As one of 669 children rescued by Sir Nicholas Winton, Karel Reisz arrived in England in 1938 before establishing a career that reshaped British cinema. Moving from film criticism to directing, he emerged as a primary figure in the Free Cinema movement, eventually bridging the gap between gritty documentary realism and international feature film success.
Foundations and Critical Theory
Born in Moravská Ostrava in 1926, Reisz navigated a complex path to the British film industry. After attending Leighton Park School and Emmanuel College, Cambridge, he served in the Royal Air Force. His early professional focus centered on film theory, most notably through his 1953 textbook, The Technique of Film Editing. He helped establish the journal Sequence in 1947, co-founding the platform with Lindsay Anderson and Gavin Lambert.
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In the mid-1950s, Reisz began applying his theories to documentary filmmaking. His directorial debut, Momma Don't Allow, arrived in 1955. He followed this with We Are the Lambeth Boys, a naturalistic study of South London teenagers that earned a selection for the Venice Film Festival. During this period, he produced several works, including Every Day Except Christmas and March to Aldermaston.
Feature Film Directing
Reisz achieved a major turning point with his 1960 feature Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, which won a BAFTA Award for Best Film in 1961. This success led to a varied career in features, ranging from the 1966 film Morgan – A Suitable Case for Treatment to the 1968 production Isadora. Later, he moved into American filmmaking with The Gambler in 1974 and Who'll Stop the Rain in 1978, before returning to London for the 1981 drama The French Lieutenant's Woman.
Final Projects and Theatre
His later cinematic career included Sweet Dreams in 1985 and his final feature, Everybody Wins, released in 1990. Following this, Reisz transitioned primarily into theatre directing, working in London, Dublin, and Paris. His late-career efforts included directing television adaptations and stage productions such as Moonlight and various works staged at the Lincoln Center. He died in 2002 in Camden Town, London.
Fast facts
- Born: 1926, Moravská Ostrava
- Died: 2002, London
- Education: Leighton Park School, Emmanuel College
- Major Award: BAFTA Award for Best Film (1961)
- Published Work: The Technique of Film Editing (1953)
- Spouse: Betsy Blair
- Movement: Free Cinema
Questions readers ask
What was Karel Reisz's contribution to film theory?
He wrote the standard textbook The Technique of Film Editing, published in 1953.
Did Reisz work in theatre?
Yes, he directed numerous stage productions in London, Dublin, and Paris between 1991 and 2001.
Achievements
- BAFTA Award for Best Film — 1961
- Worked as film director, film producer and writer
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