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Oscar-Winning Director Minghella Dies

AP
Posted: 2008-03-18 18:35:49
Filed Under: Star Obituaries, Movie News
LONDON (March 18) - Oscar-winning director Anthony Minghella, who turned such literary works as "The English Patient," "The Talented Mr. Ripley" and "Cold Mountain" into acclaimed movies, died Tuesday of a hemorrhage following surgery. He was 54.

Minghella's publicist, Jonathan Rutter, said the filmmaker died at London's Charing Cross Hospital. He said Minghella was operated on last week for a growth in his neck, "and the operation seemed to have gone well. At 5 a.m. today he had a fatal hemorrhage."

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who became friends with Minghella after the filmmaker directed a Labour Party election ad in 2005, said he was "really shocked and very sad."

"Anthony Minghella was a wonderful human being, creative and brilliant, but still humble, gentle and a joy to be with," Blair said. "Whatever I did with him, personally or professionally, left me with complete admiration for him, as a character and as an artist of the highest caliber."

"The English Patient," the 1996 World War II drama, won nine Academy Awards, including best director for Minghella, best picture and best supporting actress for Juliette Binoche. Based on the celebrated novel by Canadian writer Michael Ondaatje, the movie tells of a burn victim's tortured recollections of his misdeeds in time of war.

In a 1996 interview with The Associated Press, Minghella said the film was the pinnacle of his career at the time: "I feel more naked and more exposed by this piece of work than anything I've ever been involved with."

He said too many modern films let the audience be passive, as if they were saying, "We're going to rock you and thrill you. We'll do everything for you."

Scenes from Minghella's Work


'The English Patient' (1996)


'The Talented Mr. Ripley' (1999)
Warning: Violence

'Cold Mountain' (2003)

'Truly Madly Deeply' (1990)

"This film goes absolutely against that grain," he said. "It says, `I'm sorry, but you're going to have to make some connections. There are some puzzles here. The story will constantly rethread itself and it will be elliptical, but there are enormous rewards in that."'

Minghella (pronounced min-GELL'-ah) also was nominated for an Oscar for best screenplay for the movie and for his screenplay for "The Talented Mr. Ripley."

'Ripley' helped make a star of Jude Law, who went on to star in two other Minghella films. In a statement, Law said "I am deeply shocked and saddened to hear of Anthony’s untimely death. I worked with him on three films, more than with any other director, but had come to value him more as a friend than as a colleague. He was a brilliantly talented writer and director who wrote dialogue that was a joy to speak and then put in onto the screen in a way that always looked effortless. He made work feel like fun. He was a sweet, warm, bright and funny man who was interested in everything from football to opera, films, music, literature, people and most of all his family, whom he adored and to whom I send my thoughts and love. I shall miss him hugely."

His 2003 "Cold Mountain," based on Charles Frazier's novel of the U.S. Civil War, brought a best supporting actress Oscar for Renee Zellweger.

The 1999 "The Talented Mr. Ripley," starring Matt Damon as a murderous social climber, was based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith. It earned five Oscar nominations.

Among his other films were "Truly, Madly, Deeply" (1990), and last year's Oscar-nominated "Michael Clayton," on which he was executive producer.

Minghella also turned his talents to opera. In 2005, he directed a highly successful staging of Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" at the English National Opera in London - choreographed by Minghella's wife, Carolyn Choa. The following year, he staged it for the season opener of New York's Metropolitan Opera. It was the first performance of the Met's new era under general manager Peter Gelb.

Minghella was recently in Botswana filming an adaptation of Alexander McCall Smith's novel "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency." It is due to air on British television this week.

The book is the first in a series about the adventures of Botswanan private eye Precious Ramotswe; a 13-part television series was recently commission by U.S. network HBO.

Jeff Ramsay, press secretary to Botswanan President Festus Mogae, called Minghella's death a "shock and an utter loss."

He said the director had been coming to the country ahead of the detective film and learning about Botswana.

Ramsay said Minghella had told him how he had been forced to shoot "Cold Mountain" in Romania and that it had "seemed wrong." He said this made the director "more sure that the film could only be shot in Botswana."

Born the second of five children to southern Italian emigrants, Minghella came to moviemaking from a flourishing playwriting career on the London "fringe" and, in 1986, on the West End with the play, "Made in Bangkok," a hard-hitting look at the sexual mores of a British tour group in Thailand.

He worked as a television script editor before making his directing debut with "Truly, Madly, Deeply," a comedy about love and grief starring Juliet Stevenson and Alan Rickman.

Producer David Puttnam told the BBC that Minghella was "a very special person."

"He wasn't just a writer, or a writer-director, he was someone who was very well-known and very well-loved within the film community," Puttnam said. "Frankly he was far too young to have gone."

Minghella is survived by his wife; his actor son, Max Minghella; and his daughter, Hannah.

Longtime collaborator and former head of Miramax, Harvey Weinstein said "I am shocked and heartbroken that we have lost Anthony. He was my mentor, my partner and, most of all, my brother. The grace, joy and tenderness he brought to his films were symbolic of his life and the many people he touched. There are many personal and professional moments we have shared together and I will treasure them for the rest of my life. Our thoughts and prayers are with his beautiful family at this difficult moment."

Associated Press Writers Raphael G. Satter in London and Celean Jacobson in Gaborone, Botswana, contributed to this report.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2008-03-18 09:25:56
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debal44 06:25:48 PM Apr 19 2008

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Shows that socialized medicine sucks. People want it here in the US? No way. That's why people with money from other countries come here? Very sad, very talented man. I can't believe he was only 54, he looked 65.

Turkepom2 10:25:14 PM Mar 18 2008

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COLD MOUNTAIN WAS THE ONLY MOVIE WORTH WATCHING...

Turkepom2 10:24:34 PM Mar 18 2008

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SOCIALISED MEDICINE AT ITS FINEST.....

KLa1064630 09:57:14 PM Mar 18 2008

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He was too young. His family should take the hospital to the cleaners and then some!

PitMouse3529 09:50:42 PM Mar 18 2008

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Hey WingNut- The article said he was married, so he obviously caught one gal who didn't mind his haircut. ok...you're turn Nut.

jwps7 09:21:12 PM Mar 18 2008

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YES WINGNUT MAYBE HE DIDNT

Suzygroov 08:59:45 PM Mar 18 2008

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Didnt know who he was, but I loved The English Patient. God Bless his family.

PitMouse3529 08:12:43 PM Mar 18 2008

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DiamondGuy---- same here. See ya.

PitMouse3529 08:10:12 PM Mar 18 2008

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Probably nothing. I did see Cold Mountain and thought it was awesome! But movies like that take thinking and paying attention to really "get" what's going on, you know. I've heard people say that a particular movie was bad when I found out later they missed too much of it to even have a clue how deeply involved the movie really was. To each their own opinion.

DiamondguyRome 08:09:48 PM Mar 18 2008

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Well..I guess people have different ideas about whats important and what isnt.....you just shake your head like me and think....god I hope these guys arent americans......this isnt the future of this land.....anywho...best wishes....deal the best you can..Im going to go play poker on line.

DiamondguyRome 08:07:52 PM Mar 18 2008

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The wing....sure he cant sing and his pant do bag and he shows of his bling......he was born of a mom that had a one night fling and he takes over the blogs like hes the king........but diamond shows up and his mind starts to ring with the words of a guy who isnt scared of one thing.......... : )

DiamondguyRome 08:04:57 PM Mar 18 2008

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As I said..wing wont go...that one just has endless one liners.....sad that the kid..teenager of lord forbid grown up hasnt seen anything this guy put out......timelessly good movies..great job that guy did....but...what can you do?

PitMouse3529 08:04:42 PM Mar 18 2008

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DiamondGuyRome: I see. Well it surprises me that a human being has become deceased and all some people do is make snide ugly remarks. THAT is sad!

PitMouse3529 08:01:29 PM Mar 18 2008

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DiamondGuy.... he can't take the heat, eh? hahaha

There's WingNutless again...what a champion line!.....where on earth do you get such BRAINY remarks!?

DiamondguyRome 07:59:47 PM Mar 18 2008

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Pit...same goes for wing...but that one doesnt just leave.....that one will stay ...but Ive noticed lots of time that one takes off if I make a comment or two now....6 months ago..that one wouldnt leave no matter what I said..but wingnutless seems to have worked.....be careful..AOL will term you account if you mess with them too much....

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