  In this paper, we focus on the thin film equation with lower order
"backwards" diffusion which can describe, for example, the evolution of thin
viscous films in the presence of gravity and thermo-capillary effects, or the
thin film equation with a "porous media cutoff" of van der Waals forces. We
treat in detail the equation $$u_t + \{u^n(u_{xxx} + \nu u^{m-n}u_x -A u^{M-n}
u_x)\}_x=0,$$ where $\nu=\pm 1,$ $n>0,$ $M>m,$ and $A \ge 0.$ Global existence
of weak nonnegative solutions is proven when $ m-n> -2$ and $A>0$ or $\nu=-1,$
and when $-2< m-n<2,$ $A=0,$ $\nu=1.$ From the weak solutions, we get strong
entropy solutions under the additional constraint that $m-n> -{3}/{2}$ if
$\nu=1.$ A local energy estimate is obtained when $2 \le n<3 $ under some
additional restrictions. Finite speed of propagation is proven when $m>n/2,$
for the case of "strong slippage," $0<n<2,$ when $\nu=1$ based on local entropy
estimates, and for the case of "weak slippage," $2 \le n<3,$ when $\nu=\pm 1$
based on local entropy and energy estimates.
