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A Corner in Wheat (1909)

G | | Short, Crime, Drama | 13 December 1909 (USA)
A Corner in Wheat Poster
An unscrupulous and greedy capitalist speculator decides to corner the wheat market for his own profit, establishing complete control over the markets.

Director:

D.W. Griffith

Stars:

Frank Powell, Grace Henderson, James Kirkwood | See full cast & crew »
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1 win. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview:
Frank Powell ... The Wheat King
Grace Henderson Grace Henderson ... The Wheat King's Wife
James Kirkwood ... The Farmer
Linda Arvidson ... The Farmer's Wife
W. Chrystie Miller ... The Farmer's Father
Gladys Egan ... The Farmer's Little Daughter
Henry B. Walthall ... The Wheat King's Assistant
See full cast »
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Storyline

A greedy tycoon decides, on a whim, to corner the world market in wheat. This doubles the price of bread, forcing the grain's producers into charity lines and further into poverty. The film continues to contrast the ironic differences between the lives of those who work to grow the wheat and the life of the man who dabbles in its sale for profit. Written by James Meek <james@oz.net>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

market | wheat | farmer | bread | loaf of bread | See All (16) »

Genres:

Short | Crime | Drama

Certificate:

G | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

Add content advisory for parents »
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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 December 1909 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

A gabonatőzsde spekulánsai See more »

Filming Locations:

Biograph Studio, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Biograph Company See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

One of the first films in which D.W. Griffith used the technique of parallel editing (a technique he pioneered). It was used to create the effects in the wheat suffocating scene. See more »

Goofs

When the Wheat King reads the letter regarding his increase in wealth, he is wearing gloves. After he falls into the wheat pit, there is an un-gloved hand reaching for the heavens; however, when they pull him out, he is once again wearing gloves. See more »

Connections

Featured in To Boldly Flee (2012) See more »

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User Reviews

 
A Powerful Ending
11 September 2001 | by caspian1978 – See all my reviews

Even if you miss the first minutes of this film, don't miss the very last. A Corner in Wheat comes off as a comical drama that seems to lead nowhere. That is until the very end when we see a powerful image end the film to give the audience a message to take with them. The final shot is a man plants wheat in his fields in hope of a better life. A simple shot, a simple movement, a giant message!
5 of 8 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
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