Factual error: The Master-at-Arms office, where Jack is handcuffed, was in actuality an inside cabin and had no portholes at all. (01:51:10)
Continuity mistake: When Rose and Jack are running down the corridor after the water breaks down the doors and comes rushing in, Rose has on flat shoes instead of heels. This was probably done for safety reasons. (00:34:30)
Continuity mistake: After Rose cuts Jack's handcuffs with the axe there is no chain left in between the two wrist cuffs. There was enough room between his hands to stretch them across the pipe so there must have been at least a few inches of chain. Surely there would have been some chain links left on one side or the other depending on where she cut it. (02:00:40)
Continuity mistake: When Jack is teaching Rose how to spit, then gets caught by some ladies, he has a glob of spit on the far upper right side of his chin, then the shot switches and it is now on bottom middle and a little to the left of his chin. (00:52:25)
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."
Continuity mistake: After Rose sees the Titanic, Cal replies "it's 100 feet longer than the Mauretania", with nobody behind him. Right then the angle changes and his chauffeur appears. (00:21:20)
Suggested correction: Lovejoy is seen further back. When Cal says its 100ft longer, he turns to help Ruth out of the car and Lovejoy is still further back. However due to the new angle, he appears closer.
Continuity mistake: When Rose runs to commit suicide, the people she bumps into disappear in the immediate aerial angle. (00:35:10)
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.
Trivia: Despite the highly positive reception of the film, filmmaker Robert Altman (M.A.S.H., The Player) called it "the most dreadful piece of work I have ever seen in my life."
Suggested correction: Did he mean it for real or said so jokingly?
He meant it. Quoted in an interview with journalist Roger Friedman, Altman made it clear that he hated the film. Had he been joking I doubt if James Cameron would have responded the way he did - "That comes from a guy who only directed TV movies that went nowhere." I don't think either man was having a laugh, do you?
Thanks. This info doesn't sound credible to me. I had to ask because I wanted to make sure.
Factual error: Rose turned left after exiting the elevator during the search for Jack during the sinking. In the real Titanic, there was a wall to the left of the elevator in E Deck. In addition, going left from the elevators would take her to the port side of the ship, but the corridor outside the cabin where Jack is is on the starboard side. (01:53:40)
Suggested correction: Coming out of the elevator, you turned left to have access to the long corridor called Scotland Road.
Continuity mistake: The drawing of Rose by Jack which Cal finds in the safe changes when the divers later find it in the wreck.
Suggested correction: Actually it does not. Comparing side by side the pictures they are identical. The actual picture seen (drawn by James Cameron) was sold at auction in 2011.
Continuity mistake: When Jack and Rose are running through the dining room, both of them are completely dry and running up. After Cal tells Lovejoy he'll give him the diamond if he gets it back, we cut back to Jack and Rose and both of them are soaking wet, most noticeably Jack. (02:13:15)
Continuity mistake: After Cal throws Rose's cigarette away, she lowers her hand. Then there's a very brief angle on Molly Brown where Rose is lowering her hand again up to a point where it disappears offscreen. Then a millisecond later it cuts back to Rose and her hand is magically raised and still, no sign of her lowering it, and shortly after she lowers it while Cal extinguishes the cigarette and she places her index finger on the holder. Close-up on Rose and her fingers are in the previous position and she is extending her index finger again to hide the holder. So there's actually 2 mistakes in a lapse of 3 seconds. (00:32:10)
Continuity mistake: In the scene where Jack and Rose enter the water, Rose is barefoot, yet later she is wearing pale shoes: the heels are visible later when Rose is on the floating door. (02:36:50)
Continuity mistake: After Rose breaks Jack's handcuffs they join some sailors to ram down a gate. A frame later, from the opposite angle, the gate's position is totally different. (02:03:10)
Other mistake: In the scene where Rose is sitting in front of her vanity mirror after Jack saves her life, Cal bestows upon her the 16-carat Heart of the Ocean necklace. He drapes the necklace around her neck but never actually fastens it (the camera's on him the whole time), yet it stays in place even as Rose touches the diamond and runs her fingers across the chain. A 16-carat diamond would slide right off someone's neck if it were not properly fastened.
Suggested correction: It's actually 56 carats, and if you watch it again, he keeps his hand on the back of her neck over the clasp. He is the one keeping it in place.
Suggested correction: I checked the plans. It's an outside cabin.
It's an inside cabin per the deck plans. Https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-deckplans/e-deck.html.