A Night to Remember (1958)

James Dyrenforth: Col. Archibald Gracie

Quotes 

• Col. Archibald Gracie : [looks at rockets being fired by the Carpathia as he and Lightoller sit in the stern of a lifeboat]  Will that be the Carpathia?

  [Lightoller silently nods in the affirmative] 

  Col. Archibald Gracie : Aren't you glad to see her?

  Second Officer Charles Herbert Lightoller : Yes I'm glad. But then, *I'm* still *alive*.

  Col. Archibald Gracie : If only she'd been nearer.

  Second Officer Charles Herbert Lightoller : There are quite a lot of "ifs" about it; aren't there, Colonel?

  [turns and shouts to another lifeboat they're towing] 

  Second Officer Charles Herbert Lightoller : Keep up, quartermaster. Keep that line slack.

  [turns to address Colonel Gracie again] 

  Second Officer Charles Herbert Lightoller : If we'd been steaming a few knots slower, or if we'd sighted that berg a few seconds earlier, we might not even have struck. If we'd been carrying enough lifeboats for the size of the ship instead of just enough to meet the regulations, things would have been different again, wouldn't they?

  Col. Archibald Gracie : Maybe. But *you* have nothing to reproach yourself with. You've done all any man could and more. You're not...

  [stops himself] 

  Col. Archibald Gracie : I was about to say, you're not *God*, Mister Lightoller.

  Second Officer Charles Herbert Lightoller : *No* seaman ever thinks he is! I've been at sea since I was a *boy*. I've been in sail. I've even been *shipwrecked* before. I *know* what the sea can *do*! But, *this* is different-!

  Col. Archibald Gracie : Because we hit an iceberg?

  Second Officer Charles Herbert Lightoller : No- Because we were so *sure*! Because even though it's *happened*, it's *still* unbelievable! I don't think *I'll* ever feel *sure* again, about *anything*!

• Chairman J. Bruce 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. Ida Straus : I've always stayed with my husband, Colonel. So why should I leave him now?

  Mr. Isador Straus : Please, be sensible.

  Mrs. Ida 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. Ida Straus : We stay.