Like the other Thomas H. Ince short film included on the same DVD, "The Drummer of the 8th", the print and transfer for "Granddad" looks nice and is tinted, including a color change from red to blue as a candle is blown out. There's a Civil War flashback scene, too, with rather good doubles for younger versions of the characters. Some of the plot and details leave something to be desired, though, even for a short film of the Nickelodeon era. The story of a grandfather forced to move away from his son's family and live in a poorhouse is rather forgettable melodrama, including the always-annoying teetotalism as the antagonist. Moreover, the acting is broad and overdone, especially by the little girl. As with "The Drummer of the 8th", the Civil War battle scenes are poorly produced, fairing poorly in comparison to the battle scenes in Ince's own Bison Westerns, such as "The Invaders" and "Custer's Last Fight" (both 1912). Additionally, in one scene, granddad puts a lit pipe in his pocket without it appearing to be noticed by the actor or any of the filmmakers. Otherwise, this is an OK film for its time.