Titanic ‘door’ prop that kept Rose alive sells for $718,750

The floating wooden debris that ensured the survival of Rose from the Titanic has been auctioned off for $718,750 (£569,739).

Since the release of the 1997 film, fans have been speculating whether the panel was large enough to accommodate Rose’s love interest, Jack, potentially saving him from a frigid demise. The auction listing highlighted that the prop has sparked significant debate among fans.

The sale occurred during an auction of props and costumes owned by the restaurant and resort chain Planet Hollywood. In the movie, Jack, portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio, insists that the panel, part of a door frame, could only support his lover, Rose, played by Kate Winslet. Consequently, he tragically perishes in the icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

In a 2012 episode of Mythbusters, Titanic director James Cameron disclosed that he receives numerous emails daily criticizing Rose as “selfish” and labeling Jack as an “idiot” for the scene. However, he clarified that Jack’s demise was scripted and necessary for the storyline.

“Maybe we screwed up and the board should have been a tiny bit smaller, but the dude’s going down,” he said.

The item, frequently misinterpreted as a door, was actually fashioned from a whole fragment of debris recovered from the 1912 tragedy, as indicated by the auctioneers at Heritage Auctions.