southern's next major screenplay was "the end of the road", adapted from the novel by john barth and starring stacy keach, dorothy tristan and james earl jones. it was directed by his friend aram avakian. the director and the film were the subject of a major spread in "life" magazine in november 1969, which reportedly led to a critical backlash, and the film was savaged on its release, and was especially criticised because of a graphic scene in which the main female character undergoes an abortion, which led to the film being classified with an "x" rating.