Gabriel Yared 

Gabriel Yared frequently collaborated with director Anthony Minghella, scoring not only The English Patient, but also The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) and Cold Mountain (2003), among others. His score is appropriately epic, setting the tone for sweeping scenes of desert landscapes and passionate affairs between hotel-room sheets. He also incorporates traditional music, giving the film it's exotic flavor, like a modern-day Casablanca. One such song is a traditional Hungarian song with haunting vocals.

Yared's score earned him an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a Grammy. Talk about success.