Two of the best-known films he directed are Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960), a classic of kitchen sink realism, and the romantic period drama The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981).

[5] After attending Leighton Park School, he joined the Royal Air Force toward the end of the war.

[6][7] Following his war service, Reisz read Natural Sciences at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and began to write for film journals, including Sight and Sound.

Reisz's first feature film, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960), was based on the social-realism novel by Alan Sillitoe, and used many of the same techniques as his earlier documentaries.

In particular, scenes filmed at the Raleigh factory in Nottingham have the look of a documentary, and give the story a vivid sense of verisimilitude.

He produced Anderson's feature directorial debut This Sporting Life (1963), then he and Finney reunited on Night Must Fall (1964).

Reisz directed Morgan – A Suitable Case for Treatment (1966) adapted by David Mercer from his 1962 television play.

[15] He was meant to follow it with an adaptation of Brian Moore's novel The Doctor's Wife based on a script by Joe Eszterhas, but the film was never made.

[18] He directed Sweet Dreams (1985), based on the life of country singer Patsy Cline, starring Jessica Lange.