Factual error: The movie shows men removing the boats that have been stowed (Collapsibles A - D). The boats that they remove are not collapsibles, which were wooden bottom boats with rolled down collapsible sides (hence the name). (02:18:10)
Factual error: Rose and Jack retreat aft of the 3rd funnel while D deck (1st class dining salon between funnel 2 & 3) is being flooded. They go down to E deck, which floods then they come back up to D to the locked gate, then escape to C deck just as D floods to the top. The 1st class dining salon extended across the entire width of the ship, so D deck was flooded to ceiling aft of 3rd funnel at the time they escaped below decks. In reality, if the ship were flooded that high, only the stern would be sticking above water. The 'split' did not even show the water that high and far back in the ship. (02:20:25 - 02:25:30)
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: 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: The Strauses (the old couple on the bed as "Nearer My God to Thee" is playing) had stateroom C55-7 on C-Deck, right off the grand staircase. When the ship is sinking there is water coming in from the door in their cabin. But Rose's artwork is seen floating on top of the water a few seconds later. Her cabin was B52-56 (also just aft of the grand staircase) on B-Deck which was above C-Deck. So the Straus' cabin would have been completely flooded. (02:31:20)
Factual error: When the stern (back) of the Titanic is rising into the air, there is one shot where it appears bone dry. Easily hundreds of gallons of water would have been pouring off the still wet hull. (02:34:10)
Factual error: A point is made in the movie, and it is well known, that the water temperature of the ocean where the Titanic sank is near freezing, and at the end after it sinks, the people in the water only last a few minutes before going into an unconscious stupor and then dying. but on the boat, as it is taking on water while it is sinking, Jack and Rose are running around in this freezing water for what seems about 30 minutes with no apparent ill effects. The water could not have been heated substantially, and they simply could not have lasted nearly as long as they did running around in this water as the movie showed without slipping into unconsciousness. (02:38:30)
Suggested correction: In movie time it is only a few minutes that pass yes, but realistically nobody really knows how long they were in the water before they all started dying. It could have jumped to 30 minutes later when it is quiet. Also, Jack and Rose on the boat were not submerged in water for 30 minutes consecutively, but rather in and our of water and only up to their necks for a few seconds at a time.
Factual error: At the end of the movie, the Straus' are seen lying in each other's arms on their bed with water coming into the cabin under the closed door as the ship is sinking. This is not true, their cabin was on C deck, but his body was found in the following days of the sinking. For his body to get into the open water it would have had to float through a closed door, and up several flights of stairs. Historically, they refused to leave the ship, and were last seen sitting in deck chairs. They were there when the ship sank on the boat deck. Her body was never recovered.
Factual error: In the film the water tight doors are shown to lower mechanically all the way down, however in reality the last 20 inches or so they would suddenly drop by their own weight to effectively "dent" into the floor creating the water tight seal. A few of the crew in the film getting through "at the last moment" would have actually had their lower legs shattered by several tonnes of iron.
Factual error: Shortly after Old Rose mentions just leaving the coast of Ireland, a shot of the captain's area (with the steering wheels) is shown with the sun shining in from the right (if facing toward the front of the ship) This would be impossible for a westbound ship in the middle of the day as the sunshine could not enter from the north side of the ship. The rest of the movie has all scenes with the sun correctly coming from the south during mid-day as the ship is travelling westbound.
Factual error: When Rose is trying to rescue Jack, the corridors that she is running through are a bright white colour, the lights appear to have a high colour temperature, and they have a more modern A19 bulb shape, and they might be halogen. In reality they would emit a much dimmer yellowish light. The lightbulbs would also be transparent along with a different bulb shape.
Factual error: When Jack and Rose begin to evacuate to the Titanic's stern, there should be only two lifeboats left on the ship: Collapsible A (which Cal was on) and Collapsible B (the overturned one with all men on it). However, if you pay attention you'll notice two other boats still there. One is still loading and another is in the water but still attached to the falls.
Factual error: It's impossible that Rose would've been able to survive for as long as she did whilst wearing that thin, delicate lounging dress she changed into after Jack drew her portrait. She was in and out of the water constantly before finally climbing on top of the door frame in the water, and while the coat Cal put on her could've kept her torso warm, her legs were exposed throughout much of the ordeal. The human body can barely function in freezing temperatures, but she moves around with considerable agility until shortly before she's rescued from the water.
Factual error: The layout of the hallways in the film does not match the deck plans of the real Titanic.
Factual error: During the sinking scene, Murdoch looks down the crew stairs on the starboard side, where water is entering from an open door on deck A. That door should have faced outward (starboard side) otherwise the door would have lead into cabin A7 and I don't think the occupant would have enjoyed that.
Factual error: The ribbons on Captain Smith's medals are incorrect. The ribbon on his Reserve Decoration should be plain green (it is green and red in the film) and that on his Transport Medal should be red and blue (it is blue and white in the film).
Factual error: In the seen after the preacher finishes his dialogue; it shows the woman floating in the first class lounge with which is completely under water. But about a minute or so later after it shows the maid slide down the deck, the part of lounge that was supposed to be flooded is still above water. The lounge in just a bit forward of the 3rd funnel on A Deck which wasn't submerged until after the break up in the film. The light fixture is one deck down aft of the compass tower between funnel 2 and 3.
Factual error: When Rose's mother is having tea, all the women are wearing gloves as they have tea. This would never have happened as Edwardian ladies always removed their gloves and placed them in their laps under their napkins when they sat at a table, before eating or drinking anything so as not to soil them.
