ANTHONY MINGHELLA DEAD AT 54

BEFORE HIS TIME By Roger B. Harris Published March 19 2008 Anthony Minghella, the brilliant director, who won an Oscar for his work on The English Patient, has died at the age of 54. According to a report in the New York Times, he died of complications from surgery he had a week ago to treat tonsil cancer. Other Minghella films include Truly Madly Deeply, Cold Mountain, Breaking and Entering and The Talented Mr. Ripley He also directed a production of Madame Butterfly at the Metropolitan Opera last season. And he had recently filmed for HBO and the BBC, a two-hour pilot for The No. 1. Ladies Detective Agency, based on books written by Alexander McCall Smith.