15 Things You Didn't Know About The Movie 'Titanic'

It was the movie that destroyed records and broke your heart. It introduced you to love… and made you fall in love with two fictional people like you never have before. Of course, we're talking about none other than Titanic! Did you know A. J. Dawson actually perished on the real RMS Titanic? There are a lot of secrets about this insanely famous movie that will shock you… and will probably make you love the film even more (well, if that's even possible)! Leo stole your heart the very first time you watched this movie and you cried when Rose promised to never let go. Watching this romantic movie just might be the best three hours of your life. However, the film could have looked shockingly different if Kate and Leo weren't picked for the starring roles. Who else could have played Jack? Here are 15 things you didn't know about this famous film… and you might just have to go watch the movie again. Get ready to be shocked!

15 Leo Wasn't The First Choice To Play Jack

Can you imagine anyone else playing this role? It's hard to believe this movie could be as successful without Leonardo stealing our hearts from the moment he won that poker game. Big stars like Matthew McConaughey, Brad Pitt, Billy Crudup, and even Stephen Dorff were considered, but thankfully, we know who rightfully won the role. It's probably fair to say that the reason many of us worship Leonardo DiCaprio is because of his role as Jack. Truthfully, have any of us ever gotten over him? Johnny Depp reportedly even read the script and considered the role, but he just doesn't belong on the sea as a poor heartthrob. Leo definitely did an awesome job and he's one of the biggest reasons that this movie took our breath away. No one would have been able to play Jack Dawson as well as he did, and it has cemented him in pop culture history.

14 Gloria Stuart Made History

A lot of history was made during this movie, but the critical and audience response was pretty historical as well. It broke records as far as Academy Awards are concerned, and Gloria Stuart nearly got the recognition she deserved. As the only person on the set of the movie that was actually alive when the RMS Titanic sank in 1912, she was the oldest person ever to receive an Oscars nomination. While she was in the running for Best Supporting Actress, she, unfortunately, did not win, but everyone thought that she would. Everyone adored the sweet old woman that played the older version of Rose, and she made everyone wish they could have seen the life of Rose after the Titanic went down and she lost Jack. Rose was an inspirational character not only because of Kate Winslet, but also because of Gloria, and we all think she really deserved that award!

13 The Ocean Was Only Three Feet Deep

The cast certainly sold the terrifying scenes, because truthfully, the water wasn't that deep. While the waters were frigid in scenes shot in the ocean, James Cameron tried to keep the tanks a bit warmer to make the long days of shooting in the water more bearable. The photos of all the extras standing in the waters that barely reaches their hip is fairly humorous, especially when you recall how stressful the scene panned out to be in the movie. The water played a crucial role in the movie, and it made filming all the more challenging, especially when they only had a few takes to film certain scenes. The crew only had one take to catch the scene when the water floods the grand staircase because it would destroy all the furnishings on the set. No pressure! There's no doubt that there were cinematic tricks and challenges in the making of this memorable movie.

12 Kate Got Pneumonia While Filming

The waters certainly weren't kind to the cast, even if they were shallow. If you weren't sure how frigid the waters really were, then recall the scene where Rose is returning to save Jack with the axe. That gasp when she hits the water was completely real and unscripted. Not only that, but she was one of the only cast members to not wear a wetsuit, which she probably regretted when they began filming in the freezing temperatures of the Pacific Ocean. It was cold enough that she got pneumonia, and it apparently was bad enough that it almost made her quit the film. Luckily, James Cameron convinced her to stick with it, and we're sure glad he did! Kate Winslet was one of the best parts of the film, and it could not have been the same without her. However, we definitely have a new respect for the actors and actresses that endured the cold.

11 Leo Went Unscripted

There are a lot of reasons that Leo is so loveable, but did you know one of them is that he's got a real ability to improvise? One of the most famous lines in the film is entirely unscripted, and you probably would have never been able to guess! In one of the opening scenes, after boarding the Titanic with a bit of ill-fated luck, Jack screams “I'm the king of the world!” from the front of the boat. He completely improvised that! It wasn't the only memorable line that wasn't scripted -- Leo was a bit flustered during the scene where Kate Winslet strips nude for him, and we would be, too. It was the first scene they filmed, which would have been insanely daunting, especially since the duo wasn't comfortable with each other yet. Leo messed up his lines since he was so nervous, as he was simply supposed to say “On the couch” but mistakenly said “bed” first. James Cameron thought the mistake was so endearing, he kept it in the film!

10 The Old Couple In Bed Were Real

Be prepared to get a little teary-eyed… or a lot! When the magnitude of the tragedy was truly sinking in, we saw a mother telling her children bedtime stories to calm them, because she knew they were going to die. We were also shown an old couple laying in bed together as the waters began to rise, inevitably insinuating the end was near and they had resigned themselves to their fate and love. Well, that old couple was real and based on true facts. The scene was written to depict Ida and Isidor Strauss, a real life couple that died on the doomed maiden voyage of the Titanic. They were the owners of the store Macy's and Ida was offered a spot on one of the lifeboats but refused in order to stay with her husband and life-long partner. They decided to go down with the ship together, and if that isn't heart wrenching, we don't know what is.

9 Rose's Picture Sold For Thousands

When you think of that scene that makes your heart race, you think it might have been the moment you fell in love with Jack and Rose. Other people feel the same way as you when they think of the picture Jack sketched of his lover, and the price shows to prove it. In 2011, a company called Premiere Props auctioned off the iconic memorabilia; the image of naked Rose wearing nothing but the Heart of the Ocean necklace. Unfortunately, the final bid and the identity of the buyer was never released or discovered, but the highest known bid was at least sixteen thousand dollars. You probably thought it was worth more? So do the rest of us, but that's a pretty hefty price for a drawing. When you think of the sentimental value it has to you, however, you can imagine what some pretty rich fans of the movie might do to get their hands on that piece of memorabilia. Did you know it wasn't Leonardo Dicaprio that drew it, though?

8 That Isn't Leo's Hand

If you think that it's Leonardo's hand you see drawing Rose in one of everyone's favorite scenes, it turns out that you're totally wrong. Yup, be prepared to have your mind blown. It's actually James Cameron's hand, as he's the one that actually draws the picture. It turns out he's a talented writer and artist! Still, does it feel like it takes a little bit away from that romantic scene? Hmm… definitely not. Despite it being a little weird knowing you're watching James Cameron draw Rose instead of hot Jack, it doesn't distract you from how intense and romantic that exchange was. It might just go to show how hard it is to notice the littlest of details in a movie, but in the big picture, watching Rose and Jack fall in love is what mattered. It's why we watch it over, and over, and over again, because we're totally addicted to the story, and not whose hands those are.

7 The Scene Between Rose And Her Mom Was Reversed

After Cal brutally berates Rose for hanging around Jack, we're mercilessly shown the scene where the cruelty continues, only this time between Rose and her mother. Initially, it was supposed to be Rose tightening her mother's corset, but that was altered to show the dynamic of their relationship. It makes sense to have her mother tightening her corset because it shows that she's literally suffocating Rose. It would be weird to think of the scene reversed, but it's intriguing to know the changes that are made during filming. It grants us insight into the stitches of a story we love so deeply, especially since some people might disagree, and wish it had have been Rose tightening her mother's corset. Some people are probably wishing Jack's fate could have been changed midway through the filming… yeah, a lot of people are still bitter about that. Maybe the wrong changes were made.

6 The Clam Chowder Got A Little Crazy

There are a lot of interesting facts about the movie, but none are as weird as this one. On August 9th, 1996, almost 80 members of the crew became severely ill after eating lobster chowder while filming in Nova Scotia. While many of them went to the hospital, the police originally thought it was an awful case of food poisoning. However, when hallucinations became a symptom of those that had become sick, a shocking discovery was made. Tests came back to reveal that somebody had put phencyclidine in the food, also known as the dangerous drug PCP. To this day, nobody knows who did it, but that doesn't sound like a very appropriate prank. None of the film's stars ate any of the laced food, but we definitely feel bad for the crew members that weren't so lucky. It's safe to say that things got a little wild on set sometimes, but who knew it could be this strange?

5 It Was The Most Expensive Film Ever

When it was released, it was released as the most expensive movie to ever be made, which lured in crowds to see what all the fuss was about. The filming process of the movie actually cost more than it did to build the actual RMS Titanic that existed in real life. When it was built in the early 1900s, it cost nearly $7.5 million, which is about 150 million dollars in 1997 money. The movie, when made in 1997, cost $200 million! That's difficult to comprehend, that's for sure. Some of the reasons the movie was so expensive, was because of the makeup. Special wax products and powder were applied to the actors and actresses in order to achieve that frozen, lifeless appearance they had while they floated in the water. They were floating in 350,000 gallons of water, which also increased the budget. It's understandable why it was the most expensive film of the 20th century.

4 Kate Changes The Storyline

Kate Winslet was probably the only actress that could do Rose justice, and there are a few reasons for that. Similar to Leo's impromptu script changes, Kate had a few ideas of her own. During the scene where Rose refuses the lifeboat and Cal grows furious and grabs on to her, Rose was originally supposed to retaliate by jabbing Cal with a bobby pin. However, Kate had the brilliant idea to spit in his face instead, and everyone was told of the change except Billy Zane. Yup, that reaction was genuine, he had no idea he was about to be spit on. She also suggested adding the line where she clings to Jack as the Titanic splits apart and says, “Jack, this is where we first met!” It was a bittersweet reminder of their love that we rooted for despite its doomed fate, and it made the movie all the more emotional. Kate truly is a brilliant actress.

3 Kate Flashed Leo When They First Met

Kate and Leo had never met each other before they were introduced on the set of the Titanic, but there was bound to be tension considering Kate's nude scene was hanging over their heads. Not to mention the making love scene and all the kissing, right? In order to break the ice, Kate flashed Leo when she first met him! That's certainly one way to do it, and we can only imagine how Leo must have felt at that moment. Maybe we're a little jealous of him. Leo and Kate were actually quite chummy on set, it was reported, and became fast friends and looked out for each other. It's probably why so many fans wished for something more than friendship between them, but oh well. We'll always have Jack and Rose, and we can picture what it must have been like for Leo to be introduced to Kate via bare breasts.

2 The Movie Reels Wore Down

The movie set all of the box office records, but it set some other ones as well. It remained in cinemas for so long, that it was released on VHS while still in theaters. Remember those? This was the first movie ever to be released on VHS while still being played at the theaters, and that wasn't the end of its insurmountable popularity. It was so massive, that people wanted to watch it over and over again, often seeing it for repeat viewings. We can totally relate because it's impossible to just watch Titanic once. People were coming back to see it so often that some theaters had to get new film reels to replace the ones that had been worn down! That's a true tragedy, but Paramount was happy to replace the reels. If you weren't aware of what a hit Titanic truly was, now you understand the addiction people had to the masterpiece.

1 James Cameron Admitted Jack Could Have Lived

Are you ready to be destroyed? You probably agree with the rest of the population that it's outrageous that Jack had to die. There is room on that thing for both of them, dammit! This dilemma probably sparked a rage in you since you first saw the movie, but it's about to get a whole lot worse. James Cameron, the director and writer of the movie, even admitted it himself when Mythbusters practically forced the truth out of him; Jack didn't have to die. He said, “If he lives, the movie makes a tenth as much,” and that is too cruel to comprehend, James. Sure, the story wouldn't be the same if Jack lived, but our hearts wouldn't be utterly broken, either. Good stories are meant to play with our emotions, but this went too far and hurt too bad. It will be hard to ever get over this revelation, and it might make you reflect on the end of Titanic with new bitterness!