Many film fans know the story of Titanic. The film's accolades speak for themselves. Some viewers call Titanic one of the best films of the 1990s. Audiences remember the movie for its thrilling take on a true story, but also its ensemble cast of interesting characters.
Personalities like Rose DeWitt Bukater and Jack Dawson make an impression on audiences thanks to their development by spirited performers. However, some characters are smarter than others. The passengers of the Titanic present their intelligence in their actions.
Fabrizio
Danny Nucci's Fabrizio is Jack's vagabond friend. He joins Jack aboard the Titanic after he wins them tickets in a poker hand at a bar near the port where the Titanic ships off. He is one of the lesser developed characters in the film, and as such, his intelligence is harder to determine.
Fabrizio can't tell when Jack is joking after he pretends he has lost after winning their tickets to America. Fabrizio meets his end after one of the Titanic's smokestacks falls on him.
Margaret "Molly" Brown
Kathy Bates plays Molly. She is a newly wealthy member of the upper class on the ship. Molly gives Titanic one of its most memorable quotes. She shows her intelligence in her critical thinking. When Jack is invited to dinner with Rose, her smarts are on display.
Molly can tell that Jack is unprepared for the expectations of the hosts at dinner. She quickly comes up with the idea to use her son's suit to dress Jack. Furthermore, she gives him instructions on the idiosyncrasies of the meal and prepares him.
Spicer Lovejoy
Spicer Lovejoy, played by David Warner, is Cal's bodyguard and right-hand man. He isn't the most likable character in Titanic. He spies on Jack and Rose and shows his intelligence in his attention to detail.
When Jack and Rose first meet, Jack talks Rose out of jumping off the ship's edge and helps her on the ship. When they are discovered, Lovejoy notices Jack's clothes on the deck and implies they are lying. He is wrong, but the moment showcases Lovejoy's critical thinking.
Caledon Hockley
Billy Zane plays Cal. He is one of the main antagonists in the film. He shows his lack of emotional intelligence in his several outbursts. However, he isn't stupid. He shows attention to detail in Jack and Rose's relationship.
Despite her protests, he can tell they have feelings for each other and has Lovejoy follow them to confirm his suspicions. Furthermore, he shows quick thinking in his nefarious behavior. When the lifeboats fill up with women and children, he pretends to be a father to a parentless child in order to secure his safety.
Rose DeWitt Bukater
Kate Winslet's Rose is a member of the upper class on the Titanic who falls in love with Jack. She shows her lack of emotional intelligence in her rude outbursts. She lacks foresight in lashing out at Cal, which results in physical and emotional violence.
She has the foresight to ask Thomas Andrews for directions on the boat in finding Jack after he is arrested, determining he will know the fastest route as the shipbuilder. She shows her quick thinking in avoiding Cal by hiding in her coat after they have both been rescued.
Jack Dawson
Leonardo DiCaprio plays Jack. Some fans call Titanic one of Leonardo DiCaprio's best movies. He is one of the main protagonists, a drifting artist who lucks his way upon the Titanic. He proves to be cunning and clever.
He convinces the guard to let him and Fabrizio on the ship when he pretends they have already gone through the boarding process. He comes up with the idea to slip Rose a note to meet him, knowing she won't be allowed by her mother and fiancé. He shows foresight when he tells Rose to practice with the ax before she cuts his handcuffs free.
Ruth DeWitt Bukater
Frances Fisher's Ruth is Rose's mother. She is an elitist and an unsupportive mother. She shows her critical thinking in her overbearing actions toward Rose. She knows their family has lost all of their wealth.
As such, she pushes Rose's engagement with Cal. She sees that they aren't in love, but she knows their engagement will save them financially. She shows foresight in envisioning a future without Cal's money in which she works as a seamstress and their "fine things" are sold at auction.
Thomas Andrews
Victor Garber plays Thomas Andrews, the builder of the Titanic. He shows his emotional intelligence in his calm and patient demeanor. Furthermore, his intelligence is implicit in the creation of the complicated ship, even if it meets its end by iceberg collision.
Andrews knows the ship doesn't have enough lifeboats, only allowing the lack of them due to being "outvoted." Furthermore, he is one of the first to acknowledge the ship will "founder" after the collision, saying it is a "mathematical certainty," underscoring his smarts. He maps out the timeline of the ship's sinking thanks to his critical thinking, foresight, and reasoning.