The story of Mies van der Rohe and Edith Farnsworth—the namesake commissioner of the famous glass house—is rife with sex and scandal. According to the typical narrative, Farnsworth, a nephrologist of some acclaim, didn’t just want one of Mies’ buildings, but also the man himself. When things didn’t pan out that way, she took revenge by heading to the courts.
But, as a former Screen/Print revealed, that story isn’t just inaccurate—it’s laden with sexist assumptions. Namely, that a woman couldn’t simply be dissatisfied with an architectural “masterwork” because of its formal flaws. She had to be driven by “feminine” emotions.
Anyway, it’s still a good story. And now it’s heading to the silver screen. According to Showbiz 411, Jeff Bridges will be starring as the German architect and Maggie Gyllenhaal will play Farnsworth.
I haven't read the MIT piece linked in the article yet, but I can attest that the latest edition of Franz Schulze's Mies bio (published in 2013 by University of Chicago Press) is extremely thorough in giving an accurate history of the Mies/Farnsworth relationship. In particular, he incorporated court transcripts that were unearthed not long before publication. I hope the filmmakers use the book as a historical reference.
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I haven't read the MIT piece linked in the article yet, but I can attest that the latest edition of Franz Schulze's Mies bio (published in 2013 by University of Chicago Press) is extremely thorough in giving an accurate history of the Mies/Farnsworth relationship. In particular, he incorporated court transcripts that were unearthed not long before publication. I hope the filmmakers use the book as a historical reference.
So is Maggie playing the visionary architect and Jeff the difficult client? That's a movie I'd like to see.
Will the general public be asking who are Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal? BTW, Edith Farnsworth is the eponymous commissioner of the Farnsworth House which is the namesake. [Pardon my pedantry.]
Sure, I see that...
the dude = architect
The Dude Abides !
Good one, Donna . . . How about Linda Hunt, as the fashionista sidekick ?
Assuming it's The Dude playing Mies, I wonder if he'll attempt the accent. The cigar is presumably a given . . .
But what about Roy in R.I.P.D. A Little more attitude and closer to architecture starring alongside Kevin Bacon?
I LOVE THIS
Looks good. But the age difference between Farnsworth and Mies was seventeen years, not the twenty-eight year difference between the actors.
Well, in any case, they both work good together, and what do we need to tell about the DUDE, hes just awesome.
Would be interesting how they blend into the characters.
Guest starring Mies's Barcelona Pavilion as the Farnsworth House.
At least they didn't cast Bradley Cooper and Amy Adams.
Or Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie.
Bridges played an architect once before, in the underrated Fearless. There, his profession was only tangential to the story.
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