<P> Amblin Entertainment, a production company founded by Steven Spielberg, bought the film rights to Waller's novel for $25,000 in late 1991, before its publication--by the time of the film's release, the novel sold 9.5 million copies worldwide . Spielberg first asked Sydney Pollack to direct, who got Kurt Luedtke to draft the first version of the adaptation but then bowed out; Ronald Bass was brought in by Kathleen Kennedy and Spielberg to work on the script, but they were unsatisfied with the results . But a third draft by Richard LaGravenese was liked by Eastwood, who quite early had been cast for the male lead, and by Spielberg, who liked LaGravenese's version enough to consider making Bridges his next film after Schindler's List, which was in post-production at the time . Both men liked that LaGravenese's script presented the story from Francesca's point of view; Spielberg then had LaGravenese introduce the framing device of having Francesca's adult children discover and read her diaries . When Spielberg decided not to direct, he then brought in Bruce Beresford, who got Alfred Uhry to draft another version of the script; when Warner Bros., Spielberg, and Eastwood all preferred LaGravenese's draft, Beresford dropped out . </P> <P> Waller championed Isabella Rossellini to play Francesca; she was a "strong contender" in a list that also included Anjelica Huston, Jessica Lange, Mary McDonnell, Cher, and Susan Sarandon . But despite Spielberg's initial reluctance, Eastwood had advocated Meryl Streep for the role from the beginning . </P> <P> Principal photography took 42 days, ending on November 1, 1994, ten days ahead of Eastwood's 52 - day schedule; Eastwood filmed it chronologically from Francesca's point of view, "because it was important to work that way . We were two people getting to know each other, in real time, as actors and as the characters ." It was filmed on location in Madison County, Iowa, including the town of Winterset, and in the Dallas County town of Adel . The Bell's Mills Bridge, in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, was also a filming location . </P> <P> The MPAA ratings board initially gave the film an "R" rating, for the line "Or should we just fuck on the linoleum one last time?", a line of dialogue spoken sarcastically by Francesca; Eastwood appealed, and the rating was reduced to a PG - 13 . </P>

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