MovieChat Forums > Titanic (1953) Discussion > Another sad line

Another sad line

posted 17 years ago by laholly
2 replies | jump to latest

I have said previously that the 1953 version of "Titanic" is the best of the lot. That said ,another person commented about the truly sad line by Mrs Isadore Strauss about their long marriage, whic brought tears to my eyes too.
But probably the most touching and telling line came from Richard Basehart as the (assumed) defrocked priest who runs into the boiler room just before it explodes) The stoker says to him "For the love of God, you cant go down there" to which Basehart replies "For the love of God, I must" and the rest is history. Somehow that line and that act of sacrifice just always broke my heart.
Lee Ann in Ohio

[–] heyuactor 12 years ago

Yes, very touching line.

"Did you make coffee...? Make it!"--Cheyenne.

[–] hobnob53 11 years ago

Actually the lines were, "For God's sake, mister, don't go down there," and Basehart's reply, "For God's sake, I am going down there."

What's telling about this is the different emphasis Basehart puts on the word "God's" from the expression used by the stoker. The latter says, as we all would, "For God's sake, mister" -- emphasis on the word "sake". But Basehart retorts, "For God's sake" -- emphasis on "God's".

A subtle but critical difference, another reason I wanted to correct you guys' innocent misstatement of the dialogue. It's much more powerful the way it was actually written -- and spoken.