A Night to Remember

1958

2h 3m

History

Drama

List

100%

22 Reviews

Tomatometer

90%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

The sinking of the Titanic is presented in a highly realistic fashion in this tense British drama. The disaster is portrayed largely from the perspective of the ocean liner's second officer, Charles Lightoller (Kenneth More). Despite numerous warnings about ice, the ship sails on, with Capt. Edward John Smith (Laurence Naismith) keeping it going at a steady clip. When the doomed vessel finally hits an iceberg, the crew and passengers discover that they lack enough lifeboats, and tragedy follows.

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Virus S

In the niche genre of Titanic disaster productions, A Night to Remember stands head-and-shoulders above the rest. This film shares its title with a book by Walter Lord, which sought to compile historical records, survivor testimony, and portray an accurate chronicle of the sinking. I would say the project was successful. This film was at least partially responsible for rekindling interest in the sinking, and the launching of an inquiry into the events surrounding it. Unique to this production is the focus on other ships around the Titanic in the dark hours. Before the fateful iceberg collision, both the Carpathia and Californian crews have brief scenes depicting their sense of danger and cautious approach. As the Titanic is sinking, there are several more scenes with the Californian (the closest ship to Titanic) and their crew showing various shades of negligence and disinterest. This is a controversial choice by the director, but is supported by the Californian's own ship logs and crew testimony. More than simply fictionalize the plight of passengers and crew into a melodrama, A Night to Remember seeks to provide a chronology of poor decisions and negligence that were precursors to disaster. I am not saying this film does not take some liberties to make a compelling story, it clearly does. What sets A Night to Remember apart is that it sets a deft balance between drama and accuracy. Keep a keen eye out for the use of off-kilter, slanted camera shots that add tension to scenes as the ship sinks. I wish these had been used more consistently, and progressively as the conditions grew more dire. All told, this film is the best depiction of the Titanic's journey. The special effects using scale models have aged quite well, and the film makes use of actual historical footage of the Titanic leaving port. Compared to other productions, A Night to Remember strikes a more cautionary note, rather than inventing backstories of the passengers and crew.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/23/23

Full Review

Joel H

A Night to Remember is presented in such a matter-of-fact way that it almost feels like a documentary. And, indeed, this film was released only 46 years after the real-life events, and the filmmakers interviewed a number of survivors to make sure they got certain details correct. While Titanic (1997) wins when it comes to the visual effects of this disaster, I feel A Night to Remember captured the tragedy & seriousness of it all more effectively. In addition, I learned a few new things about the real story, too. It's a powerful film without all the flash and melodrama of James Cameron's version.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/05/23

Full Review

Preston M

Movie so bad please don't watch

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

07/14/23

Full Review

Jack T

As a Titanic nerd this is a must see movie it was amazing and really educational. It may be older but it definitely helped me alot. The 2 hour time span on it felt like it was only 30 minutes. I never checked the time on it I just loved it. This movie gave some inspiration on James Cameron's Titanic. If you want to see a Titanic Film this is the one to watch.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/03/23

Full Review

Lorna K

It was a great movie! GREAT ACTING!!!! and i love the interior of the ship the grad staircase but i just had 2 problems with it 1: the funnels didnt collapse 2: the ship didnt split in 2 (i know in the 50s they did not know it split in half).

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/07/23

Full Review

bruno r

this, THIS IS A GOOD MOVIE! yes, the ship doesn't split in half nor do the funnels fall (that is why i give it 4,5 stars, not 5) but it was because there was no real proof the titanic split in two, for the era, best of the best

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/24/23

Full Review

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Roy Ward Baker

Director

Kenneth More

Second Officer Charles Herbert Lightoller

David McCallum

Harold Bride

Honor Blackman

Mrs. Liz Lucas

Jill Dixon

Mrs. Clarke

Laurence Naismith

Capt. Edward John Smith

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George Bourke

Miami Herald

[A Night to Remember] is a motion picture that will long be remembered for the manner in which it has dramatized cold fact, and given the suspense and the excitement usually engendered only by fiction.

Jul 1, 2020

Full Review

Catherine Shoard

Guardian

A restrained, nearly austere ensemble drama that manages to intertwine a dozen different stories without tripping up on any of them, it relies on real-life survivor testimony for almost every line and incident, to immensely moving and dignified effect.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 13, 2012

Full Review

David Jenkins

Little White Lies

Cold and brutal - exactly how this tale should be told.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 12, 2012

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

If you want to rate disaster movies, this is one of the better ones even with no stars and not a big Hollywood budget.

Rated: A

Jan 28, 2022

Full Review

Mattie Lucas

From the Front Row

While the special effects may not hold a candle to the Academy Award winning work in Cameron's film, they're still quite impressive given the period, and Baker manages to infuse the film with an unflagging sense of authenticity.

Rated: 3.5/4

Aug 6, 2019

Full Review

Brian Costello

Common Sense Media

1950s British take on Titanic tragedy is a masterpiece.

Rated: 5/5

May 18, 2012

Full Review

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Synopsis

The sinking of the Titanic is presented in a highly realistic fashion in this tense British drama. The disaster is portrayed largely from the perspective of the ocean liner's second officer, Charles Lightoller (Kenneth More). Despite numerous warnings about ice, the ship sails on, with Capt. Edward John Smith (Laurence Naismith) keeping it going at a steady clip. When the doomed vessel finally hits an iceberg, the crew and passengers discover that they lack enough lifeboats, and tragedy follows.

Director: Roy Ward Baker
Screenwriter: Eric Ambler
Production Co: Rank Films
Genre: History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 23, 2017
Runtime: 2h 3m

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