AMUSEMENTS

Wairarapa Age, 20 March 1920, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS

THE PARAMOUNT, TWO BIG FEATURES. Bessie Love is the star in "The Dawn of Understanding" at the Paramount to-night. The story is a quaint romance, colourful of tho West in tho gold days, of pathos and near tragedy, and relieved by touches of light comedy, so. typical of Bret Harte stories. There is action always, and near tragedy, a combination that commands and holds tho inteyesfc of all. There is pictured first, with consummate skill, a caravan of prairie wag-, gons crossing the plains in the days of '49, carrying Sue and her parents. Then the hermit ranch of Ira Beasley, by itself'a part from Bolinas Plains, where Sue's mother dies, and she is loft by her father to Ira, and remains with the uncouth man, not she cares for him, but because she has come to loathe her father. Ira loves her, but is too shy to speak. Then is pictured Sue, tho loneliest picture in all tho vast Western plains, doomed to drudgo her life away. And then the one brief romance in her pathetio existence, a fleeting glimpse at what she imagines love might be. Sho [gives refuge to a circus acrobat fleejing tho sheriff, and yields to his importunities to elope, but Fate interposes, a tragedy ia narrowly averted, and Sue's romance opens out into a happy] union wit'll the man who loves her. William Farnum will be seen as tho star *in tho big melodrama 1 "True Blue." There will be a matinee today at 2.30. THE COSY.

The main attraction at the Cosy tonight is a snappy Goldwyn comedy with Madge Kennedy delightful in the leading role. Light, gay, and amusing "Through the Wrong Door," is frankly composed and produced to chase dull care away, and it is so well interpreted by Madge Kennedy and the cast in general that the effect is a very pleasant one. Miss Kennedy acts in a most appealing manner, particularly during the love scenes. She softens and' boautifios by some very fine acting tho role of a bright young girl who throws over her fiance and elopes with a man she scarcely knows. In the new dignity of one who sympathises with the man her own father has deliberately tried to ruin, whom she is assisting to achieve natural justice, sho plays the part so convincingly that the sitdden change of mind and heart is not only excused but approved most cordially. John Bowers, in suport, is manly and effective, and the remainder of the cast is admirably typed. A gloom-chasing comedy without a dull nioment, "Through the Wrong Door." "Her First Kiss" is another rippling Sunshine comedy that will provoke roars of fun. A strong supporting programme has been arranged. There will be a matinee at 2.30 thiß afternoon.