The Carpathia took on over 700 survivors from the Titanic, providing them with food, clothing, and medical care. The ship then sailed to New York, where it arrived on April 18, 1912.

The first half of the film is a study in longing and opulence. James Cameron spends nearly two hours building the world of the RMS Titanic, not just as a ship, but as a metaphor for the gilded age.

The Titanic's band played music on the boat deck as the ship sank, in an effort to calm the passengers and provide a sense of normalcy. The band's final song was "Nearer, My God, to Thee," which was a popular hymn at the time.

Many film students argue that Cameron perfectly structured the movie so that the midpoint (the iceberg collision) acts as a natural "act break," making it the perfect candidate for a two-part viewing. How to Watch Today

Part 1 opens in the present (1996) with treasure hunter Brock Lovett searching the wreck for the mythical "Heart of the Ocean" diamond. We are introduced to Rose Dawson Calvert (Gloria Stuart), an old woman who recognizes a drawing in Lovett’s safe. This framing device allows the film to flashback with narrative weight, telling us from the start that the ship sinks, but the story is about survival and memory.