The film""s screenplay was adapted by Frank S.Nugent (director Ford""s son-in-law) from Alan Le May""s 1954 novel of the same name, that was first serialized as a short story in late fall 1954 issues of theSaturday Evening Post, and first titledThe Avenging Texans." With proof that he could talk, Caesar had now betrayed his identity.Although Breck thought it was "incredible" and "absolutely fantastic," he also mentioned that "it""s like looking at some deadly bacillus and knowing you""ve got it bottled up at last...You""re gonna make a wonderful mother, Abra...a perfect one").As Kate had peered out at him hrough a small space between window curtains, Cal also peeked at their necking through a narrow space between two big blocks of ice - hecould only secretly worship Abra and spy on them coldly from afar.His balding, 60-ish father-in-law Wade Gustafson (Harve Presnell) is in the living room watching college hockey on TV [the first of many characters in the film who find escapist entertainment on the tube], while waiting for dinner (a common occurrence).