Anthony Minghella 1954-2008

I read a book once and recognised immediately
that it would make the most wonderful film.
I knew that there was only one director
who could write a sensitive screenplay
which did the book justice while avoiding sentimentality;
who would fuse the landscape and the people
and soak the film in light and music.

That man was Anthony Minghella.

So I hatched a plan to write to him
and tell him about the book
but also how much I admired his films.
'Truly, Madly, Deeply'
'The English Patient'
'Cold Mountain'
And especially 'The Talented Mr Ripley'
(I love that film. It shimmers.)

I knew that he would not mind
getting unsolicited fan mail
because I had heard him interviewed
and he sounded such a warm, generous person
who lived for his art.
I wrote the letter in my head
and worked out which address I was going to send it to.

And then I got distracted.
And I didn't send it.
If I was forced to write a list of things
that I truly regret,
that make my heart sink when I think of them,
that would be very close to the top.