Titanic (1953): Cast & Plot
Titanic is a 1953 romantic drama directed by Jean Negulesco, starring Barbara Stanwyck as Julia Sturges, Audrey Dalton and Clifton Webb. It runs 1 hour 38 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 38m (98 min)
- Director
- Jean Negulesco
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- 20th Century Fox
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Titanic About?
The premise of Titanic without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Unhappily married Julia Sturges boards the Titanic with her two children, hoping to start a new life in America. Her husband Richard books a cabin on the same luxury liner, intent on securing custody of the kids. Their bitter struggle is eclipsed when the ship collides with an iceberg, unleashing a dramatic, spectacular climax.
Titanic Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- sinking ship
- iceberg
- maiden voyage
- icy waters
- doom
- falling into water
- ocean liner
- ship captain
- year 1912
- disaster film
- wealthy socialite
- disaster drama
+38 more Show fewer
- husband wife estrangement
- struck by an iceberg
- unhappy marriage
- card game
- reference to marconi
- hms titanic
- paternity question
- unfaithful wife
- reference to marital infidelity
- third class passenger
- church service
- defrocked priest
- boiler room
- explosion
- trousers
- young love
- period drama
- tragedy drama
- tragic romance
- american actor plays a foreigner
- foreigner plays a british character
- giving up a seat
- ship name as title
- 1910s
- husband wife relationship
- college student
- tennis player
- boy
- brother sister relationship
- reference to divorce
- family relationships
- survival
- 17 year old
- 17 year old girl
- teenage girl
- 10 year old
- 10 year old boy
- reference to machinac island michigan
Titanic Cast & Characters
Barbara Stanwyck leads the cast as Julia Sturges, with Audrey Dalton as Annette Sturges and Clifton Webb as Richard Ward Sturges. Directed by Jean Negulesco; 35 actors are credited in all.
- Director Jean Negulesco
-
Barbara Stanwyck as Julia Sturges -
Audrey Dalton as Annette Sturges - Clifton Webb as Richard Ward Sturges
- Harper Carter as Norman Sturges (uncredited)
Also Starring in Titanic
· 31 more- Thelma Ritter Maude Young
- Allyn Joslyn Earl Meeker
- Robert Wagner Gifford "Giff" Rogers
- Richard Basehart George S. Headley
- Anthony Eustrel Sanderson - White Star Representative (uncredited)
- Brian Aherne Capt. Edward John Smith
- Edmund Purdom Second Officer Lightoller (uncredited)
- Sam Harris Passenger (uncredited)
- Bert Stevens Passenger (uncredited)
- Harry Cording Boiler Room Engineer (uncredited)
- Cosmo Sardo Steward (uncredited)
- Philo McCullough Passenger (uncredited)
- Frank McLure Lifeboat Survivor (uncredited)
- Mae Marsh Woman to Whom Norman Gave His Seat (uncredited)
- Herschel Graham Passenger (uncredited)
- Hans Moebus Passenger (uncredited)
Show all 35 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Michael Rennie End Narrator (Voice)
- Alberto Morin Waiter (uncredited)
- Hamilton Camp Messenger Boy (uncredited)
- Rudy Germane Seaman (uncredited)
- Chalky Williams Passenger (uncredited)
- Merry Anders College Girl (uncredited)
- David Hoffman Ship's Tailor (uncredited)
- James O'Hara Devlin - Lookout (uncredited)
- Loretta Russell Passenger (uncredited)
- James Todd Sandy Comstock
- Frances Bergen Madeleine Astor
- Owen McGiveney Steward (uncredited)
- Marta Mitrovich Mrs. Jean Uzcadum (uncredited)
- Helen Van Tuyl Ida Strauss
- William Johnstone John Jacob Astor
Titanic Plot Summary
What happens in Titanic from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Richard Sturges, Clifton Webb, a wealthy expatriate in Europe, buys a third-class ticket for the maiden voyage of the Titanic from a Basque emigrant. Once aboard, he seeks his runaway wife Julia Barbara Stanwyck and discovers that she is trying to take their two unsuspecting children, 18-year-old Annette Audrey Dalton and 10-year-old Norman Harper Carter, to her hometown of Mackinac Island, Michigan, to rear them as ordinary Americans rather than as privileged elitists in Europe. The passengers also include the wealthy Maude Young Thelma Ritter (based on real-life Titanic survivor Margaret Brown), social-climbing Earl Meeker Allyn Joslyn, 20-year-old Purdue University tennis player Giff Rogers Robert Wagner and George Healey, a Catholic priest who has been defrocked for alcoholism.
Full summary
The whole story of Titanic, scene by scene
Titanic Trailers & Videos
The trailer of Titanic.
How Well Do You Know Titanic?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who portrays the wealthy expatriate Richard Sturges?
Cars in Titanic
1 car on screen: the 1910 Renault 9CV Taxi.
-
1910 Renault 9CV Taxi Minor role
Seen Titanic?
Movies Like Titanic
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Titanic, A Night to Remember and S.O.S. Titanic.
Titanic FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Titanic, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Titanic?
Titanic runs 1 hour 38 minutes (98 minutes).
When was Titanic released?
Titanic was released on April 11, 1953.
Who directed Titanic?
Titanic was directed by Jean Negulesco.
More films by Jean Negulesco Who is in the cast of Titanic?
Titanic stars Barbara Stanwyck as Julia Sturges, Audrey Dalton as Annette Sturges and Clifton Webb as Richard Ward Sturges, among 35 credited actors.
Does Titanic have a post-credit scene?
No. Titanic has no extra scene during or after the credits.
Coming soon to your phone
The Plot Explained Movie Summary App
From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.
Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app
