The Bridges of Madison County earlier about "the dreams of a woman named Francesca," gave him the idea for the novella, which was completed in eleven days. After he had written "Bridges", Waller came to believe that he had based the character of Francesca Johnson on his wife, Georgia, whom Francesca physically resembles. According to Marc Eliot, Waller's novella is a modernization of the Noël Coward play "Still Life" (1934), which was adapted into David Lean's film "Brief Encounter" (1945). "Still Life" is about 'the desperation, guilt, and temptations of two married people who meet, fall in love, commit adultery, and then separate forever." In
Cultural impact of Noël Coward Song", used in their 1983 movie, "The Meaning of Life" and in their album "Monty Python Sings", sung in the persona of a Noel Coward-style lounge singer. Coward's dialogue style was lampooned in the recurring sketch "Fiona and Charles" in the radio show "Round the Horne". Coward's play "Private Lives" is parodied in the off-Broadway musical revue "Secrets Every Smart Traveler Should Know" in a short scene entitled "Private Wives". The 2007 video game BioShock features three of Coward's recordings: "Twentieth Century Blues", "World Weary" and "The Party's Over Now". The opening to the song "The Lady Is a Tramp"