Jeannie Nielsen, Staff Writer
This past Saturday marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic on its maiden voyage. In honor of this, the 1997 film, starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio that made the disaster famous, is back in theaters for a limited engagement (in 3-D, no less) so fans can once again laugh at Jack’s boyish charm and then cry when Rose won’t make room for him on the raft. Even though most of this generation can recite the movie verbatim, there are little tidbits about Titanic that a lot of the general public may not be aware of.
– Chocolatier Milton Hershey was supposed to be a passenger aboard the Titanic. However, due to complications, he cancelled at the last minute. Had he been aboard, who knows if smores or Hershey Kisses would have even been invented.
– The character that Kathy Bates portrayed, Margaret “Molly” Brown, is one of the most well-known survivors of the tragedy. Her former home in Denver is currently a museum and is open for workshops and tours.
– At just nine weeks old, Millvana Dean was the youngest passenger on the ship, and was saved after she was put in a lifeboat. She held the title of the last remaining survivor at the time of her death in 2009. Despite her legacy, she underwent serious financial difficulties and could not afford her living expenses. When this was made public, Winslet and DiCaprio stepped forward and paid for the care in her nursing home.
– Ship contractors spared no expense in designing amenities for first-class passengers. Some of the bonuses included a library, a Turkish spa, a heated swimming pool and a squash court. Passengers could even have surgery on board; the ship had its own operating room… not bad for 1912.
– A memorial cruise ship, the SS Balmoral, is afloat this week. The ship is a replica of the Titanic and departed from the same spot and will follow the same route. The ship is also carrying family members of people who were aboard the original. Call me crazy, but isn’t all of that just a bad omen?
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