Since the debut of Titanic in 1997, there has been ongoing discussion about the wooden plank that prevented Rose (played by Kate Winslet) from entering the freezing water, and whether it could have also held her love interest, Jack (played by Leonardo DiCaprio).
A fortunate scientist now has the opportunity to verify their theory, as the prop balsa wood piece was sold at an auction for $718,750 (£567,561).
According to the auction records, the door that was attached to the frame above the entrance to the ship’s first-class lounge is held onto by the main couple as the ship goes down. However, they soon realize that there is only enough room for one person to stay afloat, prompting Jack to sacrifice himself for Rose’s survival.
In 2022, filmmaker James Cameron sought to dispel rumors surrounding the necessity of Jack’s death by conducting a “scientific investigation,” as he shared with Postmedia. The goal was to definitively end the debate and put this issue to rest.
“We conducted a detailed forensic examination with a specialist in hypothermia, who recreated the raft scene from the movie. We used two stunt performers with the same body mass as Kate and Leo and outfitted them with sensors both on and inside their bodies. Then, we submerged them in ice water and tested different scenarios to determine if both of them could have survived. Our findings showed that it was not possible for both of them to survive, only one could have survived.”
Cameron used a more emotional reasoning to justify his decision: “[Jack] had to die. It’s reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet. The film portrays themes of love, sacrifice, and mortality, with love being proven through sacrifice.”
At the event “Treasures from Planet Hollywood” hosted by Heritage Auctions, notable items up for bidding included Winslet’s chiffon dress worn in the finale scene of Titanic, which sold for $125,000 in British pounds at a value of £98,743. The bullwhip used by Indiana Jones in The Temple of Doom sold for $525,000, equivalent to £414,717, and Jack Nicholson’s famous axe from The Shining was purchased for $125,000 or £98,743.
At the recent auction, Bill Murray’s bowling ball adorned with red roses from the movie Kingpin was sold for $350,000 (£276,454), while Tobey Maguire’s black symbiote suit from Spider-Man 3 was sold for $125,000 (£98,743).
Wayne Knight’s can of shaving cream, which was used to sneak out dinosaur embryos in Jurassic Park, fetched $250,000 (£197,451). Similarly, Carrie Fisher’s blaster from Return of the Jedi was sold for $150,000 (£118,463).
Several items from Monday’s auction did not sell, but they are still up for purchase. This includes Mark Addy’s red thong from The Full Monty, with a “buy it now” price of $625/£494.
Source: theguardian.com
