Miramax
(Tiger Moth Productions)
The 1996 Oscarwinning epic, The English Patient, is an intelligent adaptation by Anthony Minghella of Michael Ondaatje's novel about a mysterious man (Ralph Fiennes) who is badly wounded in a World War II plane crash in the African desert.
Oscar nominations: 12
Picture, produced by Saul Zaentz
Director: Anthony Minghella
Screenplay (Adapted): Minghella
Actor: Ralph Fiennes
Actress: Kristin Scott Thomas
Supporting Actress: Juliette Binoche
Cinematography: John Seale
Art direction-set decoration: Stuart Craig; Stephanie McMillan
Editing: Walter Murch
Costume Design: Ann Roth
Sound: Walter Murch, Mark Berger, David Parker, Chris Newman
Original Score: Gabriel Yared
Oscar awards: 9
All categories, but Screenplay Actor, and Actress. “Sling Blade” won the Adapted Screenplay Oscar; Geoffrey Rush the Best Actor for “Shine”; and Frances McDormand the Best Actress for “Fargo.”
Oscar Context
Sweeping most (nine) of the Oscars in 1996, “The English Patient” easily beating out the other four contenders: The American studio movie “Jerry Maguire” (the only Hollywood movie, and a comedy at that, in competition), the American indie “Fargo,” the British “Secrets and Lies,” and the Aussie “Shine.”
