In 1957 producer Daniel Angel said that Daniel Fuchs was writing the script for South by Java Head from a novel by Tom Carling, with Fox to finance.Fox Signs 3 Writers Lazar Negotiates 3 Deals Of Local Origin By THOMAS M.PRYOR New York Times 26 Nov 1957: 41. MacLean's publisher Ian Chapman had not felt the novel was up to the standard of The Guns of Navarone and was going to suggest to MacLean that he try another novel instead. However the film sale of the project led to the novel's publication.
