Walter Reisch, a talented Austrian screenwriter, began his career in 1918 as an extra and title writer after completing his studies in literature at the University of Vienna. He quickly gained recognition as a filmmaker and cinematographer, working alongside Stephan Lorant on Die Narrenkappe der Liebe in 1921.
Reisch continued to work with Lorant in Berlin, honing his skills as an assistant cameraman and later as a scenarist. His growing reputation led to a contract with Ufa, where he collaborated with Billy Wilder and adapted literary classics into film scripts.
In the 1930s, Reisch wrote lyrics for operatic films, contributing to popular melodies in Zwei Herzen im Dreiviertel-Takt, The Theft of the Mona Lisa, and A Blonde Dream. However, with the rise of Nazism, Reisch was forced to flee Germany and Austria, eventually joining Alexander Korda in London.
Reisch's next major project was Men Are Not Gods, followed by an offer from Louis B. Mayer to join MGM. At MGM, he worked as a story constructor, solving continuity problems, and developing characters and plotlines. He also tailored scripts to suit specific stars, such as Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, and Ingrid Bergman.
In the 1940s, Reisch attempted to direct Song of Scheherazade, but it was met with negative reviews. Despite this setback, he continued to write for 20th Century Fox, adapting himself to the studio's new working methodology and producing two massive hits, Niagara and Titanic.
Reisch's work on Titanic earned him an Oscar for Best Writing, Story, and Screenplay in 1954. His last notable effort was The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing, a powerful drama based on a sensational 1906 scandal.
