Frank Lloyd Wright was considered the most innovative architect in Chicago when he traveled to Mason City, Iowa, in 1908 to design a unique business block—a bank and adjoining hotel facing a park. Soon, scandal and tragedy would ruin his career, but the Park Inn would remain one of his last prairie-style structures. This unique film traces the life, death, and possible rebirth of a Midwest downtown through the prism of the Park Inn.

From 1926 to the present, the Park Inn experienced alterations and downgrading, particularly with Mason City’s economic downturn in the 1960s and its decaying reputation in the 1970s. While the city struggled to fund renovations to the Frank Lloyd Wright hotel in the 90s in an effort at heritage tourism, it also attempted an economic revival with a twenty million dollar tribute to The Music Man, which is set in the town. As a last resort, the city placed the Park Inn on Ebay. But which vision of Mason City will prevail? Through a blend of rare archival footage, period music, and a comparative look at stunning Wright masterpieces in the Midwest and Japan, The Last Wright raises issues of the sustainability of landmark structures and offers a provocative, ironic tapestry of a century in an American city.

"An emotionally powerful argument about sustainability."
‒The Washington Post

"Visually stunning, smartly filmic."
‒WLUW-FM, Chicago

“An informative and entertaining visual and audio blend of cinematography, rare archival footage and photographs . . . and a fresh look at . . . other stunning Wright masterpieces as well.”
‒Wright in Wisconsin

"Recommended."
‒Educational Media Reviews Online

Montreal Festival of Films on Art, 2009
Best Documentary Award, Iowa Motion Picture Association, 2008
Environmental Film Festival, Washington, DC, 2008
Nominee: 2010 Regional Midwest Emmy Award for Documentary Writing