<Li> Roger Morlidge as Desert Train Sergeant </Li> <P> Saul Zaentz was interested in working with Anthony Minghella after he saw the director's film Truly, Madly, Deeply (1990); Minghella brought this project to the producer's attention . Michael Ondaatje, the Sri Lankan - born Canadian author of the novel, worked closely with the filmmakers . During the development of the project with 20th Century Fox, according to Minghella, the "studio wanted the insurance policy of so - called bigger" actors . Zaentz recalled, "they'd look at you and say,' Could we cast Demi Moore in the role'?" Not until Miramax Films took over was the director's preference for Scott Thomas accepted . </P> <P> The film was shot on location in Tunisia and Italy . with a production budget of $31 million . </P> <P> The Conversations: Walter Murch and the Art of Editing Film (2002) by Michael Ondaatje is based on the conversations between the author and film editor . Murch, with a career that already included complex works like the Godfather trilogy, The Conversation, and Apocalypse Now, dreaded the task of editing the film with multiple flashbacks and time frames . Once he began, the possibilities became apparent, some of which took him away from the order of the original script . A reel without sound was made so scene change visuals would be consistent with the quality of the aural aspect between the two . The final cut features over 40 temporal transitions . It was during this time that Murch met Ondaatje and they were able to exchange thoughts about editing the film . </P>

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