ANYONE with a grasp of history knows what is going to happen, but hit movie Titanic was yesterday named the film with the greatest ending of all time.

The film, about the love story which unfolds between Jack and Rose on the stricken ship, topped a poll for Diet Coke.

It beat films such as the original version of The Italian Job, which is still loved for its cliff-hanger ending. The 1969 movie wins out for its gripping ending over the recent remake, which ditched the famed conclusion and failed to make the top ten.

In Titanic, the unsinkable ocean liner quickly sinks in spectacular style after striking an iceberg. And hero Jack, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, meets a watery grave after selflessly sacrificing himself.

The uplifting final scenes of prison drama The Shawshank Redemption, in which Morgan Freeman's and Tim Robbins' characters are reunited, is voted second choice.

Rick and Ilsa's lump-in-the-throat parting in Casablanca took fourth place in the poll.

Diet Coke bosses carried out the research ahead of organising a number of film events for next year.

The poll found that the favourite style of ending was a twist in the tale, favoured by nearly two thirds of the 1,000 people surveyed. Movies which make the top ten include The Usual Suspects, at number five, and The Sixth Sense, at number seven.

Radio 1 movie expert James King says: "In my view, the perfect ending is something that leaves you wondering about what happens next to the characters.

"The best endings don't have to always tie everything up neatly and make sense. In fact, those that don't give the audience more to talk about after they've left the cinema."