Screenwriter Michael France dies at 51

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ST. PETE BEACH, Fla., April 14 (UPI) -- "Cliffhanger" and "GoldenEye" screenwriter Michael France has died at his St. Pete Beach, Fla., home following an extended illness, his sister said. He was 51.

France suffered from diabetes that impaired his left arm and right leg, Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times reported.

He was fund comatose nine months ago in his home in St. Pete Beach by his sister, Suzanne France, who found his body Friday at his home.

"He didn't look that bad on Thursday night," Suzanne France said Saturday. "He was sick, but I didn't think he was as bad as he was the last time or I would have just called an ambulance.

"He was sitting up, he had good color, he was making jokes. Just sitting there on the couch with his dog," she said.

Michael France shared the screenwriting credit for "Cliffhanger" with John Long and the 1993 film's star, Sylvester Stallone. He wrote the 1995 James Bond movie "GoldenEye" with Jeffrey Caine and Bruce Feirstein.

He was also a screenwriter on several Marvel Comics film adaptations, including "The Hulk" (2003), "The Punisher" (2004) and "Fantastic Four" 2005.

He owned the Beach Theatre in St. Pete Beach, where he showed a variety of classic, independent and foreign films, along with current blockbusters.