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
Still Life (play) first presented at the Manchester Opera House beginning on 15 October 1935, and a seventh play, "Family Album", was added on the subsequent provincial tour. "Still Life", however, was added for the London run, together with "Ways and Means" and "Star Chamber", the last of which was performed only once. The first London performance in the cycle was on 9 January 1936 at the Phoenix Theatre but "Still Life" did not premiere until May 1936. Coward directed all ten pieces, and each starred Coward and Gertrude Lawrence. Coward said that he wrote them as "acting, singing, and dancing vehicles for