d. w. griffith first film and those awful hat ( 1909 ) and be design a a comical public service announcement of sort . a few year later and the director continue to perform public service and but the complexity of his work have evolve exponentially . much like a corner in wheat ( 1909 ) and he be here use cinema to make a profound social statement and this particular issue highlight in the film title represent what shall we do with our old . ( 1911 ) . after an age carpenter ( w. chrystie miller ) be fire from his job to make room for young worker and he be unable to find another job and leave him and penniless and to care for his ail wife ( claire mcdowell ) . in order to survive and the carpenter reluctantly turn to crime and but be arrest and bring before a kindly and sympathetic judge ( george nichols ) . despite the judge understanding and it be too late for this elderly couple to be rescue from abject poverty represent the wife succumbs to her illness and and the carpenter be leave grieve his loss and ponder his lonely predicament . a corner in wheat end with an image of hope . what shall we do with our old . conclude with an image of despair and a pertinent social problem without any known solution . griffith doesn not even attempt to propose any sort of resolution and which do admittedly come off a rather hypocritical it be and after all and one thing to merely acknowledge a problem and and another to try and fix it . but the film be give emotional depth through an opening title that inform u that the story be found upon an actual occurrence in new york city and assure griffith undeniable social relevance . miller be very good in the main role and show strong emotion in response to his character hardship . nichols and a the judge and also do well and play the sort of sympathetic authority figure role that frank capra might later have set aside for harry carey or harry davenport . mcdowell and a the carpenter sick wife and be adequate and but quite obviously far young 34 year old than she be suppose to appear .