Cameron, temperamental in best of times, was surviving on three hours sleep and saved most of his screaming for film crew. His philosphy was you couldn't get great perfomances out of actors by yelling. In one scene, Winslet and DiCaprio were running away from a huge wave on one of decks and actress was submerged and nearly drowned. Moments after she was rescued Cameron calmly said," OK. Let's do it again."

As costs began to mount along with stories of director's slow pace and temper tantrums, Fox executives began to freak out. They suggested an hour of specific cuts from three hour film. They argued extended length would mean less showings thus less money. But long epics are more likely to help directors bring home Oscars, and Cameron was more defiant than DiCaprio. "You want to cut my movie? You're going to have to fire me!" You want to fire me? You're going to have to kill me!" The executives, knowing that starting from scratch meant their entire investment would be gone, did neither. They also rejected Cameron's offer of forfeiting his share of profits as an empty gesture; they were sure there wouldn't be any.

With more special effects being added Titanics's release date was moved back from summer to Christmas 1997. At one point Cameron visited Twentieth Century Fox studio headquarters to request permission to shoot additional footage and ran smack dab into company chairman Rupert Murdoch (no relation to William) in hallway. After months of fiercely ordering people about, self proclaimed "King of World" could not look his real boss in eye. "Uh hi. Uh I know I'm not your favorite person spending all your money. But I guarantee you movie will be good." Murdoch, with a glint of steel in voice, replied. "Young man, it had be better be better than good!"

Thanks largely to repeated viewings from young girls, film made more money than any other picture in history. It tied Ben Hur (1959) for most Oscars (11) although it was not even nominated for Best Original Screenplay. The Fox Executives were more relieved than euphoric and promised no more $200,000,000 movies, they felt like they had dodged a bullet. DiCaprio who infuriated studio by refusing to promote film and show up at Academy Awards, became a $10,000,000 per picture star, was chased down streets by adoring young females, and later called whole Titanic craze," kind of an empty experience". Winslet, who at one point during shoot woke up and said, "God I wish I was dead", moved back happily into smaller independent films. Cameron got his original profit share and continued to lose his temper, suggesting a film critic who panned Titanic be impeached. He reflected later that movie prices had to be raised to fifteen dollars to pay for overblown budgets. "People would be mad for six months and then they would come back. Of course I wouldn't want one of my movies coming out during those six months."