The sinking of the Titanic was a shocking event in 1912 and four months later, this movie about the event was made. The characters shown are unnamed, but described; there's little doubt that the audience knew their names.
The choices of whom to show may seem peculiar to the modern audience: the captain, the officer who spots the ice berg, the telegrapher who stuck to his key, some waiters and the black gang; the passengers we get to see are first class passengers. If there is anyone from the lower classes, they are incidental.
Is this a feature film? The copy I saw was 35 minutes in length, and handsomely tinted. For a modern audience, that would be a long short subject, but in 1912 it definitely was. Because the mechanics and the acts of the movie are the interest of this film, the acting and characters are undefined.
The choices of whom to show may seem peculiar to the modern audience: the captain, the officer who spots the ice berg, the telegrapher who stuck to his key, some waiters and the black gang; the passengers we get to see are first class passengers. If there is anyone from the lower classes, they are incidental.
Is this a feature film? The copy I saw was 35 minutes in length, and handsomely tinted. For a modern audience, that would be a long short subject, but in 1912 it definitely was. Because the mechanics and the acts of the movie are the interest of this film, the acting and characters are undefined.