History: Fact or fiction; Titanic...?

[smiley.]

I am currently writing a paper in history class; "How reliable is film as a source of historical events?" in relation to the story of the Titanic. We have been shown two versions, "A Night to Remember" and "Titanic (1997)".

Some fellow students have chosen to 'partially agree' and in essence, will be comparing and contrasting the two films, but there is the big chance that in doing so, one may contradict oneself... so, I have chosen to disagree with the statement, that is, say that film is NOT a source of historical events. I wish to argue this whilst using the 1997 version of the sinking as a reference for examples (as this version is less accurate).

I need some facts and myths relating to the Titanic, its sinking, the events of the night and so forth. Care to help?

I apologise if this is confusing. Just say if you need some clarification. All answers will be greatly appreciated, and I thank-you in advance.

 

[Billy C]

Are Hollywood films reliable accounts of historical events?

The answer is not just "No," it's "No of course not have you lost your mind?"

In general film is at least as reliable as print as a source of historical events. A film of a given event is likely to be less biased than an observer's account.

But surely nobody sane would claim that any Hollywood movie is a reliable account of the events it portrays. Neither would anyone in their right mind claim that a novel is a reliable account of the events it fictionalizes. Frankly, I find it baffling that anyone would argue otherwise.

When someone asks, "How accurate is movie X?," do you appeal to the film itself? Do you run to other Hollywood films to argue that other films have been accurate or inaccurate? Of course not: you consult first-hand accounts, which are usually print sources but might also include photographs, audio recordings and films. To save time & effort you might instead consult secondary sources: accounts written by scholars and researchers who have summarized, evaluated, and condensed the primary sources into a more-easily consumed format like a book or a documentary film. But appeal to a blockbuster movie? Surely not.

If you're looking for a list of inaccuracies specifically in the movie Titanic, you might consult the IMDB "goofs" page.