The story of Jack and Rose is one of a forbidden love... love that lived on, even in death.
Rose was a rich girl, who was on Titanic because her soon-to-be-husband Calton Hockley had reserved accomadations on the "unsinkable ship". "It was the ship of dreams, to everyone else. For me it was a slave ship, taking me back to America in chains. Outwardly I was everything a well brought up girl should be. Inside, I was screaming".
Jack was a poor artist who had moved away from Chippawa Falls, Wisconsin when he was 15. He had traveled from place to place, on tramp steamers and such, to places like Santa Monica, California and Paris, France. The day Titanic sailed, Jack was playing poker with two Swedish men and his good friend Fabrizio. It was the last hand...Sven had betted his and his friend's third class tickets aboard Titanic. Jack playing Poker Jack wins the tickets, and he takes off for the ship with Fabrizio.
Rose hated her life. "I saw my life as if I'd already lived it... an endless parade of parties and cotillions, yachts and polo matches... always the same narrow people, the same mindless chatter. I felt like I was standing at a great precipice, with no one to pull me back, no one who cared... or even noticed."
Rose and Jack met when Rose is standing on the back of the ship, threatening to jump off. Jack Saves Rose He successfully pulls her back over the railing. Because of his valient efforts, Cal invites Jack to dinner the next evening (mainly for his own entertainment). Jack accepts.
The next day, Rose introduces Jack to "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" (wonderfully portrayed by Kathy Bates). Molly tells Jack that he is going into the snake pit and asks what he is planning to wear. He hadn't really thought about that...so Molly lets him borrow her son's tuxedo for dinner. Molly says that Jack "shins up like a new penny".
At dinner, Cal hardley recognizes Jack. "It's amazing. You could almost pass for a gentelman". Jack comes back with "Almost". After dinner, Jack invites Rose to a "real party" below deck. There is irish music playing, and most everyone is having a great time...including Rose. Rose proves to Jack that she isn't just some first class girl with no real skills. She can dance, she can drink, she can do things that astound the people. We also see a shot of Spicer Lovejoy (Cal's Valet) spying on them.
The next day, Jack tries to talk to Rose...but Lovejoy won't let her into the room where she is. He tells Jack to remember that he holds a third class ticket and that his presence is no longer necessary. Later that day, Jack is diguised in a "borrowed" coat so that he can pass as a first class man. He finds a moment to talk to Rose. Rose and Jack Talking She leaves and says she doesn't want to see him again.
That evening, Rose meets jack on the bow's railing. I'm Flying! Jack teaches Rose to "fly"...and they share their first kiss.
Rose wants Jack to draw her wearing a necklace that Cal had given her (called The Heart of the Ocean)...wearing only the necklace. Jack, draws her (and you can tell he is VERY nervous) and the picture comes out beautifully. She puts the picture in Cal's safe, along with a special note. Note To Cal
Later, Rose and Jack are on the boat deck kissing. All of a sudden, they see a massive iceberg run along the side of the boat and feel the shudder of it's impact. They hear the captain talking about the damages and Rose decides that they need to tell her mother and Cal about it.
When Jack and Rose go back to Rose's room, Lovejoy is waiting outside for them. He slips the neclace into Jack's pocket. When they walk into the room, there are some guards in there and Cal accuses Jack of taking the necklace. Cal Frames Jack The Master at Arms reaches into Jack's pocket and pulls out the necklace. The guard hadncuff Jack and take him to another part of the ship...leaving Rose behind. Hurt and confused.
Ruth, Cal, and Rose are on the deck, gettig ready to board a lifeboat. Ruth comments on the capacity of the boat, saying she hopes they are not too crowded. Rose tells her to shut up...that there are only enough boats for half of the people on the ship and half of the people are going to die. Cal remarks "Not the better half". With that comment, Rose realizes that Jack didn't take the necklace and she runs to find him.
Rose finds Jack, handcuffed to a pipe. She frees him and they race through the flooding ship, trying to get onto a boat. When they reach the boats, the people in charge aren't letting men onto the boats. Rose refuses to leave without Jack...until Cal shows up. He says that he has made an arrangment and that he and Jack will catch a boat on the other side of the ship. Rose reluctently boards.
As the boat is being lowered, Rose looks at Jack and Jack looks at Rose...he realizes that this is the last time he will ever see her agian. She jumps off of the boat...back onto the sinking Titanic. Jack runs to meet her and they imbrase in a fierce hug. Rose says "You jump I jump, right?".
They are unable to catch a boat so they run to the very back of the ship (which is the back...which is the place where they first met). When the ship sinks, the suction of the sinking ship pulls them under but they resurface and look for something to float on.
They find a peice of wood...but it is only big enough for one of them. So Jack tells Rose to climb on, realizing that he is probably going to die. She tries to say her goodbyes but Jack won't let her. Never Let Go Jack tells Rose not to let go...that she has to promise to live. She promises.
Later, Rose sees a boat that has come to save the survivers in the water. She turns to Jack...but he is asleep. So she tries to wake him...but he won't wake up. Realizing that he is dead, she closes her eyes...as if to die with him. All of the sudden, she opens her eyes. She kisses Jack's hand and lets go of it saying "I will never let go. I promise."
She swims over to a dead person who has a whistle in his mouth. She grabs it and starts blowing, signaling to the boat that she is there.
When she gets back to New York, she lives under the name Rose Dawson. She becomes an actress and remarries, having babies. She visits the Santa Monica Peir (just like she had talked to Jack about doing some day with him) and she flys a plane.
When she dies, an old lady warm in her bed, she returns to Titanic. It is a new as the day it set sail...and waiting for her at the top of the first class staircase is Jack...just as he had 85 years before. She is a young girl agian of 17. They embrass and share a sweet kiss.
The love of Rose and Jack had lasted forever...even in death.