Titanic (1953)

Since its sinking in April 1912, the fate of the luxury liner Titanic - which will not be averted this time either - has inspired the film world. The fact that the ending is fixed from the outset may have particularly suited Reisch: ‘I always started from the back and worked forwards.’ His signature style is also clearly recognisable in the song and dance interludes, which seem to counteract the dramatic plot, which focuses on the fate of a broken high-society family. Purists who care about historical detail will have little fun with this melodramatic depiction of events - those who value great acting cinema will be more pleased. The author trio Brackett-Reisch-Breen received the screenplay Oscar the following year. (Florian Widegger)