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Titanic

Titanic

TITANIC in Emotion...in Spectacle...in Climax...in Cast!

195398 minNot RatedMidcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
Director
Jean Negulesco
Starring
Clifton Webb, Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Wagner, Audrey Dalton

Unhappily married, Julia Sturges decides to go to America with her two children on the Titanic. Her husband, Richard also arranges passage on the luxury liner so as to have custody of their two children. All this fades to insignificance once the ship hits an iceberg.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Titanic?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Titanic to rent or buy on Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Titanic?

Titanic earns 6 badges, led by Oscar Winner and Standout acting.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Titanic worth watching?

Titanic's Midcredits score is the 78th percentile of all films, from 13K ratings across 4 sources. 71% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

78th percentile

Better received than 78% of films

80th percentile among Drama77th percentile among 1950s
Acclaim (how much people like it)73rd
Approval (how many liked it)80th

68 /100

73rd percentile of all films

76th percentile among Drama75th percentile among 1950s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.2 — solid but not unanimous.

71% liked it

80th percentile of all films

82nd percentile among Drama78th percentile among 1950s
71% rated it 7–1029% rated it 1–6

Critics 91% · Audience 66%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

1 Oscars won · 1 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 3 noms overall

  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Writing, Story and Screenplay
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White

82nd percentile

13K ratings across platforms

85th percentile among Drama90th percentile among 1950s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 19% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$1.8M

What reviewers say

Common ground

Focused on a fictional family's marital strife rather than a historically accurate account of the disaster.

Fans praised

  • Stanwyck and Webb give powerful, deeply felt performances as a couple whose marriage disintegrates
  • Oscar-winning screenplay tells a compelling human drama that makes the tragedy personal
  • Father-son reckoning during the sinking is genuinely moving and heart-wrenching

Detractors panned

  • Too much soap-opera melodrama and not enough about the actual ship

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

Stanwyck and Webb deliver powerhouse, deeply emotional performances

Emotional impactDivisive80

Father-son goodbye and Stanwyck's lifeboat scene are deeply affecting

Dialogue78

Crackling, Oscar-winning script with sharp exchanges

CharactersDivisive75

Sturges family is well-drawn, but some find them soap-operatic

EndingDivisive75

Poignant final moments bring family resolution, but abrupt for some

Plot and storyDivisive70

Clever family drama woven into disaster, but detractors say it overshadows history

Pacing65

Lean 98 minutes; some find first two-thirds slow before the iceberg

Effects and spectacle60

Models and miniatures are decent for 1953, but historically inaccurate

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 13 points higher than men.

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 19 points higher than non-US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is Titanic like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense and leaves you devastated. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseMelancholicBittersweet
Heaviest: late
Register
Melodramatic · 9% of films: Heightened emotion, played large.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its domestic melodrama and the catastrophe completely straight, with earnest feeling and no ironic distance.
The rideThe family conflict and the impending disaster sustain tension throughout, with the emotional weight peaking during the sinking and final farewell scenes.
StructureA conventional build-up of the family conflict across the voyage, followed by the disaster and its aftermath in order.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Devastated.

The answer rests on this: Devastating · 3% of filmsBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe family's reconciliation is reclaimed only to be torn apart by the sinking, leaving loss and love bound together.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3% (this title)
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Crushed by fate: Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.

9% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe central thread is a marriage and custody conflict that resolves in reconciliation only to be destroyed by the ship's sinking — forces entirely beyond anyone's control.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% (this title) · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsClass · 3% of filmsRedemption · 6% of films: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).
Mourns its theme: Grieves its theme, or what has been lost of it.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on a family torn apart by class ambition and secrets, whose members reconcile only in the face of collective doom.
StanceThe film mourns the fragility of family bonds and the tragic waste of life, presenting the disaster as a force that simultaneously destroys and offers a final reconciliation.

The world

Early 20th centuryIn transitInstitutionalStylized realism
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Sol Kaplan
Settingaboard the RMS Titanic on its maiden voyage, 1912
MusicThe hymn 'Nearer, My God, to Thee' is sung diegetically during the final scenes.

Content guide

Is Titanic okay for kids?

Not Rated

Titanic is not rated. As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (27/100), sexual content at mild (15/100), language at mild (25/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (46/100) and frightening material at moderate (43/100). Its language and drug and alcohol content have too few votes to rank. Overall it is heavier than 22% of unrated films.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • UKPG
  • Austria6
  • Netherlands12
  • Sweden11
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 18% of all filmsHeavier than 22% of unrated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
light for an unrated film
heavier than 16%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for an unrated film
heavier than 18%
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for an unrated film
heavier than 35%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is frightening material, heavier than 35% of unrated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Titanic have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Titanic?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Clifton Webb
as Richard Ward Sturges
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Barbara Stanwyck
as Julia Sturges
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Robert Wagner
as Gifford Rogers
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Audrey Dalton
as Annette Sturges
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Thelma Ritter
as Maude Young
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Brian Aherne
as Captain E. J. Smith
Richard Basehart
as George Healey
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Allyn Joslyn
as Earl Meeker
James Todd
as Sandy Comstock
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Frances Bergen
as Madeleine Astor
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Titanic?

Movies like Titanic include A Night to Remember (1958), Titanic (1997) and Ship of Fools (1965). Of the 12 closest matches, several are disaster survival stories, and most are films set in high society.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 12 share its world: at sea. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Titanic?

545 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: disaster survival. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.