William Murdoch suffers at the hands of the 1997 film makers, he is seen as a 'bad sort' who accepted bribes, shot passengers and committed suicide. 

It was Murdoch who was on watch when the Titanic collided with the iceberg. It is clear that Murdoch lowered the starboard side lifeboats with stunning efficiency, but even though they left without full compliment, he ordered each boat to collect further passengers once in the water.