Production Shortly after Paul Brodeur published the original novel, his Harvard University classmate Frederick Wiseman initially agreed to direct an adaptation but quickly departed the project. Columbia Pictures held on to the film rights to the novel, and considered either Arthur Penn or François Truffaut to direct it. They both expressed interest but declined in favor of other projects, although they did incorporate elements of the film into their projects Day for Night (1973) and Night Moves (1975).
Production Shortly after Paul Brodeur published the original novel, his Harvard University classmate Frederick Wiseman initially agreed to direct an adaptation but quickly departed the project. Columbia Pictures held on to the film rights to the novel, and considered either Arthur Penn or François Truffaut to direct it. They both expressed interest but declined in favor of other projects, although they did incorporate elements of the film into their projects Day for Night (1973) and Night Moves (1975).