John Hurt will play a dying man in 'That Good Night'.
Sir John Hurt
Hurt - whose own battle with pancreatic cancer was revealed just last year - has joined the cast of the film which is based on N.J. Crisp's 1996 stage play of the same name, Variety has revealed.
Hurt will star as Ralph, a once-famous screenwriter who has two last wishes in life before he dies; to be reconciled with his son Michael and ensure he is not a burden to his younger completely devoted second wife Anna.
Just as his plans are going wrong, the man who he has hired to assist his death and help him go painlessly into "that good night", arrives and reminds him of the potential that life still holds for him.
Speaking of his appointment, the English actor said: "I very much looking forward to putting all the jigsaw pieces together that make up this fascinating and paradoxical character."
Hurt came face-to-face with his own mortality in June when he was diagnosed with early-stage pancreatic cancer.
He confirmed publicly that he would continue to work while undergoing treatment, and said that both he and his medical team were "more than optimistic about a satisfactory outcome" and following treatment, he went into remission in October.
Speaking about casting the actor in 'That Good Night', Alan Latham - who produced the original play and now the film - commented: "'That Good Night' is a passion project of mine and I'm very proud to bring N.J. Crisp's stage play, that I produced 20 years ago, to the big screen. John Hurt is one of Britain's finest actors, and we're delighted to have him on board in bringing this touching story to life."
The 'Alien' star will start shooting 'That Good Night' - whose title is taken from the poem by Dylan Thomas, which goes: "Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light" - in March in the Algarve, Portugal and in Yorkshire, England.
Eric Styles will helm the project from a script adapted by Charles Savage.
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