Factual error: When Jack and Rose are running through the boiler room not only is there no door between boiler room 6 and the cars but the cars were kept two decks higher, and there was a shaft between them. (01:29:30)
Factual error: When Rose is trying to save Jack when he was handcuffed, she walks through a crew passage by the first class elevators on E-Deck. However this crew passage did not exist when you check the deck plans. (01:54:40)
Factual error: When DiCaprio is showing off his sketchbook, there is one with a man's hands around a young girl's torso with his hands on hers. This drawing is an exact replica of a photograph by celebrated photographer Sally Mann called "Rodney Plogger at 6:01, 1989." Most likely a tribute of some sort by the director to a fellow artist, but obviously this drawing is out of place in 1912. [From the New York Times Arts and Leisure section, Sunday, November 19, 2000: "The film director James Cameron copied an image from "Immediate Family" and displayed it prominently in "Titanic" without Ms. Mann's permission. The resulting grievance was settled out of court for a substantial sum just weeks before the Academy Awards."] (00:48:45)
Factual error: In the shots taken in the grand staircase, the lights on the ceiling are flush with the ceiling itself. The lights in the actual Titanic's grand staircase were mounted via a small pedestal. Earlier in the film when the submarine is exploring the grand staircase, there is a shot of one of these same lights except this light actually has the original pedestal. (01:57:05)
Factual error: When the camera pulls back through the pub window to reveal the card players, if you look carefully in the background you will see a steam engine on the dock. Unfortunately the computer generated loco more closely resembles a German tank locomotive rather than a British one, having two domes and several appliances on top of the boiler. British railway engines usually had a single dome, if any, as well as a whistle and safety valve on the boiler, thus having cleaner, uncluttered appearances. There were extremely few locomotives in Britain that had two or more domes, particularly prior to World War I, and the ones that did (which were mostly American imports) were not even remotely similar to the one in the film. It also is shunting what looks like a carriage - again, more closely resembling those of continental Europe. Carriages were rarely seen at docks, except if a train was connecting to a ship, and this was not common until the 1920s. (00:23:10)
Factual error: Those USA $20 bills that Caledon Hockley stuffs into the pocket of First Officer Murdoch are Federal Reserve Notes, which were first issued in 1914, two years after the Titanic sank. (02:07:20)
Factual error: When Jack describes taking Rose to the Santa Monica Pier, he specifically mentions riding on the roller coaster. Although the pier itself did open in 1909, the land for the amusement portion of the pier was not even purchased until 1916. (00:53:45)
Factual error: Professional Radio Operators hold the key used for Morse code between their thumb and two fingers - they don't tap it, as was shown. Tapping would produce a harsh voice in Morse code. (01:45:25)
Factual error: Both times the fireplace in the first class lounge is seen there is nothing on the mantlepiece. But in photos of the actual lounge there is a statue on the mantle called "Artemis of Versailles" which was a small copy of the original in the Louvre, Paris. The statue was even photographed on the ocean floor when the Titanic was found, but there is no statue in James Cameron's movie. (02:20:40)
Factual error: Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) was handcuffed with old English Hiatt's Darby Handcuffs (type 104). This is historically correct. But the key for these handcuffs identifies them as modern reproductions, because it had a flat top and was "checkered". The old keys had an oval and smooth (only marked with "Hiatt" and a number) top. The handcuffs used in the film were not from 1912. (01:47:50)
Factual error: All deep sea submersibles that travel to depths of two or three miles fall to the ocean floor with no power on. At the start of the film, you see MIR1 and MIR2 pan past the camera with all their lights on. The lights should be off to conserve electrical power. The journey to the sea bed takes two and a half hours. (00:02:00)
Factual error: On the real Titanic the first set of davits were cranked back in to lower the lifeboat Cal is in, not the second set. One of the davits that should have been cranked back in is still on the real Titanic in the position ready for picking up the lifeboat to lower it. (02:25:40 - 02:34:45)
Factual error: Early in the film Jack smokes hand-rolled cigarettes. When he is smoking on the stern deck before Rose is thinking about jumping, he is smoking a mass-produced filter cigarette. Filters in cigarettes didn't exist in 1912. (00:36:05)
Factual error: Rose takes the elevator down to rescue Jack. When the operator goes back up, the elevator moves when the gates are still open. In reality, the gates had to be closed before the elevator car could move. (01:54:00)
Factual error: The radio system in use at that time was based on spark transmission and we should never have heard a nice clean transmission of Morse code SOS or CQD beeps. (01:45:25)
Factual error: Regarding the church service on the Titanic, it was non-sectarian, however it was based on the Anglican Church in England (or Episcopal in America). The fact is that Captains did conduct the service, were open to anyone; thus Jack could not have been kept out. (01:12:05)
Suggested correction: On the real Titanic, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd classes were strictly segregated, not to mention the social attitudes of the era. Hence, no steerage passenger (e.g. Jack Dawson) would have been allowed onto First-class spaces. Furthermore, in real life, there was no single church service open to all on that day - Second class had their own service in their dining room (i.e., separate from First class).
Then, how did Jack get to go to dinner with the first-class passengers?
He was invited for saving Rose's life. (I haven't seen the scene in years, but I think Rose invites him.) Molly Brown then gets him some clothes. (I believe she mentions that he is her son's size.) Otherwise, he would not have been allowed in 1st class.
Factual error: When the captain declares to Bruce Ismay that the last boilers have been lighted, it's only half true. Sunday morning, the last "regular" boilers were lighted to reach a total of 24 out of 29. The five boilers of the auxiliary boiler room number one are not in operation yet. The day after, weather permitting, it was planned to light them on for a few hours to see if the Titanic had something in the ball. (01:13:00)
Suggested correction: He doesn't say that to Ismay. Ismay says, "I see you haven't lit the last four boilers," and Smith replies, "I don't see the need. We are making excellent time."
Factual error: When Titanic is leaving Southampton she accelerates in few seconds to a incredible fast speed. That was impossible then, when large steamers were helped off by tiny tugboats. In the long shot in fact, you can see the tugboats - no way she could accelerate that fast if being towed. (00:26:40)
Factual error: When the ship hits the iceberg and the plates of the hull start to buckle and break apart, it shows a scene on the inside of the ship showing the walls buckling in, along those walls you can see vertical pipes that appear to made of PVC, similar to the pipes used for sewage drains in modern building structure. I don't think PVC was around in 1912, the pipes would have been made of cast iron or lead and they would not have been white. (01:37:00)
Factual error: Cal and Rose are supposedly in cabins B52-54-56, but in reality this was the suite booked by JP Morgan, and subsequently believed to be occupied by Chairman Bruce Ismay. (00:22:20)
