Frank Lloyd Wright (1998) - full transcript

[ORCHESTRA PLAYING]

Frank Lloyd Wright:
MY FATHER TAUGHT ME

THAT A SYMPHONY
WAS AN EDIFICE OF SOUND.

AND I LEARNED PRETTY SOON
THAT IT WAS BUILT

BY THE SAME KIND OF MIND
IN MUCH THE SAME WAY

THAT A BUILDING IS BUILT.

AND WHEN THAT CAME TO ME,

I USED TO SIT
AND LISTEN TO BEETHOVEN.

HE WAS A GREAT ARCHITECT.

THE 2 MINDS
ARE QUITE SIMILAR

BECAUSE THEY ARRANGE
AND BUILD,



PLOT AND PLAN
IN VERY MUCH THE SAME WAY.

Man: THERE'S A WONDERFUL
PASSAGE FROM EMERSON

WHICH SEEMS TO ME
TO COME CLOSER

TO CAPTURING FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
THAN ANY OTHER

IN WHICH HE SAYS, "EVERY SPIRIT
BUILDS ITSELF A HOUSE

"AND BEYOND ITS HOUSE,
A WORLD,

"AND BEYOND
ITS WORLD, A HEAVEN.

"KNOW THEN THAT THE WORLD
EXISTS FOR YOU.

BUILD, THEREFORE,
YOUR OWN WORLD."

AND THAT VISION
OF THE ROMANTIC GENIUS,

THE ARTIST TAKING THE WORLD
AND REINVENTING IT,

MAKING IT
IN ITS OWN RIGHT,

FOLLOWING THAT PERSONAL
IDIOSYNCRATIC VISION

IS UTTERLY WHAT
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT IS ABOUT.



[PIANO PLAYING]

ARCHITECTURE IS GOING TO
BE OUR CONTRIBUTION

TO THE GREAT CIVILIZATION
OF THE FUTURE.

I'D LIKE TO
HAVE ARCHITECTURE

THAT BELONGED WHERE YOU
SEE IT STANDING

AND WAS A GRACE TO THE LANDSCAPE
INSTEAD OF A DISGRACE,

WHERE EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE
ROOM, PEACE, COMFORT,

AND EVERY ESTABLISHMENT WOULD BE
APPROPRIATE TO EVERY MAN.

Narrator:
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT

WAS THE GREATEST
OF ALL AMERICAN ARCHITECTS.

FOR MORE THAN 70 YEARS,
HE SHOWED HIS COUNTRYMEN

NEW WAYS TO BUILD
THEIR HOMES

AND SEE THE WORLD
AROUND THEM.

HE CREATED SOME
OF THE MOST MONUMENTAL

AND SOME OF THE MOST INTIMATE
SPACES IN AMERICA.

HE DESIGNED EVERYTHING--
BANKS AND BUSINESSES,

RESORTS AND CHURCHES,

A FILLING STATION
AND A SYNAGOGUE,

A BEER GARDEN
AND AN ART MUSEUM.

Man: TRYING TO FIND THE GENIUS
OF A MAN LIKE THAT

THAT YOU REALIZE IS A GENIUS
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO HIM

AND MORE OF A GENIUS
AS YOU GET TO KNOW HIS WORK

IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT
PROBABLY DOESN'T GO INTO WORDS.

IT'S PROBABLY A MATTER
OF HOW MOVED ARE YOU

BY HIS WORK
AND BY HIS PERSONALITY.

IN THIS CASE, BOTH.

HE, UH...
I HATED HIM, OF COURSE,

BUT THAT'S ONLY NORMAL
WHEN A MAN IS SO GREAT THAT--

IT'S A COMBINATION OF HATRED.

IT'S A COMBINATION
OF ENVY AND CONTEMPT
AND MISUNDERSTANDING...

ALL OF WHICH GETS MIXED UP
WITH HIS GENIUS.

Narrator:
WRIGHT WAS CELEBRATED,

THEN RIDICULED AND FORGOTTEN,
THEN CELEBRATED AGAIN

AS NO OTHER AMERICAN ARCHITECT
HAS EVER BEEN CELEBRATED.

Woman:
ONE CAN LOOK AT HIM

AND BE AWED BY THE DIMENSIONS
OF THIS PERSONALITY

AND THE ACHIEVEMENT,
BECAUSE WE ARE LOOKING AT

SOMETHING WE VERY SELDOM SEE
IN REAL LIFE, WHICH IS A GENIUS.

ON THE OTHER HAND,
WHEN YOU LOOK AT

WHO HE WAS
AS A HUMAN BEING,

HE WAS SO AT THE MERCY
OF HIS EMOTIONS

THAT YOU THINK
HE'S AT THE OTHER SPECTRUM,

HE'S BARELY
A HUMAN BEING.

Narrator: FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
BROKE ALL THE RULES,

IN HIS ART
AND IN HIS LIFE.

HE WAS CONTROVERSIAL, NOTORIOUS,
UTTERLY UNPREDICTABLE.

HE BOASTED OF HIS GENIUS
WITH AN ARROGANCE AND BOMBAST

THAT OUTRAGED HIS ENEMIES
AND BEWILDERED HIS FRIENDS,

RISKED HIS CAREER IN A SERIES
OF SCANDALOUS AFFAIRS,

AND SUFFERED
TERRIBLE PERSONAL TRAGEDY,

BUT THROUGH IT ALL,
HE NEVER STOPPED DREAMING

OF NEW WAYS TO BUILD.

HE WAS, ONE OF HIS DRAFTSMEN
REMEMBERED, "200% ALIVE."

Man: HE HAD TO BE ONSTAGE,
AND NOT ONLY ONSTAGE,

BUT HE HAD TO BE
IN THE CENTER OF THE STAGE,

AND IT WAS
ACTUALLY THE CASE

THAT WHEN HE WOULD BE DESCRIBED,
AS HE OFTEN WAS,

AS THE GREATEST LIVING
AMERICAN ARCHITECT,

HE WOULD SAY,
"WHAT'S THAT ABOUT AMERICAN?"

AND HE WOULD SAY, "WHAT'S THAT
ABOUT LIVING?"

HE SAID, "I AM THE GREATEST
ARCHITECT THAT HAS EVER LIVED.

FORGET AMERICAN.
FORGET LIVING."

HE KNEW OR THOUGHT HE KNEW
OR PRETENDED THAT HE KNEW

WHERE HIS PLACE WAS
GOING TO BE IN THE WORLD.

Man: HE WAS A HUSTLER.
HE WAS A WILD SELF-PROMOTER.

HE EXAGGERATED HIS LIFE STORY,
INVENTED ALL KINDS OF DETAILS,

BUT HE WAS NO LESS
AN ARTISTIC GENIUS
FOR HAVING DONE THIS.

HE TRANSFORMED
OUR NATURE OF--

OUR SENSE OF WHAT ARCHITECTURE
IS AND CAN BE.

HE HAD THIS EXTRAORDINARY
REACH AND DEPTH

THAT AFFECTED ALL
THAT WOULD EVER COME AFTER HIM.

SO WHAT IF HE MADE UP

A FEW DETAILS
IN HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY?

I MEAN, SO WHAT IF HE WAS
DESPERATE FOR PUBLICITY?

SO WHAT IF HE LIVED
THIS MELODRAMATIC LIFE?

HE WAS A TRUE
ARTISTIC GENIUS AS WELL.

Mike Wallace:
AND NOW TO OUR STORY.

ADMIRERS
OF FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT

HAIL HIM AS A MAN
100 YEARS AHEAD OF HIS TIME.

NOW 88 YEARS OLD,
HE'S STILL DESIGNING

HOMES AND BUILDINGS
WHICH ARE REVOLUTIONARY,

INCLUDING PLANS
FOR A MILE-HIGH SKYSCRAPER

FOR WHICH HE'S HAD
NO BUYERS YET.

I UNDERSTAND
THAT LAST WEEK,
IN ALL SERIOUSNESS,

YOU SAID, "IF I HAD
ANOTHER 15 YEARS TO WORK,

"I COULD REBUILD
THIS ENTIRE COUNTRY.

I COULD CHANGE
THE NATION."

I DID SAY THAT,
AND IT'S TRUE.

HAVING HAD NOW
THE EXPERIENCE

GOING WITH
THE BUILDING
OF 769 BUILDINGS,

IT'S QUITE EASY
FOR ME TO SHAKE THEM
OUT OF MY SLEEVE,

AND IT'S AMAZING
WHAT I COULD DO
FOR THIS COUNTRY.

I'VE BEEN ACCUSED
OF SAYING

I WAS THE GREATEST ARCHITECT
IN THE WORLD,

AND IF I HAD SAID SO,

I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE
VERY...ARROGANT.

[HORSE NEIGHS]

Narrator: HE WAS BORN
FRANK LINCOLN WRIGHT

IN RICHLAND CENTER, WISCONSIN,
ON JUNE 8, 1867,

JUST 2 YEARS AFTER THE END
OF THE CIVIL WAR.

"YOURS WAS A PROPHETIC BIRTH,"
HIS MOTHER ANNA TOLD HIM.

SHE BELIEVED HER BOY
PREDESTINED TO BE A GREAT MAN,

A MASTER BUILDER,

AND SHE WOULD TEACH HIM
TO BELIEVE IT, TOO.

Man: HIS MOTHER
SHAPED HIM.

WHEN SHE BECAME PREGNANT,

SHE DECIDED
THAT IT WOULD BE A BOY

AND THAT HE WOULD BE
AN ARCHITECT.

SO TO THAT END, SHE PUT
ENGRAVINGS, SO WRIGHT TELLS US,

OF THE GREAT CATHEDRALS
IN HER ROOM.

THEN WHEN HE WAS BORN
AND IT WAS A BOY,

SHE PUT THE ENGRAVINGS OF
THE GREAT CATHEDRAL IN HIS ROOM.

Narrator: HIS CHILDHOOD
WAS TEMPESTUOUS, CHAOTIC,

A BY-PRODUCT OF HIS PARENTS'
UNHAPPY MARRIAGE.

HIS FATHER, WILLIAM WRIGHT,
WAS A HUGELY CHARMING MAN

WHO PURSUED
ALL KINDS OF CALLINGS--

EDUCATOR, MUSICIAN,
POLITICIAN, PREACHER,

BUT HE WAS UNWILLING
TO STAY AT ANY JOB FOR LONG

AND UNABLE EVER
TO EARN ENOUGH MONEY

TO SATISFY HIS WIFE'S
LOFTY ASPIRATIONS.

ALTHOUGH SHE
MAY HAVE BEEN

BITTERLY DISAPPOINTED
IN HER HUSBAND,

ANNA WRIGHT LAVISHED
LOVE AND ADMIRATION
ON HER ONLY SON.

HE WAS MORE THAN A CHILD TO HER,
ONE OF HIS SISTERS REMEMBERED.

HE WAS HER PROTéGé.

HE WOULD ACCOMPLISH WHAT
SHE AND HER HUSBAND COULD NOT.

SHE BOUGHT HIM
A SET OF WOODEN BLOCKS

AND ENCOURAGED HIM
TO BUILD THINGS.

Meryle Secrest:
ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WRIGHT OFTEN SAID

WAS THAT
HE WAS VERY LUCKY

TO HAVE HAD THE KIND
OF MOTHER HE DID.

SHE HAD THE MOST
WONDERFUL QUALITY,

THE KIND OF QUALITY THAT
THE IDEAL MOTHER HAS, YOU KNOW.

SHE WAS ALL FOR YOU.

Narrator:
WHEN FRANK WAS 11,

ANNA RELUCTANTLY
SNIPPED OFF HIS CURLS

AND SENT HIM OFF TO SPEND
THE FIRST OF MANY SUMMERS

WORKING ON HER FAMILY'S
WISCONSIN FARM.

THE LLOYD-JONESES
WERE WELSH--

UNITARIAN RADICALS
WHO WERE KNOWN LOCALLY

AS "THE GOD-ALMIGHTY JONESES"
BECAUSE OF THEIR PIETY

AND THE EXTREME SERIOUSNESS
WITH WHICH THEY TOOK THEMSELVES.

THEIR FAMILY MOTTO WAS
"TRUTH AGAINST THE WORLD."

FRANK HATED FARM WORK.

HE LEARNED ONLY "TO ADD
TIRED TO TIRED," HE REMEMBERED.

BUT DURING THOSE SUMMER
EVENINGS, HE LISTENED EAGERLY

TO THE LLOYD-JONESES' LIVELY
DINNER CONVERSATIONS

ABOUT RELIGION,
PHILOSOPHY,

AND RALPH WALDO EMERSON'S VISION
OF THE AMERICAN FUTURE.

SURROUNDED BY THE BEAUTY
OF THE WISCONSIN COUNTRYSIDE,

HE DEVELOPED
THE LOVE OF NATURE

HE WOULD HOLD TO
ALL HIS LIFE.

William Cronon:
WHAT HE WAS INTERESTED IN

WAS A NATURE
THAT HUMAN BEINGS INHABITED

AND, IN FACT,
THAT THEY TRANSFORMED

THROUGH THEIR OWN
SPIRITUAL USE OF IT.

SO, FOR HIM,
WHAT AN ARTIST IS

IS A PERSON
WHO TRANSFORMS NATURE

BY LOOKING AT NATURE,
PASSING IT THROUGH THE SOUL,

AND IN THE EXPRESSION OF WHAT
THE SOUL EXPERIENCES IN NATURE,

SOMETHING MORE NATURAL
THAN NATURE ITSELF EMERGES,

WHICH IS AS CLOSE
AS WE GET TO GOD.

[BELL RINGING]

Narrator: FRANK'S FATHER
MOVED HIS FAMILY

FROM TOWN TO TOWN
AND STATE TO STATE
IN SEARCH OF WORK,

EVENTUALLY LANDING
IN MADISON, WISCONSIN.

BUT HIS PARENTS' MARRIAGE
WAS GOING FROM BAD TO WORSE.

FINALLY, IN 1884,
ANNA TOLD HER HUSBAND

SHE WOULD NEVER AGAIN
SHARE HIS BED.

WILLIAM WRIGHT FILED FOR DIVORCE
AND WALKED AWAY FROM HIS FAMILY.

FRANK SIDED
WITH HIS MOTHER,

CHANGED HIS MIDDLE NAME TO LLOYD
IN HONOR OF HER FAMILY,

AND REFUSED EVER TO SEE
HIS FATHER AGAIN.

BUT THE LEGACY
OF WILLIAM WRIGHT

WOULD REMAIN STUBBORNLY
ALIVE IN HIM--

IN HIS LIFELONG LOVE
OF MUSIC,

HIS ENORMOUS CHARM,
HIS RESTLESSNESS,

AND HIS INABILITY
EVER TO LIVE WITHIN HIS MEANS.

Brendan Gill: THE FATHER
DROPPED OUT OF THE PICTURE,

AND FRANK CHOSE TO GO
WITH THE MOTHER

AND NEVER HAVE ANYTHING TO DO
WITH THE FATHER AGAIN

AND NEVER EVEN ATTENDED
THE FATHER'S FUNERAL,

NEVER DID ANYTHING
ABOUT THE FATHER,

BUT THERE WAS
THE GREAT CHARACTER

WHO REALLY
HELPED SO MUCH

TO CREATE THE TRUE
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT.

Narrator: IN 1886,
WRIGHT TOOK COURSES

AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF WISCONSIN

AND LEARNED THE RUDIMENTS
OF ARCHITECTURAL DRAFTING,

BUT HE ALREADY
FELT HIMSELF

DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT
FROM HIS CLASSMATES

AND DRESSED ACCORDINGLY,
WEARING A TOP HAT

AND STALKING ACROSS THE CAMPUS
WITH A CANE.

HE WAS ANXIOUS
TO GET AWAY

FROM THE SCENE
OF HIS FAMILY'S TROUBLES,

EAGER TO BE ON HIS OWN
IN THE BIG CITY OF CHICAGO.

[STEAM WHISTLE BLOWING]

TELLING NO ONE, HE PAWNED
A FEW OF HIS FATHER'S OLD BOOKS

TO PAY FOR HIS RAIL TICKET
AND BOARDED THE TRAIN.

WITH HIM, HE REMEMBERED,
HE CARRIED

ONLY HIS MOTHER'S
MOST PRECIOUS GIFT TO HIM--

A BOUNDLESS FAITH
THAT HE WOULD SUCCEED.

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
WAS NOW DETERMINED
TO BECOME AN ARCHITECT.

Cronon: THE GREAT THING
ABOUT CHICAGO

IS THAT AFTER THE 1871 FIRE,
WHEN THE WHOLE DOWNTOWN

IS BASICALLY ANNIHILATED
BY THIS INCREDIBLE FIRE,

THE WHOLE DOWNTOWN
HAS TO BE REBUILT,

AND THERE'S MONEY
TO DO THE REBUILDING

BECAUSE THE CITY IS
CLEARLY GOING TO BOOM

TO BE ONE OF THE GREAT CITIES
OF THE UNITED STATES.

SO ALL THESE
ARCHITECTS COME IN,

AND THEY HAVE A TABULA RASA.
THEY HAVE A CLEAN SLATE

ON WHICH TO DO THEIR WORK,

AND SO EMERGES
THIS SENSE OF THE ARCHITECT

AS THE PERSON WHO CREATES
THE UNIVERSE THAT WE INHABIT.

WRIGHT COMES
INTO THAT COMMUNITY,

AND HE IMBIBES
THAT VISION.

Narrator: AN UNCLE
HELPED WRIGHT

GET A DRAFTSMAN'S JOB
WITH A RESPECTABLE FIRM,

BUT HE WANTED MORE.

IN 1887, WHEN HE WAS
JUST 20 YEARS OLD,

HE APPROACHED THE BEST ARCHITECT
IN THE CITY, LOUIS SULLIVAN,

AND ASKED FOR A JOB.

Gill: SULLIVAN HIMSELF
WAS JUST A KID, REALLY.

HE WAS 31,
32 YEARS OF AGE,

VERY ARTISTIC, PASSIONATELY
DETERMINED TO MAKE GOOD,

AND INTO THEIR OFFICE
CAME THIS ADORABLE BOY
WHO OBVIOUSLY SULLIVAN,

IN A PERFECTLY ORDINARY SENSE
OF THE WORD, FELL FOR

AND THOUGHT, "OH, MY GOD.
THIS IS SOMEBODY

THAT I CAN REALLY MOLD
AND MAKE INTO A GREAT MAN."

AND FRANK HIMSELF
PLAINLY FELT THE SAME WAY
ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP.

Narrator: LOUIS SULLIVAN
WAS A REVOLUTIONARY,

SEEKING A DISTINCTLY
AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE.

Cronon: PROBABLY THE SINGLE MOST
INFLUENTIAL EVENT OF THE 1890s

THAT CHANGES THE WHOLE
ARCHITECTURAL LANDSCAPE
OF THE UNITED STATES

IS THE 1893 WORLD'S FAIR.

THE FAIR WAS CAST
IN A NEOCLASSICAL REVIVAL MODE

IN WHICH ALL THE BUILDINGS
HAD A KIND OF FACADE ON THEM

THAT LOOKED GREEK
OR ROMAN,

AND IT WAS CALLED
THE WHITE CITY.

IT MOVED THE VISITORS
TO THE FAIR

MORE THAN ANY OTHER SINGLE THING
THAT WAS THERE,

AND IT'S THE REASON WHY
THE MALL IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,

IS CAST
IN GREEK REVIVAL FORM

AND WHY EVERY DOWNTOWN
OF EVERY AMERICAN CITY

BUILT IN THE 1900s
AND 1910s

HAVE THIS KIND
OF GREEK REVIVAL FORM.

SULLIVAN REACTED
VERY NEGATIVELY

TO THAT VISION
OF THE FAIR,

AND SO DID FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT,
FOLLOWING SULLIVAN.

Narrator:
LOUIS SULLIVAN BELIEVED
THAT ARCHITECTURAL STYLE

MUST EVOLVE IN HARMONY
WITH ITS INTENDED USE--

FORM MUST FOLLOW
FUNCTION.

HE DESIGNED SOME OF THE WORLD'S
FIRST SKYSCRAPERS,

AND FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
HELPED HIM DO THE DRAWINGS.

SOON WRIGHT BECAME
WHAT HE CALLED

"A GOOD PENCIL
IN THE MASTER'S HAND"

AND WAS PROMOTED
TO CHIEF DRAFTSMAN

IN CHARGE OF 49 MEN.

[HORSE NEIGHS]

BY THIS TIME,
WRIGHT HAD FALLEN IN LOVE

WITH A CHARMING
17-YEAR-OLD

FROM A PROSPEROUS
CHICAGO FAMILY--

CATHERINE TOBIN,
WHOM EVERYONE CALLED KITTY.

THEY'D MET
AT A CHURCH SOCIAL,

WHEN THEY LITERALLY COLLIDED
ON THE DANCE FLOOR.

BEFORE LONG, HE ASKED HER
TO MARRY HIM.

Secrest: WRIGHT DID
WHAT WE ALL DO WHEN WE'RE YOUNG.

HE CONSTRUCTED AN IMAGE
OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
GIRL IN THE WORLD

AND MADE SOMEONE FIT,

AND HERE IS
THIS ENCHANTING GIRL

THAT SORT OF FALLS
INTO HIS LAP,

AND HE,
NATURALLY ENOUGH, SAYS,

"THIS IS THE GIRL
OF MY DREAMS.

"THIS IS THE ONE WHO'S
GOING TO ACCOMPANY ME
TO THE GREAT HEIGHTS,

AND SHE IS THE ONE
WHO'S GOING TO LIVE FOR ME,"

BECAUSE BEING AN EGOTIST,
A NARCISSIST OF THE FIRST WATER,

THIS IS THE KIND OF GIRL
HE WANTED.

Narrator: AT FIRST,
KITTY'S PARENTS
OPPOSED THE MARRIAGE.

WRIGHT WAS TOO YOUNG,
TOO UNCONVENTIONAL, TOO POOR.

FRANK'S MOTHER WAS
ALSO AGAINST THE MATCH

AND EMPHASIZED HER UNHAPPINESS
BY FAINTING AT THE WEDDING.

TO ENSURE THAT HE
AND HIS BRIDE STARTED OUT

AMIDST THE LUXURY
THAT HE WAS CERTAIN
WAS SOMEHOW HIS DUE,

FRANK TALKED HIS BOSS INTO
GIVING HIM A 5-YEAR CONTRACT

THEN PERSUADED SULLIVAN
PERSONALLY TO LOAN HIM
ENOUGH MONEY AGAINST IT

TO BUILD HIMSELF
A FINE NEW HOME

IN THE FASHIONABLE
AND CONSERVATIVE CHICAGO
SUBURB OF OAK PARK.

OAK PARK WAS SO SEDATE,
SO COMFORTABLE,

SO FILLED WITH CHURCHES

THAT LOCAL PEOPLE LIKED
TO CALL IT "SAINT'S REST."

IT WOULD BE WRIGHT'S HOME
AND CENTER OF OPERATIONS

FOR TWO DECADES.

Gill: AND SO HE MARRIED
AN ADORABLE YOUNG WOMAN,

VERY GOOD-LOOKING,
VERY FIERY AND SPIRITED,

AND A PERFECT CONSORT
FOR HIM,

AND THEY BEGAN TO HURL

CHILD AFTER CHILD AFTER CHILD
INTO THE WORLD.

Narrator: THERE WOULD
EVENTUALLY BE 6 CHILDREN--

4 BOYS AND 2 GIRLS.

KITTY LOOKED AFTER THEM,

AND WRIGHT LOOKED AFTER
HIS CAREER.

WRIGHT LOVED TO CONDUCT TOURS
OF HIS OWN HOME,

POINTING OUT
THE BIG, ECHOING PLAYROOM

HE ADDED
FOR THE CHILDREN,

THE ELEGANT DINING ROOM WITH
ITS IMPOSING HIGH-BACKED CHAIRS

SPECIALLY DESIGNED
BY WRIGHT,

AND THE FIREPLACE
AT THE CENTER OF THE HOUSE,

WHICH HE BELIEVED SYMBOLIZED
THE HEART OF THE FAMILY.

ABOVE THE MANTEL
WAS CARVED

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S
NEW FAMILY MOTTO--

"TRUTH IS LIFE."

THE WRIGHTS
LOVED TO SOCIALIZE.

"THERE WERE PARTIES SOMEWHERE
ALL OF THE TIME,"

HIS ELDEST SON
REMEMBERED,

"AND EVERYWHERE
SOME OF THE TIME."

Gill: HE WAS A ROMANTIC FIGURE
BEYOND ANYTHING.

THE WHOLE ATMOSPHERE
OF A ROOM CHANGED

WHEN HE CAME INTO IT--

THE CAPE, THE CANE,
ALL THE ACCOUTERMENTS

OF A SUPERB ACTOR
OF THE 19th CENTURY,

AND WOMEN, UNDERSTANDABLY,
FELL IN LOVE WITH HIM AT ONCE.

HE WAS A FAR MORE
REMARKABLE FIGURE
THAN THEIR HUSBANDS,

WHO WERE LAWYERS AND DENTISTS
AND OTHER ORDINARY FOLK.

Narrator: FROM THE FIRST,
WRIGHT LIVED BEYOND HIS MEANS.

HE COLLECTED OLD BOOKS
AND JAPANESE PRINTS.

"SO LONG AS WE HAVE
THE LUXURIES," HE LIKED TO SAY,

"THE NECESSITIES
COULD PRETTY WELL
TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES."

WHEN THEY DIDN'T, HE BETRAYED
LOUIS SULLIVAN'S TRUST.

HE BEGAN SECRETLY DESIGNING
HOUSES FOR WEALTHY CLIENTS,

SOMETIMES UNDER
AN ASSUMED NAME.

Gill: WELL, HE WAS IN ALL KINDS
OF TROUBLE ALL THE TIME,

AND HE SAID THINGS
THAT WERE

SO REMOTE FROM BEING TRUE
AGAIN AND AGAIN,

AND HE WOULD BE CAUGHT OUT
TELLING SOME REAL WHOPPER,

AND HE WOULD ONLY SAY
WITH A SMILE,

"WELL, THERE YOU ARE."

Narrator: IN 1893,
SULLIVAN FOUND OUT

THAT WRIGHT WAS MOONLIGHTING
AND DISMISSED HIM.

WRIGHT WOULD ALWAYS CLAIM THAT
HE HAD QUIT, NOT BEEN FIRED,

BUT HE NEVER LOOKED BACK.

HE ADDED AN IMPRESSIVE
HIGH-CEILING STUDIO TO HIS HOME,

LAUNCHED HIS OWN PRACTICE,

AND ATTRACTED A STAFF OF YOUNG,
TALENTED ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS

WHO WOULD HELP HIM
DO THE WORK.

OVER THE NEXT DECADE,
HE STRUGGLED TO DEVELOP

A STYLE OF BUILDING HOUSES
DISTINCTLY HIS OWN.

Man: HE WOULD WORK
ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT,

AND SOMETIMES HE WOULD GO
FOR 3 OR 4 DAYS CONTINUOUSLY,

WORKING AND DEVELOPING DRAWINGS
FOR JUST ONE PROJECT,

DRAWING AFTER DRAWING
AFTER DRAWING,

AND THIS WOULD GO ON
ALL THE TIME CONTINUALLY.

THIS IS WHERE HE WAS
DEVELOPING HIS GRAMMAR.

THIS IS
IN THE OAK PARK DAYS.

HE WAS REALLY
GETTING IT DOWN,

GETTING WHAT IT WAS
THAT HE WANTED TO DO,

HOW HE WANTED TO MOVE
WITH ARCHITECTURE.

Narrator: FOLLOWING THE WISHES
OF HIS OAK PARK CLIENTS,

HE FIRST
INCORPORATED ELEMENTS

DRAWN FROM EVERY SORT
OF EUROPEAN STYLE,

INCLUDING AN ODD HYBRID HE
CALLED HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN,

BUT HE WAS NOT SATISFIED.

IT WAS A UNIQUELY AMERICAN STYLE
THAT WRIGHT WAS AFTER,

BASED NOT ON MODELS IMPORTED
FROM THE OLD WORLD,

BUT GROWING NATURALLY OUT
OF LOCAL CONDITIONS IN THE NEW.

Gill: EVERY GREAT COUNTRY,
AS IT EMERGES INTO GREATNESS,

DEVELOPS
ITS OWN ARCHITECTURE.

IT GOES BEYOND STYLE,
IT GOES BEYOND FASHION,

WHICH ARE COMMON PLACES
OF CHANGE.

IN PRINCIPLE, THERE OUGHT TO BE
SOMETHING AUTOCHTHONOUS,

THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING
COMING OUT OF THE GROUND

THAT SAYS, "THIS IS
THE WAY WE BUILD IN THIS
PARTICULAR CULTURE."

FRANK WAS TRYING TO SAY,

"WE DESERVE
AN AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE."

Man: WHEN WRIGHT BEGAN
TO BE AN ARCHITECT,

THE TYPICAL HOUSE, SAY,
IN OAK PARK, WHERE HE LIVED,

WAS ON A RELATIVELY NARROW LOT,
MAYBE 60 OR 70 FEET WIDE,

MAYBE 100
OR 125 FEET DEEP.

IT HAD A FRONT PORCH

WHERE PEOPLE COULD GATHER

IN A KIND OF SEMI-PUBLIC
RELATIONSHIP TO THE STREET.

WRIGHT TOOK THAT MODEL,
AND RECOGNIZING IN PART

THAT THE AUTOMOBILE CHANGED
THE NATURE OF STREET LIFE

AND THAT WHILE
YOU SAT ON A PORCH

AND TALKED TO PEOPLE WALKING BY
OR IN A SLOW-MOVING CARRIAGE,

AN AUTOMOBILE DESTROYED
THAT RELATIONSHIP.

SO, HE RECOGNIZED THAT,

AND HE TURNED THE HOUSE
90 DEGREES TO THE STREET.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, WRIGHT
THREW AWAY THE PORCH

AND, IN FACT, ALWAYS
CONCEALS HIS ENTRANCE

IN SOME OBSCURE WAY.

Narrator: SOME ELEMENTS
OF WRIGHT'S RADICAL NEW STYLE

WERE BORROWED
FROM BUILDERS OVERSEAS--

THE ARTS AND CRAFTS
MOVEMENT IN BRITAIN,

THE SECESSIONIST SCHOOL
IN VIENNA,

AND THE ARCHITECTURE
OF JAPAN,

BUT NO ONE HAD EVER DRAWN
UPON ALL OF THEM AS HE DID.

WRIGHT'S HOUSES WERE HORIZONTAL
RATHER THAN VERTICAL

TO FIT INTO THE FLAT
MIDWESTERN LANDSCAPE,

AND THEY FEATURED
SHELTERING OVERHANGS,

LOW TERRACES, AND SEQUESTERED,
PRIVATE GARDENS.

THEY WOULD BE SET BACK
FROM THE STREET

TO ENSURE
GREATER PRIVACY.

THEY WOULD BE STRIPPED
OF THE DECORATIVE DETAIL

WRIGHT CONSIDERED
SUPERFLUOUS.

THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE,
HE SAID,

WAS THERE CHIEFLY
BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED INSIDE.

IN WRIGHT'S HOUSES,
ROOMS WERE NO LONGER TO BE
"BOXES BESIDE BOXES."

INSTEAD, THE WHOLE LOWER FLOOR
WAS TO BE ONE ROOM,

ITS MANY DIFFERENT USES
SUGGESTED BY SCREENS

RATHER THAN CLOSED OFF
WITH WALLS.

"EVERYTHING WAS TO BE
A UNIFIED WHOLE,"
WRIGHT LIKED TO SAY.

"ORDER OUT OF CHAOS."

Paul Goldberger:
IT'S ALL COMING OUT, STILL,

OF THE STRAIGHT-LACED, TIGHT
VICTORIAN AND EDWARDIAN PERIODS

WHERE FORMALITY, ENCLOSED,
DISCREET ROOMS,

PARLORS WITH DOUBLE DOORS
THAT CLOSED SHUT

AND WERE USED
FOR THIS FORMAL PURPOSE

OR THAT FORMAL PURPOSE
AND SO FORTH.

WRIGHT'S DESIRE TO MAKE
EVERYTHING OPEN AND FLOWING

WAS A REVOLUTION
AT THAT TIME.

IT JUST EXPLODED THE WHOLE IDEA
OF WHAT THE HOUSE HAD BEEN.

Narrator: THE HOMES HE BUILT
FOR THE COONLEYS,

THE LITTLES, THE BLOSSOMS,
AND THE ROBIES--

THE PRAIRIE HOUSES,
AS HE CALLED THEM--

WOULD ONE DAY MAKE
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT

ONE OF THE MOST
TALKED-ABOUT FIGURES

IN THE WORLD
OF ARCHITECTURE

AND INFLUENCE A WHOLE GENERATION
OF YOUNG BUILDERS IN EUROPE.

BETWEEN 1900 AND 1909,
WRIGHT'S PRACTICE BOOMED.

HE DESIGNED
135 PRAIRIE HOUSES,

MOSTLY IN THE NEW SUBURBS

THAT WERE RAPIDLY GROWING UP
AROUND CHICAGO.

TO HIS WELL-TO-DO CLIENTS,

HIS HOUSES OFFERED
WHAT ONE CRITIC CALLED,

"A SAFE AND SECURE HARBOR
TO THE FAMILY

BATTERED ABOUT ON THE UNCHARTED
SEAS OF MODERN LIFE."

Man: THERE REALLY IS
NO ENVIRONMENT THAT I KNOW

THAT IS AS SERENE
AS A GREAT WRIGHT SPACE.

PARTLY, YOU SEE, IT'S BECAUSE
IT'S BOTH FIRMLY ORGANIZED,

BUT IT SEEMS TO HAVE
NO BOUNDARIES.

IT SEEMS TO GO ON FOREVER.

AND THAT'S ONE REASON
FOR THE LOW CEILING,

SO YOU WILL ASSOCIATE
YOURSELF PHYSICALLY

WITH THAT HORIZONTAL
EXPANSION.

AND THE OTHER THING
IS THE COLOR.

THEY'RE THE COLORS
OF THE HARVEST.

IT'S GOLDEN--GREEN AND GOLDEN
AND GENTLE BROWNS IN THERE.

THERE'S NOTHING LIKE IT

FOR A SENSE OF SERENITY
AND BELONGING.

ALWAYS WONDERFUL AUTUMN
IN WRIGHT'S HOUSES.

Cronon: WRIGHT CONSIDERED
ARCHITECTURE TO BE
THE MASTER ART FORM,

THE ART FORM THAT SUBORDINATED
ALL OTHER ART FORMS...

BECAUSE CONTAINED WITHIN IT
WERE THE VISUAL ARTS,

THE PLASTIC ARTS,
SCULPTURE.

AND SO WHAT
HE TRIED TO DO

WAS TO BRING IN
ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS,

CONTROL THEM ALL,
SUBORDINATE THEM TO HIS VISION

AS A WAY OF CREATING A PERFECT
REALIZATION OF BEAUTY...

AND HIS VISION
OF WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE

TO LIVE WITHIN
THAT BEAUTIFUL SPACE

WOULD BE THAT IT WOULD BE
GENUINELY TRANSFORMATIVE.

IT WOULD MAKE
THE PEOPLE DIFFERENT

WHO INHABITED THAT SPACE.

Narrator: "EVERY HOUSE
IS A MISSIONARY,"

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
ONCE SAID.

"I DON'T BUILD A HOUSE
WITHOUT PREDICTING

THE END OF THE PRESENT
SOCIAL ORDER."

[HAMMERING]

Robert Stern:
THE HOUSES ARE FABULOUS,

BUT REALLY,
AMERICAN ARCHITECTS

ARE THE ONLY ARCHITECTS
IN THE WORLD

WHO MAKE CAREERS
OUT OF HOUSES.

THIS IS THE ONLY COUNTRY
THAT CONTINUALLY BUILDS HOUSES,

BUT IN THE WORLD SPECTRUM,
IT'S PUBLIC BUILDINGS

THAT ARE THE BUILDINGS
THAT MAKE A CAREER.

Narrator: FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
HAD EARNED A REPUTATION

AS A BUILDER OF HANDSOME
AND INNOVATIVE PRIVATE HOUSES,

BUT HE STILL LONGED FOR THE KIND
OF LARGE-SCALE COMMISSIONS

PRIZED BY EVERY ARCHITECT.

HE GOT THE CHANCE IN 1902,

WHEN A GENEROUS-HEARTED
BUSINESSMAN NAMED DARWIN MARTIN

ARRANGED FOR HIM TO DESIGN
A NEW ADMINISTRATION BUILDING

FOR A LARGE MAIL-ORDER BUSINESS
IN BUFFALO, NEW YORK--

THE LARKIN COMPANY.

TO GET THE JOB, WRIGHT CLAIMED
THAT HE, AND NOT LOUIS SULLIVAN,

HAD DESIGNED SEVERAL OF
SULLIVAN'S BEST-KNOWN BUILDINGS.

IT WASN'T TRUE,
BUT MARTIN BELIEVED HIM,

AND WRIGHT
ENTHUSIASTICALLY STARTED WORK

ON THE LARGEST COMMISSION
HE'D EVER HAD.

[HAMMERING]

THE LARKIN BUILDING,
WRIGHT SAID,

WAS INTENDED TO TRANSFORM
BUSINESS LIFE.

IT WAS A HUGE, AUSTERE,
FIREPROOF VAULT

FILLED WITH MODERN,
SPECIALLY DESIGNED,
STEEL FURNITURE

AND HERMETICALLY SEALED

TO KEEP OUT
THE NOISE AND FUMES
OF THE NEARBY FACTORIES.

"IT WAS AN ESSAY,"
WRIGHT WROTE LATER,

"IN THE THIRD DIMENSION,

"A GENUINE EXPRESSION OF POWER
DIRECTLY APPLIED TO PURPOSE

"IN THE SAME SENSE
THAT THE OCEAN LINER,

THE PLANE,
OR THE CAR IS SO."

Vincent Scully:
THE LARKIN BUILDING WAS
LIKE A MODERN CATHEDRAL,

AND IF YOU CONSIDER
THOSE ENGRAVINGS
OF THE GREAT CATHEDRALS

THAT HIS MOTHER
HAD PUT IN HIS ROOM,

IF YOU IMAGINE
THE CATHEDRAL FACADE

WITH THE VERTICAL TOWERS AND
THE HORIZONTALS WEAVING THROUGH,

THAT'S WHAT
THE LARKIN BUILDING IS,

ONLY ABSTRACTED
WITH NO DECORATION.

Man: WHAT WRIGHT
WAS TRYING TO DO IN THAT

WAS TO CREATE
A MODERN BUILDING

THAT WOULD GIVE
THE WORKERS

A SENSE OF WHAT HE CALLED
A FAMILY GATHERING.

THE INTERIOR IS OPENED UP

INTO WHAT TODAY WE WOULD CALL
AN ATRIUM-LIKE SPACE,

WHICH, IN EFFECT,
DOES FOR THE OFFICE BUILDING

WHAT THE HEARTH OR THE FIREPLACE
DID FOR THE FAMILY HOME--

THAT'S TO SAY, PROVIDE
A SENSE OF FOCUS.

ALL THE WOMEN
ARE SITTING THERE

TYPING ON THE TABLES
THAT HE DESIGNED,

AND EVERYTHING
FITS IN TOGETHER,

AND THE MOTTOES OF EARLY
INDIVIDUALISTIC CAPITALISM

WERE UP THERE SAYING,

"WORK HARD AND YOU'LL
BE REWARDED," AND SO ON.

Narrator: WRIGHT
WENT WAY OVER BUDGET,

BUT THE DIRECTORS
OF THE LARKIN COMPANY

AND HIS NEW FRIEND DARWIN MARTIN
LOVED THEIR BUILDING.

LOOKING BACK MANY YEARS LATER,
WRIGHT SAID,

"I WAS A REAL LEONARDO DA VINCI
WHEN I BUILT THAT BUILDING.

EVERYTHING IN IT
WAS MY INVENTION."

BUT THE CRITICS, ACCUSTOMED
TO MORE CLASSICAL FORMS,

WERE NOT IMPRESSED.

Man: "THE LOVER
OF ARCHITECTURE

"WHO LOOKS, PERHAPS
FOR THE FIRST TIME,

"AT A BUILDING
SO ENTIRELY REMOVED

"FROM THE TRADITIONAL
STYLES AND SCHOOLS

"FEELS A SHOCK
OF SURPRISE

"WHICH IS THE REVERSE
OF PLEASURE.

"FEW PERSONS WHO HAVE SEEN
THE GREAT MONUMENTS OF THE PAST

"AND WHO HAVE LOVED THEM

"WILL FAIL TO PRONOUNCE
THIS MONUMENT

"AN EXTREMELY UGLY BUILDING.

IT IS, IN FACT,
A MONSTER OF AWKWARDNESS."

RUSSELL STURGESS,
THE ARCHITECTURAL RECORD.

Stern: I WAS TOLD
A STORY OF 2 TEACHERS

WITH A HOUSE
IN SOUTH CAROLINA,

AND ONE DAY A VASE
ARRIVED AT THEIR HOUSE,

AND THEY OPENED IT,
AND IT HAD A LITTLE CARD,

AND FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
HAD WRITTEN SOMETHING LIKE,

"I THOUGHT THIS WOULD LOOK
PERFECT OVER THE FIREPLACE,"

AND INDEED IT DID.

A FEW WEEKS LATER,
A BILL CAME FOR THE VASE.

THEY HAD THOUGHT
IT WAS A GIFT,

AND SUDDENLY THEY WERE
STUCK WITH THE BILL.

[CHILDREN SHOUTING]

Narrator:
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT

EXPECTED ALL OF HIS CLIENTS,
BIG AND SMALL,

TO GIVE HIM
THEIR GRATEFUL COOPERATION.

"IT'S THEIR DUTY,"
HE SAID,

"TO UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE
AND CONFORM INSOFAR AS POSSIBLE,

TO THE IDEA
OF THE HOUSE."

HE WOULD TELL ONE CLIENT THAT
ALL HIS FAMILY'S POSSESSIONS

WERE PREHISTORIC
AND HAD TO GO

AND OFTEN INSISTED ON DESIGNING
ALL THE FURNISHINGS,

RIGHT DOWN TO THE NAPKIN RINGS
USED AT HIS DINNER TABLE.

AT LEAST ONCE,
HE DESIGNED

THE GOWN THE HOSTESS
WAS TO WEAR AS WELL,

AND WHEN SHE DARED
REARRANGE THE FURNITURE
BEFORE HE CAME TO CALL,

HE DRAGGED IT ALL BACK
TO WHERE HE'D MEANT IT TO BE.

HE CAN BE
VERY OVERBEARING

BECAUSE YOU WALK
INTO ONE OF HIS HOUSES,

AND YOU HAVE TO LIVE
IN HIS HEAD.

YOU HAVE TO LIVE
IN HIS IMAGINATION.

IT'S IN THE FURNISHINGS
THAT YOU GET THIS IDEA

OF HOW MUCH CONTROL
HE DEMANDED

OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE TO LIVE
IN HIS HOUSES.

I THINK HE WAS ONE OF THE MORE
CONTROLLING ARCHITECTS

YOU COULD HAVE
EVER MET.

Narrator: PEOPLE PUT UP
WITH IT ALL

BECAUSE OF WRIGHT'S
ENORMOUS CHARM

AND HIS ABILITY TO INFUSE THEM
WITH THE EXCITEMENT

HE SEEMED ABLE TO SUMMON UP
FOR EVERY PROJECT.

HE BELIEVED HIS CLIENTS
WERE PRIVILEGED

TO BE WORKING WITH HIM

AND SOMEHOW MADE THEM
BELIEVE IT, TOO,

EVEN THOUGH HIS BUILDINGS
WOULD COST FAR MORE

THAN HIS ORIGINAL
ESTIMATES.

Gill: THEY WOULD
HAVE TO FORGIVE HIM.
THEY HAD NO CHOICE.

AND, OF COURSE,
HE WAS PERFECTLY CONSCIOUS

OF HOW SPELLBINDING HE WAS
IN BEING ABLE TO SELL A PROJECT,

BUT HE ALSO WAS GIVING
FULL VALUE.

Narrator: WRIGHT'S PRACTICE
WAS BRINGING IN A LOT OF MONEY,

BUT HE WAS SPENDING
STILL MORE.

THE SHERIFF OF OAK PARK

ONCE HAD TO SPEND THE NIGHT
IN HIS KITCHEN

FOR FEAR WRIGHT
WOULD LEAVE TOWN

BEFORE ONE OF HIS CHECKS
HAD SAFELY CLEARED.

"IT WAS MY MISFORTUNE,"
WRIGHT ONCE COMPLAINED,

"THAT EVERYBODY WAS
WILLING TO TRUST ME."

Gill: HE NEVER FELT
ALTOGETHER CONTENT

EXCEPT WHEN HE WAS
DESPERATELY IN DEBT,

AND HIS SON
WROTE ABOUT THE TIME

WHEN HIS FATHER,
BORROWING MONEY FROM A FRIEND,

THEN WENT OUT AND BOUGHT
2 OR 3 GRAND PIANOS

SO AS TO BE
DEEPLY IN DEBT AGAIN,

ALL WITHIN 8
OR 9 HOURS, YOU KNOW.

HE FELT SO GOOD
ON THE EDGE.

THE EDGE WAS WHAT
GAVE HIM THE STIMULUS.

PLAINLY, HIS ADRENALINE
WAS FILLING HIM UP TO THE BRIM

WHEN HE WAS IN DESPERATE
TROUBLE OF THAT KIND.

Cronon: HE'S, IN A SENSE,
A MAN WHO NEVER GREW UP.

HE REMAINED A KIND OF GOLDEN BOY
ALL OF HIS LIFE.

BOTH HIS GREATEST STRENGTHS
AND HIS GREATEST WEAKNESSES

COME FROM HIS CHILDISHNESS.

HE'S SO PLAYFUL. HE'S SO SUPPLE.
HE'S SO MALLEABLE.

HE CAN DO WHATEVER HE WANTS
AND GET AWAY WITH IT.

HE'S USED TO GETTING AWAY
WITH THINGS,

AND IT MEANS THAT HE CAN PLAY
WITH OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

LIKE A CHILD, NOT WORRYING
ABOUT EVER PAYING HIS DEBTS.

Narrator:
"BETTER BE VERY CAREFUL
IN YOUR DEALING WITH HIM,"

ONE BATTERED CLIENT
WARNED ANOTHER.

"IF HE IS SANE,
HE IS DANGEROUS."

Wallace: I UNDERSTAND
THAT YOU ATTEND NO CHURCH.

Frank Lloyd Wright: I ATTEND
THE GREATEST OF ALL CHURCHES.

I PUT A CAPITAL "N" ON NATURE
AND CALL IT MY CHURCH.

WHAT DO YOU THINK
OF CHURCH ARCHITECTURE
IN THE UNITED STATES?

I THINK IT'S,
OF COURSE,
A GREAT SHAME.

BECAUSE IT
IMPROPERLY REFLECTS

THE IDEA
OF RELIGION?

BECAUSE IT IS
A PARROT AND MONKEY
REFLECTION

AND NO REFLECTION
OF RELIGION.

[BELL DINGING]

Narrator: IN 1905,

THE UNITARIAN CHURCH OF OAK PARK
BURNED TO THE GROUND.

ITS PROGRESSIVE MINISTER
AND MOST OF HIS CONGREGATION

WANTED TO REPLACE IT
WITH A BOLD NEW
ARCHITECTURAL STATEMENT.

THEY GAVE THE CONTRACT
TO ONE OF THEIR OWN MEMBERS--

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT.

"WHY HAVE THE STEEPLE
OF THE LITTLE WHITE
CHURCH?" HE SAID.

"WHY POINT TO HEAVEN?
WHY NOT BUILD A TEMPLE TO MAN

APPROPRIATE TO HIS USES
AS A MEETING PLACE?"

THE EXTERIOR
OF HIS UNITY TEMPLE

WAS UNLIKE
ANY OTHER CHURCH ANYWHERE.

SOME DISAPPOINTED WORSHIPPERS
COMPARED IT

TO A PRISON GATEHOUSE,
AN ICE FACTORY,

A MAYAN HANDBALL COURT.

BUT THE INTERIOR WAS
SOMETHING ELSE AGAIN.

Philip Johnson: YOU COME IN
THE BACK DOOR OF THAT CHAPEL.

YOU COULD HEAR THE CHURCH,
BUT YOU COULDN'T SEE,

AND THEN YOU MADE
THE 3 TURNS.

EVERY TURN IS
A VERY DIFFICULT THING.

A RIGHT-ANGLE TURN
IS A WRENCH,

BUT HE KNEW YOU DIDN'T
GO VERY FAR.

IT'S A SMALL CHURCH,
AND THEN BEING FORCED TO TURN

MAKES YOU START OVER
A NEW LIFE.

AND BY SLOWING YOU DOWN
WITH A RIGHT-ANGLE TURN,

HE PREPARED YOU
INTENTIONALLY

FOR THE SURPRISE
OF THE RELIGIOUS FEELING.

Neil Levine: WHEN YOU
COME INTO THE CHURCH,

YOU COME IN UPSTAIRS
ONTO THE AUDITORIUM FLOOR

WHICH IS LIKE
A RAISED PLATFORM,

WHICH THEREFORE COMES
TO BE A SPIRITUAL PLANE.

IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S
AS IF YOU'VE RISEN UP TO A PLANE

WHICH IS FLOATING
LITERALLY IN AIR

BECAUSE IT'S SURROUNDED
BY THESE DEPRESSED CLOISTERS

ON ALL 4 SIDES,

STANDING ON
THIS RAISED PLANE

WITH SPACE DROPPING
AWAY FROM YOU ON EVERY SIDE.

IT'S LIKE BEING
ON A KIND OF PLATEAU

OR MOUNTAINTOP
OUT ON THE LANDSCAPE,

AND I THINK THAT'S
WHAT GIVES IT ITS SPIRITUALITY.

Scully:
IT'S NOT A BIG BUILDING,

BUT I THINK IT'S
THE BIGGEST SPACE IN AMERICA.

IT'S A SQUARE INSIDE
LIKE THE OLD MEETINGHOUSES,

AND AS IN
THE OLD MEETINGHOUSES,

THE PREACHER
IS ON ONE SIDE,

AND THEN PEOPLE ARE
ON THE OTHER 3 SIDES,

AND THEY'RE LOOKING
INTO EACH OTHER'S FACES

AS WELL AS INTO HIS.

SO THERE'S AN ENORMOUS
SENSE OF COMMUNITY.

Goldberger:
IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY BUILDING

BECAUSE IT HAS STAGGERING
CIVIC DIGNITY TO IT,

AND WHAT WRIGHT
WANTED TO DO WAS SHOW

THAT YOU CAN MAKE A MODERN
MONUMENTAL PUBLIC PLACE.

THAT WAS THE REAL IMPORTANCE
OF UNITY TEMPLE.

Eric Lloyd Wright:
I ALWAYS REMEMBER

MY FATHER TALKING ABOUT
HOW MY GRANDFATHER

WOULD WORK
LATE INTO THE NIGHT.

HE'D HEAR HIM
PLAYING THE PIANO.

IT WOULD BE 12:00,
1:00 AT NIGHT

THAT HE'D COME IN
FROM THE OFFICE.

I THINK A LOT
OF MY FATHER'S LOOKING BACK

WAS A GREAT DEAL
OF NOSTALGIA,

I THINK YEARNING TO HAVE HAD
MORE OF A RELATIONSHIP.

I OFTEN WONDER
JUST HOW HAPPY THINGS WERE.

Narrator: BY 1909,

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
SEEMED TO HAVE EVERYTHING

AN AMBITIOUS ARCHITECT
COULD WANT--

A SUCCESSFUL CAREER,
A COMFORTABLE HOME,

A LOVING WIFE
AND FAMILY.

BUT APPEARANCES
WERE DECEIVING.

HIS PRACTICE
WAS FLOURISHING,

BUT HE HAD NO PROSPECTS
FOR ANY MORE BIG JOBS,

AND HE FELT
THAT HE HAD DONE

ALL HE COULD DO
WITH THE PRAIRIE STYLE.

"I WAS LOSING MY GRIP
ON MY WORK," WRIGHT REMEMBERED,

"AND EVEN MY INTEREST IN IT.

I COULD SEE NO WAY OUT."

Levine: HE WAS NOT GETTING
THE KIND OF RECOGNITION

THAT HE FELT
HE DESERVED,

AND, AS A RESULT,
WAS NOT GETTING

THE KIND OF LARGE-SCALE BUILDING
PROJECTS THAT HE DESERVED.

Stern: HERE HE WAS
PUSHING 40 AT THAT TIME,

AND HE HAD NOT HAD,

EXCEPT FOR THE UNITY TEMPLE
AND THE LARKIN BUILDING,

A MAJOR COMMISSION.

HOW MANY 3-BEDROOM HOUSES
CAN YOU DO?

HOW MANY DIFFERENT WAYS
CAN YOU DO THEM?

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY,
HOW MANY TIMES

CAN YOU MEET WITH MRS. JONES
OR MRS. SMITH

AND TALK ABOUT HER CLOSETS
WITHOUT GOING NUTS?

Narrator: AND THERE WAS
TROUBLE AT HOME, TOO.

HE AND KITTY
WERE GROWING APART.

HE WAS AN ARCHITECT,
HE ONCE EXPLAINED.

HER PROFESSION WAS MOTHERHOOD,
AND HE GREW TO RESENT

THE AMOUNT OF ATTENTION
SHE PAID TO THE CHILDREN.

HE HATED
BEING CALLED PAPA,

REFUSED TO PLAY ANY PART
IN DISCIPLINING HIS CHILDREN,

COMPLAINED WHEN THEY
INTERRUPTED HIS WORK.

WRIGHT WAS NEVER A FATHER
IN THE CLASSIC SENSE.

THERE ARE PICTURES
OF HIM WITH HIS FAMILY.

HE'S ALWAYS SITTING
A LITTLE BIT TO ONE SIDE.

HE'S NOT REALLY
THEIR FATHER.

HE'S MORE LIKE A KID
AMONG ALL THESE OTHER KIDS

AND, IN A WAY,
JUST AS COMPETITIVE

FOR THE AFFECTION
OF MOTHER,

BUT I THINK THAT WRIGHT
NEVER EVER WAS A REAL FATHER.

[CHILDREN SHOUTING]

Narrator: "I HAVE HAD
THE FATHER FEELING

FOR A BUILDING,"
HE ONCE SAID,

"BUT I NEVER HAD IT
FOR MY CHILDREN."

A FEW BLOCKS AWAY,

IN A HANDSOME HOUSE
WRIGHT HAD DESIGNED FOR THEM,

LIVED EDWIN CHENEY AND HIS WIFE,
MAMAH BORTHWICK CHENEY.

THEY WERE GOOD FRIENDS
OF BOTH THE WRIGHTS,

BUT NOW WRIGHT'S
RELATIONSHIP WITH MAMAH

RIPENED INTO
SOMETHING ELSE.

SHE WAS VIVACIOUS,
INTELLECTUAL, ARTISTIC,

AND UNSATISFIED WITH
THE TRADITIONAL ROLE
OF WIFE AND MOTHER.

Secrest: SHE WAS A WRITER.
SHE WAS AN EARLY FEMINIST.

SHE WAS NOT YOUR ORDINARY,
RUN-OF-THE-MILL KIND
OF SUBURBAN HOUSEWIFE.

Narrator:
THEIR AFFAIR BEGAN

WITH LONG RIDES IN WRIGHT'S
BRIGHT YELLOW ROADSTER.

SOON THEY BECAME
THE TALK OF OAK PARK.

WRIGHT DIDN'T CARE.

HE WAS CAPTIVATED
WITH HIS NEW LOVE.

Secrest: I THINK
THE CLUE HERE

IS THAT SHE WAS
ALL FOR HIM

IN A WAY THAT KITTY
WAS NO LONGER.

KITTY WAS MUCH TOO INVOLVED
IN THOSE 6 CHILDREN

TO PAY MUCH ATTENTION
TO FRANK,

AND MAMAH WAS--
NEVER MADE THAT MISTAKE.

Narrator: EVENTUALLY, KITTY
DISCOVERED WHAT WAS HAPPENING

BUT DECIDED TO IGNORE
HER HUSBAND'S INFIDELITY

IN THE HOPE THAT IT
WAS AN INFATUATION
THAT WOULD NOT LAST,

BUT IT DID LAST.

IN THE SUMMER OF 1908,

WRIGHT ASKED KITTY
FOR A DIVORCE.

SHE REFUSED.

A YEAR LATER,
HE ASKED HER AGAIN.

AGAIN SHE SAID NO.

THEN, IN OCTOBER OF 1909,
WITH NO WARNING TO ANYONE,

WRIGHT CLOSED HIS STUDIO,

ABANDONED KITTY
AND THEIR 6 CHILDREN,

AND RAN OFF TO EUROPE
WITH MAMAH CHENEY,

WHO LEFT HER HUSBAND
AND CHILDREN BEHIND TO JOIN HIM.

"ALL HE LEFT,"
WRIGHT'S SON DAVID REMEMBERED,

"WERE BILLS TO BE PAID."

AS I SAID,
WHEN HE LEFT HOME,

HE LEFT MY MOTHER WITH
A GROCERY BILL OF OVER $900,

WHICH WAS PRETTY HIGH
AT THAT TIME.

THE BUTCHER SHOPS
AND THE GROCERY SHOPS

WERE VERY KIND TO US
THERE ON CHICAGO AVENUE.

Narrator: FRANK HAD NEVER
FORGIVEN HIS FATHER

FOR DESERTING HIS FAMILY.

NOW, AT AGE 42, AFTER
NEARLY 2 DECADES OF MARRIAGE,

HE HAD DONE PRECISELY
THE SAME THING.

Eric Lloyd Wright: THERE WAS
A GREAT DEAL OF TENSION,

ESPECIALLY WHEN MY GRANDFATHER
LEFT THE FAMILY.

THERE WAS ACTUALLY
PHYSICAL VIOLENCE,

AND MY FATHER ATTACKED
MY GRANDFATHER
WHEN HE WAS LEAVING,

AND, UM...
SO THERE WAS, UH...

THERE WAS TENSION THERE.

Narrator: "I WENT OUT
INTO THE UNKNOWN,"
WRIGHT WROTE LATER,

"TO TEST FAITH IN FREEDOM,
TEST FAITH IN LIFE,

AS I HAD ALREADY
TESTED FAITH IN WORK."

AT FIRST, KITTY REFUSED
TO BLAME HER HUSBAND.

HER OLD FRIEND MAMAH CHENEY,
SHE TOLD A REPORTER, WAS A VAMP.

David Wright: SHE WAS
VERY MUCH IN LOVE WITH HIM.

SHE WOULDN'T
GIVE HIM A DIVORCE

FOR SEVERAL YEARS
AFTER HE LEFT HOME.

SHE WAS ALWAYS HOPING
THAT HE WOULD COME BACK,

BUT HE NEVER DID.

Narrator: NOW
A PUBLIC SCANDAL ERUPTED.

NEWSPAPERS PUBLISHED EDITORIALS
CONDEMNING THE COUPLE.

THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE
HELD WRIGHT RESPONSIBLE

FOR WHAT IT CALLED
"AN AFFINITY TRIANGLE

UNPARALLELED EVEN IN THE HISTORY
OF SOUL MATING."

IN OAK PARK, THE PRESBYTERIAN
MINISTER PREACHED

THAT "SUCH A MAN AS WRIGHT

"HAS LOST ALL SENSE
OF MORALITY AND RELIGION

AND IS DAMNABLY
TO BE BLAMED."

THE COUPLE TRAVELED
TO BERLIN,

WHERE HE PREPARED A PORTFOLIO
OF HIS OWN WORK FOR PUBLICATION,

AND THEN TO ITALY,
WHERE HE DRANK IN

ALL THE ARCHITECTURAL
HISTORY HE COULD.

THEY STAYED ABROAD
FOR A YEAR.

WRIGHT CALLED IT
"VOLUNTARY EXILE."

Secrest: FRANK
HAD REALLY CONSTRUCTED

AN IDEA OF HIMSELF
AS A SUPERIOR BEING.

HE WAS A CREATIVE ARTIST,

AND HE REALLY, I THINK,
INNOCENTLY THOUGHT

THAT EVERYBODY ELSE WOULD THINK
HE WAS A CREATIVE ARTIST,

THEREFORE OUTSIDE THE BOUNDS
OF CONVENTIONAL MORALITY.

Narrator: IN 1910, WRIGHT
ABRUPTLY RETURNED TO OAK PARK.

HE WAS OUT OF MONEY
AND ANXIOUS TO SEE HIS CHILDREN,

WHO HAD BEEN SENDING LETTERS
BEGGING HIM TO COME HOME.

MAMAH STAYED IN EUROPE.

KITTY DESPERATELY HOPED
FOR A RECONCILIATION,

BUT WRIGHT WAS LIVING
APART FROM HIS WIFE NOW

AND, USING
BORROWED FUNDS,

HAD BEGUN BUILDING
ANOTHER HOME

ON A HILLSIDE
IN SPRING GREEN, WISCONSIN.

HE CALLED IT TALIESIN,
WELSH FOR "SHINING BROW."

HE TOLD EVERYONE IT WAS TO BE
A NEW HOUSE FOR HIS MOTHER,

BUT HE REALLY MEANT
TO SHARE IT WITH MAMAH

ONCE SHE OBTAINED
A DIVORCE.

Eric Lloyd Wright:
HE, OF COURSE, COULD
NO LONGER LIVE IN OAK PARK,

AND EVEN CHICAGO
WAS DIFFICULT.

HE HAD TO MOVE
AWAY FROM THERE.

HE HAD TO HAVE A REFUGE,

AND SO HE WENT
BACK TO THE VALLEY

OF HIS ANCESTORS,
THE LLOYD JONES,

AND THERE, OF COURSE,
ON THIS HILLSIDE,

HE WAS ABLE TO BUILD
THIS WONDERFUL TALIESIN.

Frank Lloyd Wright:
IT MEANS "SHINING BROW,"

AND TALIESIN IS BUILT
LIKE A BROW

ON THE EDGE OF THE HILL,
NOT ON TOP OF THE HILL,

BECAUSE I BELIEVE YOU
SHOULD NEVER BUILD ON TOP
OF ANYTHING DIRECTLY.

IF YOU BUILD ON TOP OF THE HILL,
YOU LOSE THE HILL.

Narrator: WRIGHT'S PLANS
FOR TALIESIN

WERE PARTIALLY INSPIRED
BY THE VILLAS

HE AND MAMAH
HAD VISITED IN ITALY,

BUT ITS MEANDERING DESIGN
WAS HIS ALONE.

SO WAS ITS RELATION
TO THE LAND.

THE OUTSIDE WALLS
AND CHIMNEYS

WERE BUILT FROM ROUGH LIMESTONE
QUARRIED A FEW MILES AWAY.

INNER WALLS WERE COVERED
WITH PLASTER

MADE FROM SAND FROM THE BANKS
OF THE WISCONSIN RIVER.

THE ROOF'S WEATHERED
CEDAR SHINGLES

WERE MEANT TO BE THE COLOR
OF TREE TRUNKS AT DUSK.

"I WISH TO BE PART OF
MY BELOVED WISCONSIN," HE WROTE.

"MY HOUSE IS MADE OUT
OF THE ROCKS AND TREES
OF THE REGION.

IT IS PART OF THE HILL
ON WHICH IT STANDS."

Eric Lloyd Wright:
IT WAS, TO HIM, A RETREAT.

THIS WAS A SANCTUARY.

IT WAS A MEETING POINT THERE
OF THE SPIRIT AND THE SOUL,

OF NATURE AND OF HUMAN BEINGS
COMING TOGETHER,

AND TO HIM,
IT WAS A SACRED THING

THAT WAS HAPPENING HERE.

Gill: LIKE ANY ARCHITECT,

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
WANTED TO MAKE HIS OWN HOUSE

AN EPITOME OF EVERYTHING
HE STOOD FOR EMOTIONALLY,
SPIRITUALLY, TECHNICALLY,

AND SO HE BUILT THIS GREAT
LONG, RAMBLING, BEAUTIFUL,
HUGGING-THE-GROUND HOUSE,

AND IT WAS GOING TO BE
HIS STATEMENT TO THE WORLD.

AND HE KEPT LOSING IT--
MORTGAGES UNPAID,

BANK WOULD TAKE IT,
HE'D GET IT BACK,

HE'D INCORPORATE HIMSELF
AND FOUND A NEW METHOD

OF OUTWITTING
EVERYBODY AROUND HIM,

AND HE HUNG ONTO THAT
TO HIS DYING DAY.

IT WAS PERFECTLY WONDERFUL
HOW HE MANIPULATED EVERYBODY

TO PRESERVE HIS HOUSE,

BUT THE HOUSE ITSELF
WAS AND IS A WONDER.

Levine: TALIESIN IS,
I THINK,

THE MOST IMPORTANT BUILDING
WRIGHT EVER DID.

I THINK
IT WAS THE BUILDING

THAT WRIGHT PUT MORE INTO
THAN ANY OTHER,

NOT ONLY IN TERMS
OF PERSONAL PHYSICAL LABOR,

BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF THINKING
ABOUT ARCHITECTURE.

Narrator: TO WRIGHT, TALIESIN
WAS THE PERFECT EMBODIMENT

OF WHAT HE LIKED TO CALL
"ORGANIC ARCHITECTURE."

Cronon: I THINK
WE'RE VERY LIKELY

TO MISUNDERSTAND WRIGHT
WHEN HE USES THAT WORD "ORGANIC"

BECAUSE WHAT WE THINK, WE MEAN
WHEN WE USE THE WORD "ORGANIC"

IS SOMETHING
THAT'S JUST TAKEN

RIGHT OUT OF PRISTINE,
PURE NATURE

AND USED
IN A NATURAL WAY.

THAT'S NOT WHAT WRIGHT MEANT BY
"ORGANIC" OR "NATURAL" AT ALL.

WHAT HE MEANT WAS
THINGS TAKEN FROM NATURE

THAT INSPIRE THE ARTIST TO SEE
BEYOND THOSE NATURAL FORMS

TO SOME IDEAL,
ALMOST DIVINE FORM

THAT LAY BEHIND
THAT NATURAL FORM.

AND SO IT WAS
THE JOB OF THE ARTIST

TO CREATE
A VISION OF NATURE

THAT WAS MORE NATURAL
THAN NATURE ITSELF.

Narrator: MAMAH CHENEY
RETURNED FROM EUROPE

AND FINALLY GOT HER DIVORCE
IN THE SUMMER OF 1911,

AND WHEN KITTY WRIGHT
AGAIN REFUSED

EVEN TO CONSIDER
GRANTING ONE TO FRANK,

HE MOVED TO TALIESIN ANYWAY
TO BE WITH MAMAH.

THE SCANDAL WAS REBORN.

A REPORTER NOTED THAT
WRIGHT HAD BEEN SPOTTED

CARRYING CHENEY
ACROSS A STREAM

AND THAT SHE HAD EXHIBITED
"A GOOD DEAL OF LINGERIE

"OF A QUALITY
NOT OFTEN ON DISPLAY

IN THAT PART
OF WISCONSIN."

ON CHRISTMAS DAY, 1911,
A DEFIANT WRIGHT
HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE

TO EXPLAIN HIS ACTIONS
TO THE WORLD.

"THE ORDINARY MAN
CANNOT LIVE

WITHOUT RULES TO GUIDE
HIS CONDUCT," HE SAID.

HE, FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT,
WAS NOT ORDINARY.

Eric Lloyd Wright:
MY GRANDFATHER ALWAYS SAID,

"YOU HAVE TO LIVE
IN THE NOW.

WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW
IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING,"

AND I THINK HE REALLY
LIVED THAT WAY,

AND HE DIDN'T LOOK BACK.

Narrator:
MAMAH AND FRANK

WOULD LIVE TOGETHER
AT TALIESIN FOR 3 YEARS,

DOING THEIR BEST TO IGNORE
THE ENDLESS GOSSIP.

SHE WORKED ON A BOOK,
RAN THE HOUSEHOLD,

AND ENJOYED HER CHILDREN'S
OCCASIONAL VISITS.

HE TRIED TO MAKE AMENDS
WITH HIS OWN CHILDREN

AND STRUGGLED
TO REBUILD HIS PRACTICE,

NEARLY DESTROYED
BY THE SCANDAL.

WRIGHT MANAGED TO LAND
THE COMMISSION

FOR THE MIDWAY GARDENS
ON CHICAGO'S SOUTH SIDE,

A WHOLE BLOCK
TO BE TRANSFORMED

INTO A EUROPEAN-STYLE
PLEASURE GARDEN.

ASSISTED NOW
BY HIS SON JOHN,

WRIGHT HURLED HIMSELF
INTO THE CONSTRUCTION,

RETURNING TO TALIESIN
EACH WEEKEND

TO BE WITH HIS MISTRESS.

Secrest:
IN AUGUST OF 1914,

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
WAS IN CHICAGO

WORKING ON
THE MIDWAY GARDENS,

AND HE HAD LEFT MAMAH BORTHWICK
IN TALIESIN.

SHE WAS THERE
FOR THE WEEKEND,

AND SHE HAD HER 2 CHILDREN.
HER BOY AND A GIRL WERE THERE.

THERE WERE A NUMBER
OF OTHER WORKMEN THERE,

AND THEY WERE ALL
HAVING LUNCH ONE DAY

WHEN SOMETHING
SO AWFUL HAPPENED

THAT I THINK IT'S
THE GREATEST TRAGEDY

OF FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S LIFE.

Narrator:
WRIGHT HAD HIRED

A WEST INDIAN
NAMED JULIAN CARLTON

TO SERVE AS BUTLER
AND HANDYMAN AT TALIESIN.

CARLTON'S WIFE
WAS TO BE THE COOK,

BUT SOMETHING
WENT WRONG.

NO ONE WOULD EVER KNOW
WHAT IT WAS,

AND MAMAH MAY HAVE TOLD THEM
THEY WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE.

Secrest: THE FINAL MEAL
THAT THEY WERE TO SERVE
WAS LUNCH ON SATURDAY.

JULIAN CARLTON APPEARED
IN HIS WHITE JACKET

AND SERVED
LUNCH AS USUAL,

AND HE THEN ASKED
PERMISSION

TO CLEAN SOME CARPETS
WITH GASOLINE.

HE WAS GIVEN
THAT PERMISSION.

HE WENT OUTSIDE, AND INSTEAD
OF POURING IT ON THE CARPETS,

POURED IT
ALL THE WAY AROUND

THE OUTSIDES
OF THE WINDOWS AND DOORS.

Narrator: AS MAMAH
AND THE OTHERS WERE
EATING THEIR LUNCH,

CARLTON QUIETLY BOLTED
THE WINDOWS AND ALL
BUT ONE OF THE DOORS.

THEN HE LIT
THE GASOLINE.

IN SECONDS, THE HOUSE
WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES.

WHEN THOSE INSIDE
TRIED TO FLEE,

CARLTON HACKED THEM
TO DEATH WITH AN AX.

Secrest:
IF YOU CAN IMAGINE,

THIS ALL HAPPENED
IN A FRACTION OF A SECOND.

HE HAD KILLED MAMAH BORTHWICK
BY SPLITTING HER SKULL.

HE ALSO DID THE SAME
WITH HER SON.

HE ATTACKED HER DAUGHTER.

EVERYTHING
WAS IN DISARRAY.

PEOPLE WERE SCREAMING,
TRYING TO JUMP OUT OF WINDOWS.

THEY WERE A STORY AND A HALF
ABOVE THE GROUND.

ONE MAN JUMPED OUT,
BROKE HIS ARM,

AND WAS IN FLAMES,
WAS ROLLING ON THE GROUND.

OTHER MEN
WERE BEING BUTCHERED.

Narrator: WRIGHT WAS IN CHICAGO
WHEN THE NEWS CAME.

FRANK WAS CALLED
TO THE TELEPHONE,

AND HE CAME BACK
IN THE ROOM,

AND JOHN, HIS SON, SAID,
"WHO WAS THAT?"

AND HIS FATHER
DIDN'T REPLY,

AND HE TURNED AROUND
AND LOOKED AT HIS FATHER,

AND HIS FATHER WAS STAGGERING
AGAINST THE TABLE.

HIS FACE WAS ASHEN,
YOU KNOW, JUST ASHEN.

OF THE 9 PEOPLE
WHO HAD SAT DOWN TO DINNER,

7 WERE DEAD OR DYING.

[CROW CAWING]

Narrator: IN HIS GRIEF,
HE REFUSED TO LET THE UNDERTAKER

TOUCH THE BODY OF THE WOMAN
HE HAD LOVED.

INSTEAD, HE HAD
HIS OWN CARPENTERS

FASHION A SIMPLE
WOODEN BOX FOR HER.

THERE WAS NO
FORMAL FUNERAL, EITHER.

THE COFFIN WAS PLACED
ABOARD A PLAIN FARM WAGON

COVERED WITH FLOWERS
AND DRAWN BY HORSES.

WRIGHT'S ELDEST SON
AND 2 COUSINS

HELPED HIM BURY HER
IN THE LITTLE CEMETERY

BEHIND HIS MOTHER'S
FAMILY CHAPEL.

"I WANTED TO FILL THE GRAVE
MYSELF," WRIGHT REMEMBERED.

"NO MONUMENT MARKS THE SPOT
WHERE MAMAH WAS BURIED.

WHY MARK THE SPOT WHERE
DESOLATION ENDED AND BEGAN?"

Secrest: I SUPPOSE
SOMEONE YOU HAVE LOST,

AS FRANK LOST
MAMAH BORTHWICK,

IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE
THE ONE YOU FANTASIZE ABOUT.

AND I SOMETIMES THINK
THAT HAD MAMAH LIVED,

FRANK'S LIFE MIGHT HAVE TAKEN
AN ENTIRELY OTHER TACK.

I THINK SHE WOULD HAVE
STABILIZED HIM,

AND I THINK
HE NEVER FORGOT HER.

Narrator: "THERE IS RELEASE
FROM ANGUISH IN ACTION,"

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
WROTE LATER,

AND HE CONSOLED HIMSELF
THE ONLY WAY HE KNEW HOW--

BY LOSING HIMSELF
IN HIS WORK.

HE COMPLETED
MIDWAY GARDENS,

BEGAN TO REBUILD A NEW TALIESIN
ON THE ASHES OF THE OLD,

LOBBIED FOR
NEW COMMISSIONS.

Gill: IT WASN'T
IN HIS NATURE

TO SUFFER PROLONGED BOUTS
OF WHATEVER CAUSE.

HE BOUNCED BACK.
HE LIKED TO BE ON THE EDGE,

AND THIS WAS ANOTHER CASE
WHERE TRAGEDY PROVIDED AN EDGE,

AND THEN HE CAME BACK
AND STARTED LIFE OVER.

Narrator: IN 1916,
WRIGHT SAILED FOR JAPAN

TO BEGIN WORK
ON A PROJECT

THAT WOULD DWARF EVERYTHING
HE HAD EVER DONE BEFORE.

THE EMPEROR OF JAPAN HAD DECREED
THAT THERE SHOULD BE

A MONUMENTAL, WESTERN-STYLE
HOTEL IN TOKYO

TO ATTRACT INVESTORS
FROM ABROAD.

WRIGHT HAD ALWAYS LOVED
JAPANESE ART AND CULTURE

AND HAD FOUGHT HARD
TO GET THE COMMISSION.

HE WOULD SPEND MOST
OF THE NEXT 6 YEARS IN TOKYO,

OVERSEEING ITS DESIGN
AND CONSTRUCTION.

Levine: THE IMPERIAL HOTEL
WAS SOMETHING

THAT WRIGHT, I THINK,
REALLY, REALLY WANTED BADLY.

FIRST OF ALL,
HE HAD NEVER GOTTEN

A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL
COMMISSION,

AND HE HAD NEVER DONE
A BUILDING OF THAT SCOPE.

Narrator: THE VAST HOTEL
WOULD CONTAIN 285 GUEST ROOMS

AND WOULD COST
MORE THAN $4 MILLION.

WRIGHT DESIGNED
EVERYTHING,

EVEN THE DINNER PLATES
AND HOTEL STATIONERY.

Levine: AND THE PROBLEM HE FACED
WAS TO DESIGN A HOTEL

THAT WOULD REFLECT
BOTH JAPANESE ATTITUDES

AND, OF COURSE,
WESTERN ATTITUDES

BECAUSE IF IT WASN'T
TO REFLECT WESTERN ATTITUDES,

THEY WOULDN'T HAVE ASKED HIM
IN THE FIRST PLACE.

HE WAS INTERESTED IN CREATING
A BUILDING, AS HE SAID,

"THAT WOULD BRING THE JAPANESE
TO THEIR FEET."

Narrator:
WRIGHT WORKED HARD

TO ENSURE THAT THE BUILDING
WOULD BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND

THE EARTHQUAKES
JAPAN WAS FAMOUS FOR.

HIS DESIGN CALLED
FOR THE HOTEL'S WALLS

TO BE THICKER AT THE BOTTOM
THAN AT THE TOP

AND TO MOVE INDEPENDENTLY
OF EACH OTHER.

HE SPECIFIED
A COPPER ROOF

INSTEAD OF
THE TRADITIONAL TILES

AND AN UNUSUAL FOUNDATION
OF CONCRETE POSTS

THAT WOULD ANCHOR
THE BUILDING

IN THE UNSTABLE MUD
THAT LAY BENEATH IT.

Goldberger: WE THINK OF WRIGHT
AS THIS TRIUMPHANT CREATOR

OF BRILLIANT AESTHETIC OBJECTS,
WHICH INDEED HE WAS,

BUT HE WAS ALSO
A GREAT ENGINEER.

HE DID PHENOMENALLY
INTERESTING THINGS

FROM AN ENGINEERING
STANDPOINT,

AND HE NEVER FORGOT
A SENSE THAT ARCHITECTURE

IS CONSTRUCTION
AS MUCH AS IT'S ART.

Narrator: COVERED
WITH ORNATE STONE CARVINGS,

THE IMPERIAL HOTEL WAS

ONE OF THE LAST GREAT
HANDCRAFTED BUILDINGS
OF THE 20th CENTURY.

WHEN THE IMPERIAL
WAS FINALLY COMPLETED,

WRIGHT'S JAPANESE CLIENTS
WERE DELIGHTED.

NOT LONG AFTERWARD,

A MASSIVE EARTHQUAKE
LEVELED TOKYO.

WRIGHT, BACK
IN THE UNITED STATES,

WAITED ANXIOUSLY TO LEARN
THE FATE OF HIS HOTEL.

Man: SEPTEMBER 8, 1923.
DEAR MR. WRIGHT...

THE FIRST SHOCK WAS ENOUGH
TO LAY MANY BUILDINGS FLAT,

AND THE SECOND SHOCK
EASILY LEVELED

WHAT THE FIRST
HAD LOOSENED.

FIRE BILLOWED
FROM EVERY HOUSE,

AND THOSE PEOPLE
WHO SURVIVED THE CRUSH

AND SOUGHT PLACES OF SAFETY
OUT IN THE OPEN

WERE KILLED BY THE SMOKE
AND SCORCHING HOT AIR,

ROASTED BY HUNDREDS
AND THOUSANDS.

ALL STEEL BUILDINGS
PROVED FATAL...

ENOUGH TO SHOW THAT
OUR ARCHITECTS WERE FOOLS.

WHAT A GLORY IT IS
TO SEE THE IMPERIAL

STANDING AMIDST THE ASHES
OF A WHOLE CITY.

GLORY TO YOU.

SINCERELY, ARATA ENDO.

Narrator: MANY OTHER BUILDINGS
SURVIVED AS WELL,

BUT THE LEGEND GREW,
ENCOURAGED BY WRIGHT,

THAT HIS HOTEL ALONE
HAD SURVIVED.

NOW HE WAS SURE
HE WOULD BE SEEN

AS AN ENGINEERING GENIUS
AS WELL AS A GREAT ARCHITECT.

Woman: DECEMBER 12, 1914.
MY DEAR SIR,

BECAUSE I STAND AGHAST AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF YOUR SORROW,

BECAUSE MY OWN SOUL
HAS BEEN CHASTENED BY GRIEF...

Narrator: SHORTLY AFTER
THE DEATH OF MAMAH CHENEY,

WRIGHT HAD RECEIVED
A SYMPATHY LETTER

FROM A WOMAN
WHO ASKED TO SEE HIM.

SHE, TOO, WAS AN ARTIST,
SHE SAID, A SCULPTRESS,

AND HAD SUFFERED
TERRIBLE LOSSES--

FIRST, THE DEATH
OF HER HUSBAND,

THEN ABANDONMENT
BY A LOVER.

Woman: ...AND FEEL
THAT LAST TOUCH

IN THE ALLNESS
OF THE UNIVERSE.

SINCERELY, MADAM NOEL.

Narrator: MIRIAM NOEL WAS
CULTURED, WEALTHY, THEATRICAL,

AND SHE WAS INFATUATED
WITH WRIGHT,

WHOM SHE CALLED
"LORD OF MY WAKING DREAMS."

Secrest:
SHE WAS A SOUTHERNER

WHO HAD SOMEHOW GOTTEN HERSELF
TO PARIS, YOU KNOW,

AND HAD SET UP
A SALON THERE

AND CLAIMED TO KNOW
LEON TROTSKY

AND CLAIMED TO HAVE ALL KINDS
OF IMPORTANT CONNECTIONS.

Narrator: SOON WRIGHT HAD MOVED
NOEL INTO THE REBUILT TALIESIN

AND THEN TOOK HER
WITH HIM TO JAPAN

WHILE HE WORKED
ON THE IMPERIAL HOTEL.

IT WOULD PROVE
A DISASTROUS MISTAKE.

MIRIAM WAS VIOLENT, UNSTABLE,
AND ADDICTED TO MORPHINE.

THEY QUARRELED
FROM THE FIRST.

HE DENOUNCED
THE FOOD SHE COOKED,

THE CLOTHES SHE WORE.

SHE ACCUSED HIM
OF INFIDELITY,

OF BEING TOO MUCH
UNDER THE THUMB OF HIS MOTHER,

WHO HATED HER.

STILL, THEY WOULD
STAY TOGETHER

FOR MORE THAN 8
CONTENTIOUS YEARS.

THEN, IN 1923, KITTY WRIGHT
FINALLY GRANTED FRANK A DIVORCE.

THAT SAME YEAR,
HIS MOTHER DIED,

AND DESPITE ALL
THE TENSION WITH MIRIAM,

HE AGREED TO MARRY HER

"IN AN EFFORT TO CALM HER,"
HE WOULD SAY LATER.

IT DIDN'T WORK.

Man: HE DIDN'T REALIZE
WHAT HE WAS GETTING INTO.

HE DIDN'T REALIZE
THAT SHE HAD A PROBLEM

WITH ALCOHOL
AND WITH MORPHINE.

HE DIDN'T REALIZE THAT
THE LIFE THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE

WAS GOING TO BE A LIFE
OF ABSOLUTE AGONY.

IT WAS JUST A DOOMED
RELATIONSHIP FROM THE BEGINNING.

Narrator: WRIGHT
FOUND SOME COMFORT
IN 4 SMALL COMMISSIONS

HE DRUMMED UP
IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

THERE HE EXPERIMENTED
WITH PATTERNED CONCRETE FORMS,

WHICH HE CALLED
TEXTILE BLOCKS.

DRAWING INSPIRATION
FROM ANCIENT MAYAN ARCHITECTURE,

WRIGHT WANTED TO CREATE
THOROUGHLY MODERN HOUSES

THAT WERE AFFORDABLE,
EASY TO MAINTAIN, AND FIREPROOF.

Stern: WRIGHT'S GENIUS
IS TO CARRY IDEAS
TO THEIR EXTREMES,

TO DO THEM
WITH A DISCIPLINE, A RIGOR,

A SENSE OF THE PLAY
OF LIGHT AND SHADE,

THE SENSE OF THE SENSUOUSNESS
OF SURFACE

WHEN HE CHOSE TO DO THAT,
AS IN THE TEXTILE BLOCKS,

THAT IS MORE
THAN ANYONE ELSE.

IT'S NOT THAT HE DOESN'T
HAVE A GREAT GENIUS.

HE HAS A TOTAL GENIUS.

HE CAN MAKE US SEE
ALL OF HISTORY AFRESH.

Narrator: ONE
OF HIS CALIFORNIA HOUSES

WAS SAID TO HAVE BEEN
SO ADMIRED

BY ITS UNHAPPILY
MARRIED OWNERS

THAT NEITHER WOULD EVER
AGREE TO A DIVORCE

FOR FEAR OF HAVING
TO MOVE OUT.

[HAMMERING]

BUT THE CALIFORNIA HOUSES
WERE PLAGUED WITH DIFFICULTIES.

THERE WERE COST OVERRUNS,
LEAKY ROOFS AND WALLS,

AND THE TEXTILE BLOCKS
PROVED DIFFICULT TO FABRICATE,

AND WRIGHT ESTRANGED
HIMSELF FOR A TIME

FROM HIS ELDEST SON, LLOYD,

WHO HAD BEEN SUPERVISING
THE CONSTRUCTION

AND WHOM HE UNFAIRLY BLAMED
FOR EVERYTHING THAT WENT WRONG.

"YOU ARE NOT REALLY RELIABLE,"
HE TOLD HIS SON.

"YOU WILL BUY
WHEN YOU CAN'T PAY.

"YOU WILL ATTEMPT ANYTHING
AND BLAME FAILURE ON OTHERS.

YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY
THE WORST-MANNERED
YOUNG MAN I KNOW."

Eric Lloyd Wright:
MY GRANDFATHER--

AND MY FATHER
WAS THE SAME WAY--

THEY WOULD GET INTO
TERRIBLE TEMPER TANTRUMS

AND JUST BLOW UP
ABOUT SOMETHING

AND JUST LAY EVERYBODY
TO WASTE.

A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER,

THEY'D COME IN AS IF NOTHING
HAD HAPPENED, YOU KNOW.

"WHAT ARE YOU
SAD ABOUT?"

OR "WHY ARE YOU
NOT TALKING TO ME?"

AS IF NOTHING
HAD BEEN HAPPENING,

LIKE THEY DIDN'T REALIZE
THAT THE OUTBURST--

WHAT IT HAD CAUSED
AND THE EMOTIONAL STRESS,

AND THEY HAD MOVED ON,
AND EVERYTHING WAS OK AGAIN.

Narrator: MEANWHILE,
THERE WERE MORE QUARRELS

BETWEEN WRIGHT AND MIRIAM
AND MORE ACCUSATIONS.

SHE THREATENED HIM
WITH A KNIFE,

FINALLY STORMED OUT OF THE HOUSE
IN THE SPRING OF 1924,

VOWING NO OTHER WOMAN
WOULD EVER HAVE HIM,

BUT THERE WAS
ANOTHER WOMAN.

OLGIVANNA IVANOVA MILANOV
HINZENBERG WAS JUST 26,

LESS THAN HALF
WRIGHT'S AGE.

BORN IN EASTERN EUROPE
AND SEPARATED FROM
HER GERMAN HUSBAND,

SHE WAS A DISCIPLE
OF GEORGEI IVANOVICH GURDJIEFF,

A CHARISMATIC
RUSSIAN MYSTIC

WHO HAD ATTRACTED
A LARGE INTERNATIONAL FOLLOWING

TO HIS TEACHINGS THAT COMBINED
EASTERN AND WESTERN PHILOSOPHY.

Secrest:
HIS IDEA OF LIFE

WAS THAT MOST PEOPLE
WALKED AROUND ASLEEP

AND THEY REALLY WEREN'T
AWARE OF THEMSELVES

AND AWARE OF THE LIFE
AROUND THEM.

Narrator: WRIGHT MET
OLGIVANNA BY CHANCE

AT A BALLET PERFORMANCE
IN CHICAGO.

Secrest: AND FRANK SAID
SOMETHING TO HER

ABOUT THE BALLET DANCERS,

YOU KNOW, WHO WERE DOING
SOME KIND OF CLASSICAL DANCE,

AND HE SAID TO HER
SOMETHING ABOUT,

"WELL, MOST OF THESE PEOPLE
ARE DANCING

AS THOUGH THEY ARE ASLEEP."

SHE LOOKED AT HIM,
AND SHE THOUGHT,

"MY GOODNESS,
HERE IS SOMEBODY

WHO REALLY SEES
WHAT'S GOING ON IN LIFE."

WOMEN IN THE TWENTIES
ARE ALL DOLLED UP

WITH LITTLE TIGHT CURLS
AND LIPSTICK AND EVERYTHING,

AND HERE WAS A PERSON

WITH A VERY PLAIN, BEAUTIFUL,
SLIGHTLY TANNED COMPLEXION,

HAIR BROUGHT BACK
VERY SIMPLY.

HER BEAUTY WAS SUCH
OF NATURAL NATURE

THAT IT APPEALED TO HIM

BECAUSE HE LOVED
THINGS THAT WERE NATURAL,

AND THEIR LIFE
BEGAN THERE--

BOTH MARRIED,
BOTH SEEKING DIVORCES,

BUT HE INVITED HER,
A FEW WEEKS AFTER,
TO COME UP TO TALIESIN,

AND HE SAID TO HER,
"COME WITH ME, OLGIVANNA,

AND THEY WON'T SEE US
FOR THE DUST."

Narrator: OLGIVANNA
MOVED INTO TALIESIN.

SOON, SHE WAS PREGNANT
WITH WRIGHT'S CHILD.

A WHOLE NEW ERA
OF SCANDAL BEGAN.

MIRIAM, ENRAGED
BY OLGIVANNA'S PRESENCE,

WENT TO THE NEWSPAPERS,
BROKE INTO THE HOUSE,

THREATENED TO SHOOT
THE LOVERS.

Secrest:
AND SHE PURSUED THEM

LIKE A VENGEFUL
BAT OUT OF HELL.

SHE HOUNDED HIM
UNTIL HE WAS BROKE.

SHE HOUNDED
POOR OLGIVANNA

UNTIL OLGIVANNA DIDN'T KNOW
WHETHER SHE WAS ALIVE OR DEAD.

SHE THREW
LAWSUITS AT THEM.

SHE STALKED THEM
FROM ONE TOWN TO THE NEXT,

FROM ONE STATE
TO THE NEXT.

SHE DROVE THEM MAD
FOR THE NEXT 3 OR 4 YEARS.

Narrator: OLGIVANNA'S EX-HUSBAND
PURSUED THEM, TOO.

FINALLY, THE LOVERS FLED
TO THE MINNESOTA WOODS,

WHERE THEY HID OUT
UNDER ASSUMED NAMES

WHICH THEY COULD
NEVER QUITE REMEMBER.

THE LOCAL SHERIFF
ARRESTED WRIGHT.

HE WAS CHARGED WITH VIOLATING
THE FEDERAL MANN ACT,

WHICH MADE IT ILLEGAL
TO CARRY A WOMAN

ACROSS STATE LINES
FOR "IMMORAL PURPOSES."

WRIGHT SPENT
2 NIGHTS IN JAIL

BEFORE HIS LAWYERS
COULD GET HIM OUT ON BAIL.

HE WAS BLAMELESS,
HE TOLD THE PRESS.

THE ONLY SIN
TO WHICH HE PLED GUILTY

WAS WHAT HE CALLED
"THE DEADLY SIN IN A DEMOCRACY

OF HAVING IDEAS."

EVEN MEMBERS OF WRIGHT'S
OWN FAMILY TURNED AGAINST HIM.

Man: FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
WAS AN EMBARRASSING RELATIVE.

FOR MY FATHER, IN HIGH SCHOOL,
HE WAS A TORMENT

BECAUSE HERE WAS THIS GUY
WHO WAS NOTORIOUS RATHER THAN--

HE WASN'T CELEBRATED
AS THE GREAT AMERICAN
GENIUS IN THE TWENTIES.

HE WAS REGARDED AS KIND OF
A DANGEROUS MORAL INFLUENCE

AND A MAN
OF GREAT TALENT

WHO WAS SQUANDERING
HIS TALENT

ON SALACIOUS ROMANTIC EPISODES
AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

Narrator: IN 1925, A FIRE
DESTROYED THE SECOND TALIESIN,

AND WHILE WRIGHT
WAS REBUILDING IT,

THE LOCAL BANK FORECLOSED
ON THE MORTGAGE.

FRIENDS HAD TO
BAIL HIM OUT.

BAD LUCK SEEMED TO HAUNT
WRIGHT'S WORK AS WELL.

ALTHOUGH HUNDREDS
OF SKYSCRAPERS

WERE GOING UP IN CITIES
ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY,

FEW OF THE CORPORATIONS
THAT WERE BUILDING THEM

WERE WILLING
TO TAKE A CHANCE

ON THE NOTORIOUS
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT.

HE DID MANAGE
TO WIN COMMISSIONS

FOR AN EXTENSIVE DEVELOPMENT
IN THE SIERRA MADRE MOUNTAINS,

A SUMMER COLONY
AT LAKE TAHOE,

AND A STEEL CATHEDRAL
THAT WOULD SEAT

ONE MILLION WORSHIPPERS
IN NEW YORK CITY,

BUT NONE OF THEM
WERE EVER BUILT.

IT'S ODD THAT WHEN THE COUNTRY
WAS FLOURISHING, WRIGHT WAS NOT.

DURING THE BOOM TIME
OF THE TWENTIES,

HIS CAREER
WAS AT ROCK BOTTOM.

WHEN HE WAS IN HIS 50s,
THERE WERE ARTICLES

ABOUT HOW THIS
QUITE INTERESTING ARCHITECT

BUT NOW A HAS-BEEN
WAS BASICALLY WASHED UP.

HE HADN'T BUILD A BUILDING
OF ANY CONSEQUENCE IN YEARS.

Narrator:
IN AUGUST OF 1927,

MIRIAM RELENTED
AND GAVE HIM A DIVORCE,

BUT WRIGHT
WAS NOW PENNILESS.

FRIENDS AND FORMER
CLIENTS AGREED TO PAY
HIS ALIMONY FOR HIM.

HE AND OLGIVANNA
WERE MARRIED ONE YEAR LATER

AND RETURNED TO TALIESIN.

THEN CAME THE CRASH OF 1929,
DESTROYING WRIGHT'S HOPE

THAT HIS ONE
REMAINING COMMISSION,

AN ELABORATE RESORT
IN THE ARIZONA DESERT,

WOULD EVER BE BUILT.

Bruce Pfeiffer:
IT WAS A TERRIBLE TIME.

IN A LETTER HE WROTE
TO ONE OF HIS CLIENTS, HE SAID,

"WE'RE CUTTING UP BED SHEETS
TO MAKE HANDKERCHIEFS.

WE HAVEN'T BOUGHT
ANY NEW CLOTHES IN 4 YEARS."

HIS SISTER MAGINEL
LIVED IN NEW YORK

AND GAVE MRS. WRIGHT
A WARM WINTER WOOL COAT,

A SECONDHAND DOWN COAT.

IT WAS LIKE GOLD TO HER.

Gill: EVERYTHING
HE STRUGGLED TO DO

TURNED TO DUST AND ASHES
FOR A PERIOD OF MANY YEARS.

VERY FEW PEOPLE
HAVE EVER SUCCEEDED

IN RECOVERING FROM THAT DEGREE
OF FAILURE, PERSISTENT FAILURE,

AND NOT ALTOGETHER,
FOR ONCE, HIS OWN FAULT.

Secrest: THE KINDS OF BUILDINGS
THAT HE'D BEEN BUILDING

AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY
IN 1905, 1910,

WERE SO FAR
INTO THE PAST.

THEY'RE, YOU KNOW,
THINGS HE DID 20 YEARS BEFORE.

NOBODY WAS INTERESTED
IN THE KINDS OF IDEAS

THAT ARCHITECTURE
OUGHT TO REFLECT

THE NOBLEST VISION
OF SOCIETY, YOU KNOW.

NOBODY WAS INTERESTED
IN THAT CONCEPT ANYMORE.

WRIGHT'S POSITION, REALLY,
AS HE WENT INTO HIS 60s,

WAS PROBABLY THE MOST DESPERATE
MOMENT OF HIS LIFE.

Narrator: FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S
CAREER LAY IN RUINS,

A VICTIM OF CHANGING TIMES
AND CHANGING FASHION,

OF PERSONAL SCANDAL
AND THE EXCESSES OF HIS OWN EGO.

HIS CRITICS WROTE HIM OFF
AS OUT-OF-DATE, OLD-FASHIONED,

BUT THEY HAD
UNDERESTIMATED HIM.

IN THE YEARS TO COME,

HE WOULD ECLIPSE EVERYTHING
THAT HAD GONE BEFORE.