Frank Lloyd Wright Biopic To Show Dark Side Of Architectural Legend

It comes as no big surprise that Frank Lloyd Wright was dubbed "the greatest American architect of all time" by the American Institute of Architects.

But did you know that the home Wright built for his mistress was set on fire by Wright's male servant who then axe-murdered seven people while the fire burned? That sounds like some prime biopic material...

The upcoming film Taliesin, is named after the burned home. Taliesin will focus not on Wright's entire life but primarily on his time spent in Taliesin with his married mistress Martha Cheney.

The film was written by Nicholas Meyer, most well-known for his involvement with the Star Trek films; it will be directed by Bruce Beresford of Driving Miss Daisy.

Beresford told press that the script "doesn't whitewash [Wright] into some sort of saint." Who in Hollywood could take on the challenge? All Beresford revealed is that he has someone in mind. Any guesses?

Comments

[Melody Breyer-Grell]

03:56 AM on 12/13/2011

Bruce Dern, if he was younger, but he ain't. This pic does not seen like the realm of Star Trek or Daisy, but hey, people can be flexible, in fact , why not Ron Howard:))

Seriously though, I see someone like the director of Kinsey as a more hopeful choice to do right by this story--

[Yates]

08:38 AM on 12/11/2011

i vote Tom Hanks. someone Midwest like him.

[justmy2cintz]

10:23 PM on 12/09/2011

When I saw the split screen shot of Wright and Kevin Spacey, I thought he might be cast in the lead. That could work.

[BoFo]

06:07 PM on 12/09/2011

I vote for Paul Reubens.

[BoFo]

06:15 PM on 12/09/2011

I meant to say John Malkovich.

[BoFo]

06:35 PM on 12/09/2011

Definitely not Donald Trump.

[JTWallace]

12:14 PM on 12/09/2011

From the first time I saw photographs of his designs, I never looked at traditional styles again. While it embraces the simple styles of interior furnishings, it seems based on Japanese influences which reflect strength, comfort, welcoming and light with interesting exteriors.

[Marian Bailey]

10:31 AM on 12/09/2011

A couple of years ago, I visited FLW's Falling Water home near Pittsburg, Pa. I found it to be beautiful. It's in such a serene setting. I would love to live there in the summer. They keep it up with entry fees from tourists.

[Dots]

10:04 AM on 12/09/2011

I'd love to see James Caviezel in the role! FLW was an artistic genius.

[lindarae]

09:47 AM on 12/09/2011

Read "Loving Frank", and although a work of fiction did center on this aspect of his life. The story, complete with tragic ending of his long time affair with Mamah Cheney gave me new insight into his life, his views and his work. Will look forward to this film.

[haiku man]

07:54 AM on 12/09/2011

Her name wasn't "Martha."

[iam99]

07:26 AM on 12/09/2011

Both of my folks grew up in Oak Park, IL only blocks from FLW's home and studio. When I was a young boy I once asked my grandfather who is Frank Lloyd Wright? I must have heard someone speaking the name once. Anyway, his answer was, "Just some guy that built some homes around here."

[breezyholler]

05:22 AM on 12/09/2011

Stop dissing my lifelong hero....no one is perfect, but many are great!

[JohnSawyer]

04:09 AM on 12/09/2011

That's a wild story about the axe murders amongst the fire of a burning Wright house. Sounds like something Ken Russell would have liked filming. He can't though, now that he's dead--from what I heard, someone crammed him into a cannon while he was sleeping and blew him across the English Channel. He woke up just before he collided with a French couple walking their poodle.

[Melody Breyer-Grell]

03:59 AM on 12/13/2011

ahhaha, is he dead? have not checked lately--but I agree that we need a more iconoclastic director. How about Cronnenberg?

[JohnSawyer]

04:26 PM on 12/13/2011

Cronenberg sounds like a good choice too. But he'd have to figure out a way to insert a scene with squishy, weird, only partly identifiable organic somethings.

[ligligl]

03:42 AM on 12/09/2011

I am just horrified at the lack of consideration paid to a true genius. Have you seen 'Falling Water'? Have tou visited the Wayfarer's Chapel? He used Aztec influences as well, but that hardly makes him derivative. You should habg your heads in shame...
Bet you don't think much of Mona Lisa or David, and after all Rembrandt just did dark cartoons of old Jews...

[Edward Standley]

04:26 AM on 12/09/2011

I think there are valid opinions on both sides. I'm a big fan of his designs and am amazed that some were drawn up in the 1800's. It's almost as if he came from some futuristic other planet. On the other hand, I've seen enough written about the really poor quality of the buildings to think there must be some truth to it.

[rsaillant1]

07:31 AM on 12/09/2011

Time for many critics to review the division of responsibilities
between Architect and Contractor. The Architect designs, and specifies.
The Contractor and his Sub's assemble, construct and finish.

Many of Wright's buildings are nearly half a century old, many older
than that. Why do none of his critics examine the construction practices
of that time rather than place blame at the feet of the creator?

[kadyak]

04:29 AM on 12/09/2011

Fallingwater looks great, but has been falling apart for years, because of design problems ....

[Dots]

09:57 AM on 12/09/2011

There are moisture challenges but if you go there you won't be disappointed.

[Derpwood]

03:20 AM on 12/09/2011

Wright's work was / is awful . . Ask anyone who has attempted to live or work in one of his barns. he's like the "Artiste" who sells a canvass with some paint splashed on it for a million dollars based on how pretentious and arrogant he was ..

Sears built better houses . .

[missdboat]

04:02 AM on 12/09/2011

I know someone who grew up in one of his houses and they had to move out because they could not keep up with maintenance costs. Form follows function they say but he was just all form.

[Derpwood]

10:30 AM on 12/09/2011

Exactly - He was creative, and he was inspired and innovative in many ways, but he was also ill-serving of his clients needs. While there were positives, the negatives outweigh them. His demands for construction and engineering also produced uncomfortable and poorly constructed structures, which have required most of them to either turned into museum pieces, or be completely re-engineered.

They're also fire-traps . .

[haiku man]

07:54 AM on 12/09/2011

Nothing pretentious about your glib post though.

[Derpwood]

10:26 AM on 12/09/2011

Do you have a point?

I guess not . .

[webwzrd]

02:35 AM on 12/09/2011

When I was a kid dreaming of becoming an architect, FLW was my idol. I especially loved his houses, and drew them endlessly. Too bad I grew up and fell in love with cars, becoming a mechanical engineer instead. Still now, his designs seem ahead of their time, yet with a classical peaceful quality. Few modern architects have reached this level of enduring fame and influence.