AMUSEMENTS.

Grey River Argus, 5 August 1922, Page 6

AMUSEMENTS.

“WAY DOWN EAST.” The first screening of D. W. Griffith’s Masterpiece, “Way Down East” was presented last night at Pollard’s Opera House to an overflowing audience. Long before the doors were open a considerable queue had formed and awaited admission, and at 7.45 there was not a vacant seat, many disappointed patrons being turned away. Reports of tin' success of the picture in other centres had acclaimed the merit of the photo-play in such high terms that a bumper house came as no surprise; indeed such a furore of interesting excitejnent has been cause among those citement has been caused among those, that the whole Greymouth season will, we are sure, constitute a record. The mounting of the picture is on the most lavish scale, and is in keeping with the D. W. Griffith ideal. In “Way Down East,” Griffith has succeeded in the masterful intermingling of humour and pathos, the latter so poignant that tho humourous situations stand out in bold relief. The touches of homliness and of nature, depicted in the country scenes, arc the specialities which have helped to make the Griffith pictures appeal, and are made to contrast with the superficial conventionalities of the empty butterfly life of “high society.” Then, from a spectacular point of view, no picture yet produced has vied with a Griffith. II is wondcfully conceived, and the intro duction and interweaving of char.nct eristics which, in real life, an* usually wide apart, appeal to, and hold sway over the millions who witness them and become almost living things. The theme of “Way Down East” is quite commonplace, being the story of a simple country’ girl who is deluded by’ an impressionable youn idler, misled, deserted, and finally denounced by’ the puritanical but severe man under whose roof she finds a home after her abandonment. Lilian Gish, who takes the part of Anna Moore, the heroine of the story, has the heavy end of the stick all through, and is called on to ■. portray every phrase of intense feeling, in the situations in which circum stances find her, ami she is convincing all through. Her lover, David, also carries force and conviction in his acting, and misses none of the dramatic climaxes which abound towards the end of the picture. His wonderful res cue of Anna from the floating ice on the river, almost on the edge of tnr falls, is most melo-dramatic :.ijd grip with such intensity that it lifts the audience off its feet, in its realism. The orchestral music, which is specially fitted to the various motions of .hr picture is well adapted to it, and is enjoyable in itself. The orchestra ex celled themselves in the manner in which the lilting in process was done. A departure of interest was in the delightful colourings the drosses iu the ballroom scene. ‘‘Way Down East’ is one of the best pictures screened to date. It is intensely human, ami must satisfy the demands of the most ex: eting. “Way Down East” will b. shown at the Opera House again the evening, and on Monday evening also This afternoon a matinee will be giv on starting at 2 o'clock sharp. Spec i:.l matinee prices to children only Wil be: Circle 1/1 and Stalls 6d. Prim to adults will be the same as evening prices.