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OtisTetraxReigns t1_j5ooets wrote

Reply to comment by EvilCalvin in TIL that Titanic crewman Herbert Pitman made an attempt to row his lifeboat over to rescue people in the water, but was overruled by the other occupants of the boat, who were worried about people swarming them and duly complied. Pitman said that this haunted him throughout his life. by ChadExtra

A filmmaker’s version of “100% accurate” lasts precisely as long as it takes them to run into an aesthetic, dramatic, or practical limitation. For instance, they sought to “exactly recreate” the interiors of the boat. But then Cameron decided the main staircase wasn’t big enough to fit his vision, so they enlarged it. It’s a minor thing, inconsequential on its own, but it’s not historically accurate. There’s also the case of the crewman who shoots people for trying to board the lifeboats, and then shoots himself. There are reports from survivors of shots being fired, but iirc, no one actually saw him execute anyone. They used the real person’s real name and portrayed him as a callous killer, based on speculation. Even Cameron has admitted he regrets that.

The fact is, Cameron’s film is based as much on A Night to Remember as it is on historical record.

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