File:Titanic Disaster - Genuine Footage (1911-1912)(enhanced).webm

This film contains the only genuine footage of the Titanic held by British Pathé. Slightly different versions of this footage are held by British Movietone and the British Film Institute National Archive.

Part of this footage is duplicated on tape PM3478, the Gaumont newsreel which contains the only known footage of the Titanic. Pathé has joint rights in this film with the holders of the Gaumont footage.

Introductory intertitle reads:

[ The `Titanic' leaving Belfast Lough for Southampton. April 2nd 1912. ]

Eight shots follow of the Titanic moored at Belfast, where it was built at the Harland & Wolff shipyard. In several shots, we see men walking beside the ship and smoke comes from the Titanic's third funnel. The ship is not actually departing, the ship is virtually stationary through all shots. These shots are the only movie footage known of the actual Titanic itself; most film seen is of the Titanic’s twin ship, the Olympic, built at the Harland & Wolff shipyard at the same time.

Intertitle reads: [ Before the disaster, Captain Smith on the Bridge. ] Close-up of Captain Edward J. Smith presumably scanning the sea — he was actually filmed on board the Olympic rather than the Titanic. Smith perished when the Titanic sank.

Flashing intertitle reads: [ C-Q-D Help! Help! We are sinking! ] CQD (transmitted in Morse code) was one of the first distress signals adopted for Marconi radio use, only just being replaced by SOS in 1912.

Intertitle: [ The Graveyard of the Sea - Icebergs and Icefloes near the scene of the disaster.] A shot from a moving ship of some icefloes, then some dramatic icebergs.

Intertitle: [ The Yacht ‘Mary Scully’ going out to meet the ‘Carpathia’ at sea.] The Mary Scully passes the camera. A banner along its side reads: "New York American Press Boat."

Intertitle: [ The ‘Carpathia’ nearing New York with survivors. ] Long tracking shot as the Carpathia passes the camera.

Intertitle: [ The ‘Carpathia’ Docked ] The ship is seen quayside in New York.

Intertitle: [ Captain Rostrum of the ‘Carpathia’. ] Mid-shot of Captain Rostrum in a group of gentlemen standing on quayside.

Intertitle: [ Some survivors of Titanic’s crew ] Mid-shot of half a dozen men. Two wear White Star Line emblazoned jumpers. Close shot of a reporter interviewing a man with a cigarette, with another man and a horse behind him on the street.

Intertitle: [ Quartermaster Hitchens of the Titanic who went down with the ship and was afterwards picked up. ] Mid-shot of Hitchens talking to a policeman.

Intertitle: [ Father Hogue, a passenger of the Carpathia who first sighted the Titanic lifeboats. ] Two shots of Father Hogue on deck. A crew member enters a cabin behind him.

Intertitle: [ Some of the heroes of the Titanic's crew picked up at sea. ] Various shots of some of the crew wearing lifejackets while being interviewed by a reporter. Two of the crew act out how one saved the other from drowning.

Intertitle: [ Reporters interviewing survivors. ] Mid-shot of a group of journalists.

Intertitle: [ The crowd at the White Star offices New York awaiting news. ] People crowd around the office and arrive and leave through revolving doors. A busy New York street scene.

Intertitle: [ Scene at the Cunard Docks the morning after the Carpathia's arrival. ] Long panning shot of the docks.

Intertitle: [ MARCONI, whose marvellous discovery saved over 700 lives. ] Close shot of Marconi and (presumably) his wife Beatrice entering a limosine.

Intertitle: [ The Mackay Bennet leaving Halifax in search of the dead. ] Various shots of crew on board, as the Mackay Bennet passes.