Titanic (1997)
Frances Fisher: Ruth Dewitt Bukater
Photos
Quotes
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Ruth : [with other passengers in line behind her] Will the lifeboats be seated according to class? I hope they're not too crowded.
Rose : Oh mother, shut up! Don't you understand? The water is freezing and there aren't enough boats. Not enough by half. Half the people on this ship are going to die.
Cal Hockley : Not the better half.
Molly Brown : Come on Ruth, get in the boat. First-class seats are right up here.
Cal Hockley : You know, it's a pity I didn't keep that drawing. It'll be worth a lot more by morning.
Rose : You unimaginable bastard!
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Molly Brown : [to the group who are dining at the same table] Hey, uh, who thought of the name Titanic? Was it you, Bruce?
Ismay : Yes, actually. I wanted to convey sheer size, and size means stability, luxury, and above all, strength.
Rose : Do you know of Dr. Freud, Mr. Ismay? His ideas about the male preoccupation with size might be of particular interest to you.
Ruth : [whispering] What's gotten into you?
Rose : Excuse me.
[She rises and leaves]
Ruth : I do apologize.
Molly Brown : She's a pistol, Cal! Hope you can handle her.
Cal Hockley : Well, I may have to start minding what she reads from now on, won't I, Mrs. Brown?
Ismay : Freud? Who is he? Is he a passenger?
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[Jack is teaching Rose how to spit]
Rose : Mother! May I introduce Jack Dawson?
Ruth : Charmed, I'm sure.
[Old Rose, voice in off]
Old Rose : The others were gracious and curious about the man who had saved my life. But my mother looked at him like an insect. A dangerous insect, which must be squashed quickly.
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Ruth : So this is the ship they say is unsinkable.
Cal Hockley : It is unsinkable. God himself could not sink this ship!
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Ruth : The purpose of university is to find a suitable husband. Rose has already done that.
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Ruth : Tell us of the accomodations in steerage, Mr. Dawson. I hear they're quite good on the ship.
Jack : The best I've seen, Ma'am. Hardly any rats.
[laughter from the table]
Cal Hockley : Mr. Dawson is joining us from the Third Class. He was of some assistance to my fiancée last night.
Rose : It turns out that Mr. Dawson is quite a fine artist. He was kind enough to show me some of us work today.
Cal Hockley : Rose and I differ somewhat in our opinion of fine art...
[to Jack]
Cal Hockley : Not to impune you work, sir.
Jack : [Jack shrugs it off as no offense; Jack looks down at his utensils, confused as which to use, he turns to Molly Brown] Are these all for me?
Molly Brown : Just start from the outside and work your way in.
Ismay : He has every rivet in it, don't you, Thomas?
Rose : Your ship is a wonder, Mr. Andrews, truly.
Thomas Andrews : Thank you, Rose.
Waiter : [to Jack] How do you take your caviar, sir?
Jack : No caviar for me, thanks. Never did like it much.
Ruth : And where exactly do you live, Mr. Dawson?
Jack : Well, right now, my address is the RMS Titanic, after that, I'm on God's good humor.
Ruth : And how is it you have means to travel?
Jack : I work my way from place to place, you know, tramp steamers and such, but I won my ticket on Titanic here in a lucky hand of poker, a very lucky hand.
Col. Archibald Gracie : All life is a game of luck.
Cal Hockley : A real man makes his own luck, Archie. Right, Dawson.
Jack : Mm-hmm.
Ruth : And you find that sort of rootless existence appealing, do you?
Jack : Well, yes, ma'am, I do. I mean, I've got everything I need right here with me. I've got air in my lungs and a few blank sheets of paper. I mean, I love waking up in the morning not knowing what's going to happen or...
[Eating of piece of bread]
Jack : ... Who I'm gonna meet, where I'm gonna wind up. Just the other night, I was sleeping under a bridge and now, here I am on the grandest ship in the world having champagne with you fine people.
[to the waiter]
Jack : I'll take some more of that.
[Back to the table]
Jack : I figured life's a gift and I don't intend on wasting it. You never know what hand you're gonna get dealt next. You learn to take life as it comes at you.
[Seeing Cal getting ready to light up a cigarette, he throws Cal his lighter]
Jack : Here you go, Cal.
[Back to the table]
Jack : To make each day count.
Molly Brown : Well said, Jack.
Col. Archibald Gracie : Here, here.
Rose : [Raising her glass for a toast] To making it count.
[the table joins in on the toast]
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Ruth : [Trudy is lacing up the back of Rose's corset, as Ruth enters with a stern look on her face] Tea, Trudy.
Trudy Bolt : Yes, ma'am.
[Trudy leaves, Ruth takes over with Rose's corset]
Ruth : You are not to see that boy again, do you understand me?
[Rose doesn't respond, Ruth yanks hard on the laces]
Ruth : Rose?
[Rose again doesn't answer]
Ruth : I forbid it.
Rose : Oh, stop it, Mother. You'll give yourself a nose bleed.
Ruth : [spins Rose around to face her] This is not a game. Our situation is precarious. You know the money's gone.
Rose : Of course I know it's gone. You remind me every day.
Ruth : Your father left us nothing but a legacy of bad debts hidden by a good name. That name is the only card we have to play.
[beat]
Ruth : I don't understand you... it is a fine match with Hockley. It will ensure our survival!
Rose : How can you put this on my shoulders?
Ruth : Why are you being so selfish?
Rose : I'M being selfish?
Ruth : Do you want to see me working as a seamstress? Is that what you want? To see our fine things sold at auction? Our memories scattered to the wind?
[turns away with her voice breaking]
Rose : [sighs] It's so unfair.
Ruth : Of course it's unfair. We're women. Our choices are never easy.
[she kisses Rose on the cheek, Rose turns back around and Ruth continues to lace her corset]
