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
Tonight at 8:30 Coward adapted "Ways and Means", "Red Peppers" and "Fumed Oak" (called "Tonight at 8:30" in the US). Coward himself played Christian Faber in a 1950 film of "The Astonished Heart" (also starring Celia Johnson and Margaret Leighton). Television adaptations of "Red Peppers" were released in 1937, 1938, 1958 and 1969. "Still Life" was given a television production in 1951. The NBC-TV anthology series "Producers' Showcase" debuted on 18 October 1954 with "Shadow Play", "Still Life" and "Red Peppers", produced and directed Otto Preminger, starring Ginger Rogers in all three; Martyn Green also starred in "Red Peppers". "Hands Across the Sea"