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- Public Domain
A Corner in Wheat is a 1909 short film which tells of a greedy tycoon who tries to corner the world market on wheat, destroying the lives of the people who can no longer afford to buy bread. It was directed by D. W. Griffith and adapted by Griffith and Frank E. Woods from the novel The Pit (1903) by Frank Norris.
Intercutting (cross-cutting) between still tableaux of the poor in the bread line and the lavish, active parties of the wealthy speculator somewhat anticipates the collision montage which became a hallmark of the politically-charged Soviet cinema a decade or so later.
In 1994, A Corner in Wheat was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
This is the first film in which D.W. Griffith attempts social commentary. The scenario parallels the problems of a poor farmer and the dealings of an ill-fated "wheat king." Based on the novel "The Pit" by Frank Norris.
IMDb Profile: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0000832/
Intercutting (cross-cutting) between still tableaux of the poor in the bread line and the lavish, active parties of the wealthy speculator somewhat anticipates the collision montage which became a hallmark of the politically-charged Soviet cinema a decade or so later.
In 1994, A Corner in Wheat was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
This is the first film in which D.W. Griffith attempts social commentary. The scenario parallels the problems of a poor farmer and the dealings of an ill-fated "wheat king." Based on the novel "The Pit" by Frank Norris.
IMDb Profile: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0000832/
Reviews
Reviewer:
gallowglass
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favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
January 31, 2021
Subject: Grinding the Poor
Why the poster for this film should show a young couple enjoying a romantic tryst in a wheatfield is hard to fathom. There are no young couples in the story, and there is no romantic sub-plot to this solemn screenplay about the evils of capitalism.
Rather improbably, a granary owner has managed to corner the entire world market for wheat, so he is able to screw-down the earnings of cereal farmers, while doubling the price of bread, reducing the poor to desperate straits. Griffith uses cross-cutting techniques to dramatise the contrast between the hardscrabble life of the poor and the lavish indulgences of the rich. At the bakery, humble families find they can’t afford a loaf, and a riot is brewing. At the granary, the wheat-king is proudly showing his friends around his office in the hour of triumph… until karma strikes.
Many have noted a biblical dimension to the story, with themes of sin and retribution, possibly with symbolic reaping and sowing referenced in the scenes at the wheatfield.
A one-reeler (15 minutes) was about all that cinema audiences could take in 1909, yet this short silent is enshrined as culturally significant by the Library of Congress, as it represented the peak of film art for its time. It was also one of the last films Griffith made in New York, before he and Mack Sennett discovered Hollywood, and Linda Arvidson, to whom Griffith was secretly married, plays the farmer’s wife. Finally, the wheat-pit at the Chicago trading floor is curiously recognisable today for its ‘gracelessness under pressure’ as the late Studs Terkel put it.
Subject: Grinding the Poor
Why the poster for this film should show a young couple enjoying a romantic tryst in a wheatfield is hard to fathom. There are no young couples in the story, and there is no romantic sub-plot to this solemn screenplay about the evils of capitalism.
Rather improbably, a granary owner has managed to corner the entire world market for wheat, so he is able to screw-down the earnings of cereal farmers, while doubling the price of bread, reducing the poor to desperate straits. Griffith uses cross-cutting techniques to dramatise the contrast between the hardscrabble life of the poor and the lavish indulgences of the rich. At the bakery, humble families find they can’t afford a loaf, and a riot is brewing. At the granary, the wheat-king is proudly showing his friends around his office in the hour of triumph… until karma strikes.
Many have noted a biblical dimension to the story, with themes of sin and retribution, possibly with symbolic reaping and sowing referenced in the scenes at the wheatfield.
A one-reeler (15 minutes) was about all that cinema audiences could take in 1909, yet this short silent is enshrined as culturally significant by the Library of Congress, as it represented the peak of film art for its time. It was also one of the last films Griffith made in New York, before he and Mack Sennett discovered Hollywood, and Linda Arvidson, to whom Griffith was secretly married, plays the farmer’s wife. Finally, the wheat-pit at the Chicago trading floor is curiously recognisable today for its ‘gracelessness under pressure’ as the late Studs Terkel put it.
Reviewer:
Earle Bruce
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favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
September 16, 2011
Subject: good movie
Subject: good movie
You can download this movie and watch it by downloading VLC media player ...You will be glad you did...
Reviewer:
Seto-Kaiba_Is_Stupid
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favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
January 17, 2009
Subject: Charming
Subject: Charming
It may be social commentary, but Mr. Griffith keeps it tight and entertaining. The editing is excellent, and it's a lot better than those pathetic soviet films based around the same idea.
Good old-time story telling with a message.
Good old-time story telling with a message.
Reviewer:
Antsy
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favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
January 7, 2008
Subject: Interesting light on DW Griffith
Subject: Interesting light on DW Griffith
I haven't seen much of his early work, I didn't realize he did this kind of social commentary.
You can download the film if you click on the "FTP" or "HTML" links on the left side of the page. They will bring up menus which allow you to download it as an .flv file. (Or, if you have Firefox, get the DownloadHelper add-on, you can download most embedded movies directly with that.)
Would be nice to have it as an .avi or other higher quality file though.
You can download the film if you click on the "FTP" or "HTML" links on the left side of the page. They will bring up menus which allow you to download it as an .flv file. (Or, if you have Firefox, get the DownloadHelper add-on, you can download most embedded movies directly with that.)
Would be nice to have it as an .avi or other higher quality file though.
Reviewer:
GleanerJoe
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favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
January 6, 2008
Subject: Corner in Wheat
Subject: Corner in Wheat
Something wrong, no way to download this movie. I'd love to have a copy, as with any D.W. Griffith movies, especially his earlier ones like this one, which seems to be in good condition. Why isn't there a way provided to download it?
