Review of A Night to Remember (1958) by Bob W — 06 Feb 2010

Based on the 1955 book by Walter Lord that included dozens of interviews with survivors of the most famous maritime distaster ever, "A Night to Remember" remains the unrivalled and authoritative giant among films ever made about the sinking of RMS Titanic in 1912.

Released just over 40 years after the sinking, the accuracy of this film remains unparalleled and includes eyewitness accounts of the disaster, factual accounts of the sinking, and even relics such as a musical pig actually played in a lifeboat on the night of the sinking. The icing on the cake for "A Night to Remember" comes in the fact it was assisted in production by Titanic's Fourth Office, Joseph Boxhall, who consulted on the film. In addition, the film received help from Second Class Passenger, Lawrence Beesley, who survived the sinking and wrote his own book on the disaster, "The Loss of the SS Titanic" in June 1912.

Whilst the special effects cannot compete with the more recent 1997 film, "Titanic," by James Cameron, the effects for 1958 standards were very realistic. It must also be taken into account that, until its discovery on 1 September 1985, historians accepted Titanic sank in one piece. Only after the wreck was discovered in two pieces have films since covered this fact.

With everything else considered, "A Night to Remember" remains the most historically accurate and gospel interpretation of the distater, made at a time when scores of Titanic survivors were still alive to contribute and without Hollywood pressure in the UK to alter fact. It also more accurately reflects the British class system of the time and is a must-see film for any Titanic or history enthusiast and anyone who wishes to see the closest thing to a documentary on the most famous ocean liner in history.