh Goodwin (portrayed by Susan St. James, Goodwin was a real woman on the Titanic, but I don't know if she knew Beesley, but the romance was fictitious regardless) was cold and icy. I found it to be utterly delightful compared to Jack and Rose's juvenile romp in the motor car.

And unknown to Cameron, Bernard Fox (best known as Doctor Bombay in Bewitched) who played Col. Archibald Gracie in the '97 Titanic movie, was Lookout Frederick Fleet in A Night To Remember.

So Fox and Warner are two actors who have been in two Titanic movies. What intriguing names.

Leachman's Molly Brown is a twist compared to Kathy Bates forgettable '97 interpretation or even Marilu Henner's out-of-date '96 telemovie portrayal.

It is fun to compare the movies and persons shown. This one did focus on a few more, such as the Harrises and the Marvins, the Countess of Rothes, Emma Bucknell, a bit more steerage.

The '96 telemovie with George C. Scott as the captain is the only one to show the Allisons, altho it doesn't clearly say what that was all about with the nanny, Alice Cleaver.

Lawrence Beesley would jump to the lifeboat while still holding his night clothes, he wasn't wearing them. Fred Barrett would ask him why he had them, and he replied he had no idea.

This movie was rich, however, with the shoeshine lads, the sensational music, from the sauna (as someone else mentioned) to the mundane (but it was all they had) steerage music.

There is a much stronger feeling of Irish third class here than in any other Titanic movies, and we get a more overal feel of those in peril here, as compared to Cameron's version with only Rose in danger.

Wireless operator Harold Bride as well as chief wireless operator Wilde have never been decently shown in a movie. Night to Remember had David McCallum and the '96 movie showed them also, but the overturned lifeboat has only been observed in Night To Remember, and only if you have really read about it, do you realize that is what is happening here in S.O.S. Titanic.

Great fun in having to pinpoint the Strauses because Mrs. Straus would call her maid by her first name, Ellen, and I recalled from reading that Mrs. Straus' maid's name was Ellen Bird.

The only way the Strauses were shown in this movie.

Interesting also to note that in 1912, wives were listed under their husbands names, but maids were listed individually.

The biggest complaint about this movie is the wrong date shown, which I suppose is inexcusable for the subject matter.

Pearl Harbor wasn't attacked on December 9th, 1941.

Still this one is nowhere near the worst. That would have to be the 1931 version. The '53 Babs Stanwyck one is a bit wincing also.

And I'm not familiar with the Queen Mary, so its usage here is hardly a hindrance to me.

Helen Mirren's moment as the maid who converses with Thomas Andrews is inspired.

In watching this one as I type this, the silence throughout much of it is as effective, if not more, than Cameron's symphony orchestra.

Sadly, I am aware that what I have just ordered is indeed an edited copy.

The opening with the Carpathia is missing, with Ian Holm's chilling "my ship" as he describes the Titanic.

Also missing is the elderly woman leading the steerage in song.

And I fear the wonderful exchange between the shoe shine lads is cut also.

The sauna may also be missing.

And one post lists Charles Herbert Lightoller as the First Officer, another post says he was the second Officer.

Lightoller was the Second Officer, highest ranking surviving officer from the Titanic.