year period from 1936 to 1947.  When Warner Brothers bought the film rights to the novel, Prouty  wrote a lengthy letter to her literary agent, setting out how she  felt the production should be mounted. She felt strongly that the  best way to dramatize the flashbacks would be to feature short  silent segments woven into the main sound narrative. Her letter made  its way to producer Hal B. Wallis (qv) at Warners, who  subsequently ignored her suggestions.