Did Titanic deserve a screenplay nomination?

[RobertPius Joined: Nov 22nd, 2012 Topics: 255 Posts: 1688 View Predictions]

#1203504425

They ran it on CBS Sunday. I had forgotten that it wasn’t even nominated for Best Original Screenplay. I think it should have got the spot Deconstructing Harry took.

Granted some of the dialogue in Titanic is a bit hokey but the structuring and plotting of the whole thing deserved it more than a mediocre Woody Allen movie.

Thoughts?

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[M: The Original Joined: Aug 5th, 2014 Topics: 57 Posts: 6361 View Predictions]

#1203504432

No. Its script is pedestrian. James Cameron’s directorial prowess is why Titanic works at all.

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[BigJay2012 Joined: Nov 30th, 2011 Topics: 5 Posts: 513 View Predictions]

#1203504443

The screenplay deserved a nomination. The structure of the script was fantastic. Screenplays shouldn’t only be lauded for clever dialogue. You had to have a great script to tell a 3 hour story like Titanic well.

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[m844 Joined: Jan 4th, 2020 Topics: 1 Posts: 82 View Predictions]

#1203504449

Yes, Titanic should have been nominated for and won the Original Screenplay Oscar. The film was a technical marvel, but also an incredible achievement in acting and writing as well.

I double checked and Titanic was the first film since The Sound of Music in 1965 to win Best Picture without a Screenplay nomination. No other Best Picture winner since Titanic in 1997 has won Best Picture without at least a Screenplay nomination.

Interesting, the other Titanic (1953) film won the Original Screenplay Oscar. The irony.

The list of 7 Best Picture winners without a Screenplay nomination:

1997 Titanic
1965 The Sound of Music
1948 Hamlet
1932-1933 Cavalcade
1931-1932 Grand Hotel
1928-1929 The Broadway Melody
1927-1928 Wings

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[ArtIsntEasy Joined: Dec 17th, 2011 Topics: 2 Posts: 984 View Predictions]

#1203504486

While I do concede that the structure of the film worked well, I think the dialogue was more than enough reason to not let slip into the race.

I agree with M….the direction and pacing/editing along with a solid ensemble and spectacle helped shield the true horror of the dialogue.

“The art of making art is putting it together...”

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[JayDF Joined: Sep 18th, 2011 Topics: 35 Posts: 16124 View Predictions]

#1203504501

No.

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[Atypical Joined: Dec 1st, 2011 Topics: 344 Posts: 20553 View Predictions]

#1203504504

No. The screenplay was its worst element (give or take Billy Zane).

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[JackO Joined: Jun 2nd, 2011 Topics: 12 Posts: 4891 View Predictions]

#1203504517

NOPE

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[AMG Joined: Sep 20th, 2012 Topics: 168 Posts: 4232 View Predictions]

#1203504708

Obviously single lines aren’t enough to get a nomination, however for a film to be quoted regularly (more than one line too) over 20 years after its release…the screenplay’s got to have something about it.

‘I’m king of the world‘
‘Paint me like one of your French girls‘
‘I’ll never let go‘

Avatar doesn’t have that quotability (for a sort of comparison of Cameron blockbusters that didn’t get a screenplay nod).

Check out more of my thoughts on Twitter (@AMG_Review) and Instagram (amg_reviews)

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[Kay Joined: Feb 22nd, 2019 Topics: 1 Posts: 1202 View Predictions]

#1203504710

Yes. should’ve won.

AMG wrote:

Obviously single lines aren’t enough to get a nomination, however for a film to be quoted regularly (more than one line too) over 20 years after its release…the screenplay’s got to have something about it. ‘I’m king of the world‘ ‘Paint me like one of your French girls‘ ‘I’ll never let go‘ Avatar doesn’t have that quotability (for a sort of comparison of Cameron blockbusters that didn’t get a screenplay nod).

“It’s been 84 years”… lol jk

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[AMG Joined: Sep 20th, 2012 Topics: 168 Posts: 4232 View Predictions]

#1203504719

Kay wrote:

Yes. should’ve won.

“It’s been 84 years”… lol jk

You joke but…people use it to this day. Cameron’s having the last laugh.

Check out more of my thoughts on Twitter (@AMG_Review) and Instagram (amg_reviews)

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[cracker of whips, bringer of jocks Joined: Sep 2nd, 2019 Topics: 0 Posts: 129 View Predictions]

#1203505005

My favourite film! I’m admittedly conflicted on whether the screenplay was really that good but I still think it deserved at least a nomination.

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[JayDF Joined: Sep 18th, 2011 Topics: 35 Posts: 16124 View Predictions]

#1203505097

Quoting is a mark of popularity not necessarily quality.

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[keithw Joined: Aug 17th, 2012 Topics: 37 Posts: 365 View Predictions]

#1203505267

A nomination…..yes, it should have been nominated.

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[BamaEd Joined: Nov 3rd, 2010 Topics: 21 Posts: 1557 View Predictions]

#1203505271

JayDF wrote:

Quoting is a mark of popularity not necessarily quality.

Nomination? I could live with that. Win? No. I think if Cameron was just a co-writer on Titanic, that maybe would have helped him get a screenplay nomination. The nominators may have thought it was just too much, when screenplay was one of the weakest parts of the film (yeah, along with Zane). Good Will Hunting was always going to win because of the screenplay and the story of Ben & Matt. But As Good As It Gets, Boogie Nights, and The Full Monty are a great roster.

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