Ismay Quotes in A Night to Remember (1958)

Captain Edward J. Smith: [addressing the ship's officers and Ismay on the bridge] Gentlemen, we are in a precarious position. We must be prepared to abandon ship.

[Officers look at each other in sheer surprise]

Captain Edward J. Smith: Mister Murdoch, you will muster the passengers. Mister Lightoller, you will have the boats uncovered and swung out. Mister Boxhall, call all hands and get them to boat stations. Mister Moody, you will help Mister Lightoller. Mister Wilde and Mister Pitman will remain on the bridge. Everything will be done quietly and calmly. There must be no alarm and no panic. I will give the word when the boats are to loaded with the women and children. Carry on, please.

[the officers disperse to carry out their orders]

Ismay: Captain! Aren't you exaggerating the danger?

Captain Edward J. Smith: I'm afraid not.

Ismay: But... Where's Andrews?

Captain Edward J. Smith: I am acting on his advice. This ship is going to founder.

Ismay: But, she can't! In any case, we can't get everyone in the boats.

Captain Edward J. Smith: [grim tone] I know that, sir. Please God, it won't come to that!

Ismay: [trying to urge people to get in the boats] Women and children first.

Mr. Isador Straus: [sees Ismay past and tries to get his wife to follow Ismay's directions] Please, Rachel, get in the boat.

Col. Archibald Gracie: Yes, Mrs. Straus, you must.

Mrs. Straus: I've always stayed with my husband, Colonel. So why should I leave him now?

Mr. Isador Straus: Please, be sensible.

Mrs. Straus: We have been living together for many years, Isador. Where you go, I go.

Col. Archibald Gracie: I'm sure nobody would object to an old gentleman like Mr. Straus going in a boat. I'll ask the officer.

Mr. Isador Straus: No! I will not go before the other men.

Mrs. Straus: We stay.

Engineer: She's making water fast sir. The mail hold's practically full already.

Captain Edward J. Smith: Aren't the pumps working?

First Officer William Murdoch: Yes sir.

Captain Edward J. Smith: [indicates engineer can return to his job] Thank you.

Fourth Officer Joseph Boxhall: The engine room says they'll need more. They're rigging them now.

Ismay: This is most unfortunate, Captain.

Captain Edward J. Smith: Yes sir.

Ismay: Do you think the ship is seriously damaged?

Captain Edward J. Smith: I'm afraid she is.

[sees Andrews arrive on the bridge]

Captain Edward J. Smith: Excuse me.

Ismay: [to Murdoch] How long is this likely to delay us?

First Officer William Murdoch: Not long, I expect, sir.

Captain Edward J. Smith: [to Andrews, quietly] We've struck a berg. I think she's badly damaged. I would like to know *how* badly.

Andrews: Right. I'll go down and have a look.

Ismay: [Andrews enters room with crew behind him; he lays out architectural drawings on table, with Ismay behind him] Most unfortunate, captain!

Thomas Andrews: [perspiring and trembling] Water... fourteen feet above the keel in ten minutes. In the forepeak, in all three holds and in the boiler room six.

Ismay: When can we get underway, damnit!

Thomas Andrews: That's five compartments! She can stay afloat with the first four compartments breached, but not five!

[tersely to Smith]

Thomas Andrews: Not five. As she goes down by the head, the water will spill over the tops of the bulkheads at E deck from one to the next. Back and back. There's no stopping it.

Smith: The pumps... if we opened the doors...

Thomas Andrews: [interrupting] The pumps buy you time, but minutes only. From this moment, no matter what we do, Titanic will founder.

Ismay: [incredulously] But this ship can't sink!

Thomas Andrews: She's made of iron, sir! I assure you, she can... and she will. It is a mathematical certainty.

Smith: How much time?

Thomas Andrews: An hour... two at most.

Smith: And how many aboard, Mr. Murdoch?

1st Officer William Murdoch: 2,200 souls on board, sir.

Smith: [turning to Ismay] Well, I believe you may get your headlines, Mr. Ismay.

Molly Brown: [to the group who are dining at the same table] Hey, uh, who thought of the name Titanic? Was it you, Bruce?

Ismay: Yes, actually. I wanted to convey sheer size, and size means stability, luxury, and above all, strength.

Rose: Do you know of Dr. Freud, Mr. Ismay? His ideas about the male preoccupation with size might be of particular interest to you.

Ruth: [whispering] What's gotten into you?

Rose: Excuse me.

[She rises and leaves]

Ruth: I do apologize.

Molly Brown: She's a pistol, Cal! Hope you can handle her.

Cal Hockley: Well, I may have to start minding what she reads from now on, won't I, Mrs. Brown?

Ismay: Freud? Who is he? Is he a passenger?

Ismay: So you've not yet lit the last four boilers?

Smith: No, I don't see the need. We are making excellent time.

Ismay: The press knows the size of Titanic. Now I want them to marvel at her speed. We must give them something new to print! This maiden voyage of Titanic must make headlines!

Smith: Mr. Ismay, I would prefer not to push the engines until they've been properly run in.

Ismay: Of course, I'm just a passenger. I leave it to your good offices to decide what's best. But what a glorious end to your final crossing if we were to get to New York on Tuesday night and surprise them all! Make the morning papers. Retire with a bang, eh E.J.?

Ismay: [Smith nods reluctantly] Good man.

Ismay: Do you know who I am?

Fifth Officer Lowe: You're a passenger and I'm a ship bloody officer! NOW DO AS YOU'RE TOLD!