Back to Titanic: Film Information: Behind the Scenes: Scene Facts: King of the World

Today in Titanic History - with Searching

Today in
Titanic History
Friday, May 9, 2025

1861 - 1st class passenger Mr Henry Forbes Julian was born to Henry Julian (coach builder) and Marie Julian in Cork, Ireland.

1875 - 2nd class survivor Mrs Ada E. Ball was born to William Hall and Laura M. Powell Hall in Bromley, Kent, England, UK.

1917 - 2nd class survivor Mrs Mary Dunbar Hewlett died of septicaemia in Naini Tal, India at the age of 61.

1912 - Day 15 of the American inquiry into the Titanic disaster in Washington, D. C., USA. Witness called that day: Maurice Farrell of Dow, Jones & Co.

1912 - Day 5 of the British inquiry into the Titanic disaster in Westminster, London, England, UK. Witnesses called that day: First Saloon Night Watchman James Johnson, Trimmer Thomas Patrick Dillon, Greaser Thomas Ranger, Trimmer George Cavell, Fireman Alfred Shiers, and Leading Fireman Charles Hendrickson.

1866 - Stewardess and survivor Mrs Emma Bliss was born to the Junod family in Rolle, Switzerland.

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Behind the Scenes: Scene Facts: King of the World

DiCaprio and Nucci performed the scene in front of a green screen.
James Cameron wanted the scene to look like an advertisement for the ship. It plays with all of the enthusiasm and optimism of the times. Cameron called the sequence "Ode to the Ship."
A closeup of Captain Smith reveals that he is wearing contact lenses.
The line "All ahead full" is actually James Cameron's voice.
"I'm the King of the World" was improvised by Cameron, because he felt Jack needed a line to put his feeling into words.
Thomas Andrews was to appear in this montage, but was removed because he hadn't yet been introduced.
The draft markings on the Titanic's bow when Jack looks at the dolphins later change size and position. Though it has been regarded as a goof, this can happen as the ship speeds up and rises out of the water.
The skylight for the crew's galley was on the port side. In overhead shots of the forecastle deck, it can be seen on the starboard side.
When asked, special effects experts that hadn't worked on Titanic guessed which people from the sweeping full ship shot. They pointed out a few as being real and others being computer-generated. All were computer-generated.
The engine room scenes were partially filmed aboard the WWII ship SS Jeremiah O'Brien, which boasted the same triple expansion reciprocating steam engine as Titanic. Smaller railings and catwalks were installed to make the engines appear bigger.
One of Cameron’s trademarks is the idea of "man v. machinery," which shows up in the emphasis on the overwhelming size of the machinery in the engine room.
The dolphins were real, however they were Pacific White Sided Dolphins, not a type found in the North Atlantic.
The pipe frames supporting the third class berths have set-screw speed rail fittings, not developed until 1946.
The gauges in the engine room are fitted with sweated tubing fittings, a plumbing technique not available when the ship was constructed. The fittings should have been threaded brass.
A 1/20th-scale model of the ship was used and the smoke and water were added. There was no water in the shot except for when the dolphins are seen.
When Captain Smith orders, "Take her to sea, Mr. Murdoch -- let's stretch her legs", they are standing to the right of the wheelhouse looking forward with the sun coming from their left. When Murdoch walks into the wheelhouse to carry out the order, the sun is behind him.
Passengers were not allowed at the forecastle head, or bow. The sign that declared "Passengers Not Allowed Beyond This Point" was mounted on the leeward side of the forward breakwater (both port and starboard), and was missing in the film.
Although the Titanic's fourth smokestack was not an exhaust avenue for the ship's engines, it was used as an outlet for the Titanic's massive kitchen. Since the Titanic used coal stoves, some smoke would have been coming out of the fourth smokestack. In one of the flyovers of the ship, it is possible to see that most of the top of the fourth smokestack is sealed.
The real Titanic had a navigation light on the stern that is missing in the film.

Film Info

cast and crew
characters
scene facts
reaction
script
movie timeline

Scene Facts
opening sequence
ghost ship
pay day
the woman in the picture
distant memories
boarding
lucky hand
paintings
king of the world
lunch
first glance
suicide
heart of the ocean
sketches on deck
dining in the snakepit
a real party
confrontations
flying
portrait
chased by lovejoy
the car
the iceberg
rescue
'not without you'
sinking
vertical stern
the promise
carpathia

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