Anthony Minghella

Anthony Minghella (6th January 1954 - 18th March 2008) was an English writer, director, playwright, screenwriter and producer, who worked and found success in radio, film, television and stage.

Born in the Isle of wight, of Italian immigrant parents, he studied drama at the University of Hull, going on to become a lecturer there. His first produced work was a play, Mobius the Stripper in 1975, adapted from a collection of short stories, but it was not until 1985 and his adaption of the novel Whale Music, that he found critical success on the stage.

His television career began during the 1980's and he worked on several British shows including, Magpie, Grange Hill, Storytellers, Inspector Morse, and Boon. The No. 1 Ladies detective agency was his last television work. He co-wrote and directed the pilot episode, which aired after his death in 2008.

His feature film debut was a little like drowning in 1978, and it took until 1990 and Truly Madly Deeply, that he was was able to garner critical success. Truly was written and directed by Minghella for the BBC and was supposed to be a made for television release, but was given theatrical release.
This success was followed three years later by Mr Wonderful and then in 1996 The English Patient for which he won an Academy Award for Best director, one of 9 Academy Awards that the movie would garner. He was a mutiple nominee for both the Academy Awards and the Bafta's.

He had continued success with The Talented Mr Ripley, Cold Mountain and Breaking And Entering which he wrote and directed. While an acclaimed and very accomplished writer for both the small and big screen, he seemed to have greater success when he adapted other works for the screen, with The English Patient, The Talented Mr Ripley, Cold Mountain and Nine all being adapted from works by foreign writers.

His radio works included, Hang Up, his first radio drama and Cigarettes and Chocolate both for the BBC, the latter which won him the Gile Cooper Award.

He died in London, due to complications following surgery, he had been battling cancer of the neck and tonsils, he was 54.



News | What members say | Filmography

Anthony Minghella - news / articles

Anthony Minghella - what members say

Anthony Minghella - filmography

5 most recent films

Puccini - Madama Butterfly - 2.0 stars
No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 3.5 stars
Breaking And Entering - 3.0 stars
Breaking And Entering - Blu-ray - 3.0 stars
Cold Mountain - Blu-ray - 3.5 stars

5 highest-rated films

The Talented Mr Ripley - Blu-ray - 3.5 stars
The English Patient - Blu-ray - 3.5 stars
No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - 3.5 stars
Cold Mountain - Blu-ray - 3.5 stars
The English Patient - 3.5 stars

5 lowest-rated films

Puccini - Madama Butterfly - 2.0 stars
Music By - Gabriel Yared - 2.5 stars
Breaking And Entering - Blu-ray - 3.0 stars
Breaking And Entering - 3.0 stars
Mr. Wonderful - 3.5 stars

Most frequent co-stars

Jude Law - 6 times - show films
Philip Seymour Hoffman - 4 times - show films
Ray Winstone - 4 times - show films
Juliette Binoche - 4 times - show films
Colin Firth - 2 times - show films

Most frequent directors

Rani Khanna - 1 times - show films
Carolyn Choa - 1 times - show films
Gary Halvorson - 1 times - show films