ODE TO TITANIC
Chapter One
It’s a beautiful day for the
maiden voyage of Titanic. A large crowd surrounds the ship. Some are last
minute passengers and others spectators. We focus on four people walking up the
gangplank leading to first class. First up is Ruth DeWitt Bukater. The overbearing
mother of they young redhead being escorted by her fiancé. Rose DeWitt Bukater
and Caledon Hockley. Son of the wealthy steel tycoon Nathan Hockley. Behind
them comes Rose’s lady’s maid, Trudy. She was from France and Rose’s lady’s
maid…or rather…was on a trial run as Rose’s lady’s maid. If she worked out, the
position was permanent.
Looking at Rose, it was obvious
that she was unhappy. Just by the dimness in her eyes. Suddenly, music begins
and Rose begins to sing.
Rose:
Every single night the same arrangement
I go out and fight the fight
Still, I always feel the strange estrangement
Nothing here is real,
Nothing here is right
I’ve been making shows of changing clothes
Just hoping no one knows
That I’ve been
Going through the motions
Walking through the part
Nothing seems to penetrate my heart
I was always brave and kind of righteous
Now I find I'm wavering
Crawl out of your place you’ll find this fight
Just doesn't mean a thing.
Trudy:
She ain't got that swing.
Rose:
Thanks for noticing.
Trudy:
She does pretty well with dealing with swells
But lately, I can tell
That she's just
Going through the motions
Faking it somehow
She's not even half the girl she...
(bites tongue)
Ow.
Rose:
Will I stay this way forever?
Sleepwalk through my life's endeavor.
Officer:
Can I take your name?
Rose:
Whatever
I don't want to be
Going through the motions
Losing all my drive
I can't even see
If this is really me
And I just wanna be
Alive.
*****
The scene changes and we focus on
the crowded, smoky inside of a nearby pub. Jack Dawson and Fabrizio di Rossi,
two twenty-year-old working class guys, are deeply absorbed in a poker game
with two arguing Swedes.
Fabrizio: (in a low tone of
voice) Jack, you are pazzo. You bet everything we have.
Jack: If you got nothing, you got
nothing to lose. (to everyone) Moment of truth, boys. Somebody's life's about
to change.
Fabrizio puts his cards down.
Jack: Niente.
Fabrizio: Niente!
One of the Swedes puts his cards
down.
Jack: Uh-oh. Two pair…I’m sorry,
Fabrizio…
Fabrizio: Que sorry? Ma va fa'n
culo testa di cazzo...you’ve lost all our money!
Jack: Sorry, you're not gonna see
your mama again for a long time...'cause you're goin' to America! Full house,
boys!
Jack grins widely and Fabrizio
explodes into laughter.
Fabrizio: I’m going to America!
Jack grabs the tickets and the
money and together they race out of the pub, leaving the two fighting Swedes
behind.
Jack: I’ve been traveling around
for five years. We’ve seen nearly everything. But now I’m finally returning
home, the place I have never forgotten.
He begins to sing:
Been on this path of life for
so long
Feel I've walked a thousands miles
Sometimes strolled alone
Everybody's been there
With danger on my mind I would stand on the line of hope
I knew I could make it
Once I knew the boundaries I looked into the clouds and saw
My face in the moonlight
Just then I realized what a fool I could be
Just cause I look so high don't have to see me
Finding a paradise wasn't easy but still
There's a road going down the other side of this hill
Never forget where you've come here from
Never pretend that it's all real
Someday soon this will be someone else’s dream.
Fabrizio:
Been safe from the arms of disappointment for so long
Feel each day we've come too far
Yet each day seems to make much more
Sure is good to be here
I understand the meaning of 'I can't explain this feeling'
Now I see the hand that reminds me of I stand I make
The fact of reality
Never forget where you've come here from
Never pretend that it's all real
Someday soon this will be someone else’s dream.
Jack and Fabrizio:
We've come so far and we've reached so high
And we've looked each day and night in the eye
And we’re still so young and we hope for more
But remember this
We're not invincible, we’re not invincible--no
We're only people, we're only people
Hey we're not invincible, we're not invincible
So again I tell you
Never forget where you've come here from
Never pretend that it's all real
Someday soon this will be someone else’s dream
We've come so far and we've reached so high
And we've looked each day and night in the eye
And we’re still so young and we hope for more…