Griffiths’ 1909 short film "A Corner in Wheat" is a poetic meditation on capitalism based on a Frank Norris poem.
Griffiths’ ushers in the beginnings of film as narrative, as a new artistic story telling medium. This must have been quite the revelation for audiences of 1909. For a modern day viewer this simplistic, black and white silent film is prehistoric in style and content. It is like a museum piece. Despite this and perhaps because of this the film is very engaging.
“A Corner in Wheat” is so incredibly foreign to the present day experience of modern cinema, though in it we recognize the great great grandfather of contemporary film. Griffiths’ film utilizes the same cinematic language of the parallel montage that is so intrinsic and vital to contemporary cinema. As a contemporary viewer I understood Griffiths’ language, though for me it was not about what he said so much as the way in which it was said. The long still shots saturated in monochromatic tones accompanied by a musical piece that was just as vital to the narrative and atmosphere of the piece was elegant and poetic. The marriage of the visual image and music is delightful. I only wish Griffiths had not tried to explain so much to the viewer by employing intertitles and melodramatic actors, but let the silent simplicity of this newfound medium radiate unencumbered.
