I have transcribed the conversation and made screen captures. Feel free to save for your personal files, but please don't use on other fan sites. Thank you.

Norman [voice-over clips of Titanic]: This week, we have the most expensive movie ever made, Titanic, on which subject I’ll be talking to Kate Winslet... In case you’re in any doubt, all that stuff happens after they hit the iceberg. But what, apart from excellent performances by Winslet, DiCaprio and Zane keeps our attention during the lengthy first part, is our knowledge that however the romance is resolved, it isn’t over even when it’s over because disaster is about to strike. And when that happens, the film moves into another gear and one with which Cameron is much more comfortable. The sinking of the ship is truly spectacular, and full of stunning special effects, which grips your attention and won’t let go. Even so, I think Roy Baker’s modestly understated British movie, A Night To Remember, shown recently on TV, was more moving; of course, far less visually breathtaking than Cameron’s. But with that proviso, Titanic is certainly a film to see. It’s just a pity that with his wretched little budget, Cameron obviously couldn’t afford a decent script doctor to do something about the love story and the dialog. However, as I said, the acting is fine, and we can expect Oscar nominations for DiCaprio and for Kate Winslet, who came into the studio to talk about the film.

Kate, the thing that perplexes me is why did you want to be in Titanic, bearing in mind that everybody knew how it was going to end? [Kate chuckles] And there had been not a bad film made about it already, called A Night To Remember. So, in a sense it might be regarded as a remake. So, why were you keen to be in this film?

To me, it was an extraordinary love story and remains to be that. And when I read the treatment, I think it is very rare that, as an actor and as an individual, you can be genuinely moved by a novel or a script. I was on an airplane when I read it and was just in floods of tears at the end. A treatment is very different to a script, it’s more a sort of a preceed version of what will eventually be said and has more description as opposed to dialog. But, nevertheless, floods of tears, and I thought, ‘I’ve got to do this, I’ve really got to do this.’

Why did James Cameron want you? Because, you know, I’ve heard that Fox and Paramount, knowing it was going to be an expensive film to start with, wanted bigger names than you or DiCaprio. Why did Cameron want you? Do you know?

Who knows? To be honest with you, I would hope that my determination had a lot to do with it because Rose, whom I play in Titanic, is incredibly determined and very, very strong, and brave. I connected with a lot of that, and I wouldn’t let Jim off the hook. I remember endless telephone calls to him, sometimes when he was in his car, saying, ‘just let me show you that I really feel that I can do this.’ I think he felt, ‘this is a bit of a tough cookie.’ And I’d ring him up, sometimes, and pretend to be American because I wanted him to overcome that hurdle, as well. I didn’t want anyone to be afraid of casting an English person in such a role.

Now, while the film was being made and the budget was getting bigger and bigger and bigger, and the cynics around the place were saying, ‘this is going to be the biggest turkey of all time,’ did you get at all discouraged? Did you at any point think, ‘what the hell am I doing in this?’

No, I never got discouraged because I had so much belief in it. Well, we all did, but Leo and I, particularly, were adamant that this love story was going to be the thing that made people connect with this film. You know, to us it was never about a sinking ship, it was never another Titanic movie. And we believed that if we really stuck together, we could make people forget that it was the Titanic.

Now it’s opened and, of course, all those critics and cynics have been totally refuted because it’s a huge success in America, isn’t it?

[Gleefully] Ah, yes.

Were you at all surprised by that? That it opened so huge in America with not only popular acclaim, but critical acclaim?

Jim Cameron doesn’t do things half-heartedly, so I always knew that he was adamant that this was going to be right across the board a big epic thing. I think part of me was sort of slightly afraid of connecting with that because I didn’t really want to think about what it might do for my career because I so want to be at home and see my family and work because I love my job, not for any other kind of commercial reasons. So, I never entertained much thought in that direction. But now that that is happening, it’s incredibly exciting.

At the moment you have no idea which director you’re going to go and button-hole next and bully him into giving you a role?

I have my plans, I do have my plans, which I can’t share, and I wish I could. But, there is something that I really want to do, which would start shooting in July time. Not in this country. Oh, I wish I could elaborate more, it’s so frustrating, I’m so sorry. But there will be work on my part to do in order to try and get that job because I know that this director is seeing a lot of actresses for that role, and quite rightly, too. But, I’m very determined about that, I’d really love to do it.

So, I’ll look out for a director with a harassed expression, who keeps glancing over his shoulder to see whether you’re behind him, and then I’ll know what the film is?

Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

Well, in the meantime, Kate, congratulations on Titanic and the Golden Globe nomination.

Thank you, thank you.

And good luck for the Oscars.

Thank you very much.

[After the interview] Well, alas, she didn’t win the Golden Globe, but more of that later. Titanic recouped its probably $200 million production cost in four weeks in American. Another 100 million bucks and it should have its post-production costs back as well. Not bad going. No doubt we’ll see it soon at the top of the British box office list.

Many thanks to Janalynn of Winslet Whispers for providing the video.

Go to Rewind and Rewind2 for other interviews