'Titanic' Movie Helped To Solve One Of The Mysteries Of The Real-Life Tragedy

It's been twenty years since James Cameron's Titanic hit the big screen and the film is as popular today as it was back then.

It seems we have no limit to the amount of times we can watch Rose selfishly decide there's not room for two on that massive door and watch as Jack sinks to his watery grave. Romantic, eh?

In honour of the movie's 20^th anniversary, Cameron recently revealed why Jack had to die, giving the slightly unsatisfying answer that it was because it was in the script. Ouch.

At the time, the movie broke all sorts of records, including being the most expensive film made. But it turns out it wasn't just a culturally significant film, because it also helped to solve one of the big mysteries surrounding the tragedy.

In a documentary for the National Geographic, Cameron shared some behind-the-scenes footage from the movie and looked at what happened to the real Titanic.

The iconic staircase was rebuilt using the original plans. Credit: 20th Century Fox

The director explains that the crew built an exact replica of the ships sweeping staircase using the original plans.

He said: "So the staircase has a steel footing. Then we sank the ship - it lifted. Wood is buoyant, it ripped off that footing and it all floated up and it actually pinned two stunt players. Fortunately, they weren't hurt, but it was a pretty scary moment."

And, in doing so, it revealed something important about the actual Titanic.

Cameron continued: "When the wreck was first found there was no staircase and the assumption was made that little wood bourne molusks had eaten the whole thing, but then we couldn't figure out why all the columns and wood paneling on the D-deck level and so on were still there."

Credit: 20th Century Fox

It then dawned on the crew that, just like their solid oak movie prop, it had floated out of the ship.

The director added that the whole thing was an 'interesting art imitating life situation'. So, there you go, an Oscar winning movie and so much more.

Titanic: 20 Years Later with James Cameron aired on National Geographic on Saturday 16 December.