Titanic est un film allemand d'action et de drame, sorti à Paris, Stockholm et Florence le 10 novembre 1943.
C'est le premier film à s'inspirer de l'histoire du naufrage du paquebot Titanic, survenu en avril 1912. Néanmoins, c'était plus pour critiquer les britanniques, que pour informer le grand public sur ce qu'il s'était passé.
Malgré que les critiques soient très souvent négatives, certains éléments du films furent reconnus pour leur qualité. Roy Ward Baker réutilisa même des extraits de scènes de paniques pour son film, Atlantique, latitude 41°.
Le tournage fut marqué par le décès du réalisateur Herbert Selpin, mis aux arrêts pour avoir critiqué la Wehrmacht.
Synopsis
La White Star Line, compagnie maritime britannique, connaît de graves soucis financiers à cause de la construction de son dernier navire, le Titanic. Pour garantir des profits conséquents, son président, Bruce Ismay, décide de lancer le navire à toute vitesse dans l'Atlantique Nord pour lui faire remporter le Ruban bleu au mépris de la sécurité des passagers.
Résumé détaillé
Spoiler d'intrigues !
Cette partie contient des informations sur les événements de ce film. Il est conseillé de la lire avec prudence, voire pas du tout !
A proclamation to the stockholders of the White Star Line declares the value of their stock is falling. The president of the Line, J. Bruce Ismay, promises to reveal a secret during the maiden voyage of the line's new RMS Titanic that will change that. He alone knows he can break the speed record and receive the Blue Riband, and he believes this will raise the stock's value. Ismay and the board of the White Star Line plan to manipulate the stock by selling short their own stock in order to buy it back at a lower price just before the news about the ship's record speed is revealed to the press.
On Titanic's maiden voyage in April 1912, First Officer Petersen, the sole German crew member onboard, begs the arrogant Bruce Ismay to slow the ship down, but he refuses and pressures the weak willed Captain Smith to keep up the vessel's record breaking speed. Because of Ismay's recklessness, Titanic hits an iceberg and begins to sink. The passengers in First Class act like cowards, while Petersen, his Russian aristocrat ex-lover Sigrid Olinsky, and several German passengers in steerage behave bravely and with dignity. With Sigrid's assistance, Petersen manages to rescue many passengers before convincing her to board one of the last lifeboats. He then arranges a seat for Ismay in order for him to stand trial for causing the disaster. As the water ravages through the ship, Peterson finds a young girl, left to die in her cabin by her uncaring capitalist parents. Petersen leaps from the sloping deck with the girl in his arms and is pulled aboard Sigrid's lifeboat, where the two are reunited; the occupants then watch in horror as Titanic plunges beneath the waves.
At the British Inquiry into the disaster, Petersen testifies against Ismay, condemning his actions, but Ismay is cleared of all charges and the blame is placed squarely on the deceased Captain Smith's shoulders. An epilogue states that "the deaths of 1,500 people remain un-atoned, an eternal condemnation of Britain's endless quest for profit."
Casting
Principaux
- E.F. Fürbringer - Bruce Ismay
- Hans Nielsen - Petersen
- Karl Schönböck - John Jacob Astor
- Kirsten Heiberg - Gloria
- Sybille Schmitz - Sigrid Olinsky