breaking and entering

Almasy: When were you most happy?
Katharine: Now.
Almasy: When were you least happy?
Katharine: Now.

I was 13 when I watched The English Patient. Was too young to catch it at the cinema (I think it had some kind of rating for forbade me from catching it), but read all about in the film magazines and rented it the first chance I got. From the opening scene of a panorama over a desert, I was transfixed, spellbound right to the heart-wrenching end. Ralph Fiennes (Almasy) ignited my love for intense leading men, Kristin Scott Thomas (Katharine) was my dream fiery ice queen, Juliette Binoche's (Hana) sad, sweet features personified my feelings watching a love affair end before eyes. It was a film of subtle, pure passion.

Having slowly made my way back to the world after going AWOL on vacation last week, it shot a pang through my heart to read that Anthony Minghella, the director who brought to life that wonderful, evocative, difficult book (by Michael Ondaatje) had passed away. He was 54. It was complications from a tonsil cancer surgery, reported The New York Times.

I can't say that he was one of my favourite directors because I've caught three of his films - The English Patient, The Talented Mr Ripley, Breaking and Entering - but each of them were perfect poetry, rich in detail and mood, but quietly so. I've only watched The English Patient twice - the second time some seven years ago - but it made such a vivid impression, and for me, it remains the best film ever made about a doomed love affair.

"I promise, I'll come back for you. I promise, I'll never leave you."

Photo from http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/19/movies/19minghella.html