As V.C. Andrews’ Dawn Part 2: Secrets of the Morning begins, Dawn (Brec Bassinger) goes to New York in 1973 and moves in with Agnes Morris (Fran Drescher). Dawn is told that Agnes only lets students of the Bernhardt School of the Arts use the rooms. Agnes got a letter from Lillian (Donna Mills) who told her Dawn has difficulty dealing with other people. As a result, she is on probation and will be sent back to Cutler’s Cove if she acts out. Dawn will be rooming with a talented dancer. If she does anything to upset her, she will be leaving this house. Then, she is introduced to her roommate Tricia (Corey Woods) who wants to know everything about her. Tricia tells her about the bands she likes.

Dawn doesn’t seem to know about them. She hasn’t been to the movies either and has never had a television. Dawn confesses she wasn’t expecting Tricia to be so nice. Tricia wants to know everything about Dawn. Although she is hesitant to talk about it, Dawn reveals she was kidnapped as a baby. Then, she receives a tour of the school and learns about Madame Steichen. Tricia introduces Dawn to her friends Carrie and Steve. When Dawn makes it back, Agnes asks where she was. She is accountable to Lillian so she can’t have her coming and going all hours of the night. Agnes has created a sign-out sheet exclusively for Dawn. Back in her room, Dawn complains to Tricia that Lillian is going to keep her grip on her even from afar.

Later, Dawn learns that Michael Sutton (Joey McIntyre) is going to be teaching in the fall semester. The girls who want to be singers want to be in the Broadway star’s class. When Agnes is out of the house, Dawn and Tricia try to find the letter from Lillian. In the letter, Lillian says Dawn can be rebellious and promiscuous. Dawn denies it and says she doesn’t know why Lillian hates her so much. Tricia urges Dawn to become a famous singer. Every time Lillian reads her name, it’ll be like she is drinking poison. As Dawn hangs out with friends, Clara Jean Cutler (Elyse Maloway) surprises her by showing up out of the blue. Tricia ends up belittling Clara. Dawn has dinner with Clara, Laura (Miranda Frigon), and Randolph (Jason Cermak). Philip (Dane Schioler) asks about Broadway.

Dawn changes the subject to Sissy who has been let go. She tries to use her knowledge to pressure Lillian into rehiring Sissy. When Philip asks about the secrets, Dawn warns him that she might tell them all. Dawn follows Laura into the bathroom and asks if she thought she’d just quit. She tells Laura how she blackmailed Lillian. Laura tells Dawn to stop and think about the privileges the Cutler name has given her. Dawn would give up the name in a second if she could return to the family that raised her. Laura refuses to tell her the father’s name because he is evil. Later, Jimmy surprises Dawn. Jimmy (Khobe Clarke) tells her about getting out when he turned 18 before revealing he has joined the army.

Although Dawn doesn’t want him to go, Jimmy thinks it’ll be good to learn a trade in the army. Jimmy tries to get her to see that it is a good thing. Dawn talks to Tricia about Jimmy later. The next day, Tricia comes to the audition with Dawn so she can see Michael Sutton. Tricia asks him if he’d consider private lessons if she is very good. Michael wants to see how today goes. Dawn stands up and sings Amazing Grace. After that, Dawn learns that she is going to be in Michael’s class. Tricia is introduced to Jimmy after the session. Jimmy tells Dawn that they have one more night. They spend it together. He doesn’t want her to wait on him. Jimmy says she can choose him when he gets back. Dawn says she chooses him now.

She wants him to write to her while he is away. Dawn worries she is in trouble because she has been out so late. Before she goes in, Jimmy gives her a small music box. She goes inside and tries to tell Agnes what happened. Dawn insists nothing happened. Michael approaches her to say she is a raw talent he doesn’t come across often. They agree to get coffee and talk about her voice. Michael is heading to an opening tonight and he’d like her to come. Later that night, Tricia tries to help her pick out an outfit for her date although Dawn insists it isn’t a date. Michael doesn’t pay much attention to Dawn during the opening. She returns and tells Tricia she is an idiot. Later, Michael asks her if she enjoyed the opening. Then, they begin breathing exercises.

They also sing together. Michael ends up kissing her before apologizing. He is having a get-together tonight so he invites her. Michael makes sure no one hears about it since he could get into trouble. Dawn tells Tricia that it is just a cocktail party, but Tricia believes there is more to it. When Dawn goes over to his house, she learns that no one else is there. Michelle wants to know more about her. He wants to know the worst thing that happened to her because she’ll have to be naked to be a singer who matters. Dawn tells him that she was kidnapped and the family she loved was torn apart. They end up making out. Michael admits he told the others not to come after she accepted his invitation.

They have sex. Dawn goes home and tells Tricia about her night with Michael. Tricia warns her to keep an eye out on this guy because guys will say anything to get what they want. Dawn gets a gift in the mail from Jimmy who says he loves her. Michael buys her gifts for Christmas too. Dawn tries on the lingerie he bought her. Michael says he just landed the lead in the new Fosse musical and he thinks he can get her a part too. He believes it is time to make it official. Tricia checks on Dawn when she hears her throwing up. Dawn reveals it has been like this for the past three mornings. She also missed her period. Dawn meets Michael because she wants to talk to him about something, but Michael is eager to get rid of her. Once she tells him she is pregnant, Michael hopes she isn’t playing a trick on him.

Michael is thrilled that she is having their child. He says she can come live with him when school ends. When the world needs to know, they’ll announce it together. Michael suggests getting married before the baby comes. Tricia meets with her and says they’ve heard Michael is taking a hike. He got a play in England and left everyone in the lurch. Dawn goes looking for him only to find that he has gone back to England. She steps outside and thinks Michael is waiting for her. She walks out into the road and gets hit by a vehicle. Tricia is there when she wakes up in the hospital. Dawn thinks she is stupid and admits she should’ve listened to Tricia. Lillian arrives and believes Dawn knows who the father is.

She has withdrawn her from the school because she can’t have a Cutler walking around as an unwed mother-to-be. Once Dawn is released, she will be sent to The Meadows. It is Lillian’s childhood home and a beautiful estate in Lynchburg, Virginia. Her sisters, Charlotte and Emily, still live there. Lillian warns her that she can go to the street if she doesn’t want to go to The Meadows. Dawn tries to get in touch with Tricia but she isn’t picking up. She asks a nurse to give her a note. Luther, who works for Miss Emily, picks up Dawn and takes her to The Meadows. Emily Booth opens the door and greets Dawn. They go inside before Dawn learns that they don’t have a telephone. Emily explains she is a midwife and the birth is going to be difficult. Dawn is not to have any contact with Charlotte.

Dawn is awoken in the middle of the night by a woman who says women like them deserve their punishment. After breakfast, Emily puts Dawn to work. She tracks down Luther and tries to get him to drive her into town, but Luther says he isn’t going that way. He reminds her that he does what Emily tells him. Dawn attends church in which Emily preaches to her. Dawn is forced to repent. Later, she feels pain in her stomach and worries that something could be wrong with the baby. Late at night, Dawn tries to flee and ends up falling outside in the rain. When she is brought back inside, Emily scolds her for trying to run away. While working, Dawn finds some black and white photographs.

On the back of one picture, it says Eugenia. Dawn looks around more and finds an old crib. Emily gets upset when she finds her. Dawn suggests this was the nursery for Charlotte’s baby. Emily claims the baby took a single breath and promptly died. Dawn accuses her of starving her and hoping the baby won’t live. Before long, Dawn goes into labor. Emily says the birth is a breach so Dawn better pray hard if she wants it to live. Once the baby is delivered, Dawn tells Emily that she isn’t taking Christie to that horrible place. Emily takes it so she won’t roll over on it. Charlotte brings Dawn a drink that Emily wants her to have. Dawn asks her about Eugenia. Charlotte claims she died of the smallpox before she came along.

Dawn asks Emily where her baby is. Emily says it wasn’t supposed to be born and she made arrangements for Dawn to leave tomorrow. Dawn soon realizes that she has been drugged. Jimmy visits and wants to see Dawn, but Emily pretends she isn’t there. Dawn hears him and starts yelling his name. Jimmy runs over and explains that Tricia got her note. Emily tells them that her sister Lillian made all the arrangements so she doesn’t know where the baby was taken. As they leave, Jimmy reveals that their dad remarried and had another kid. Dawn wants to apologize for betraying Jimmy with the monster named Michael. If it still matters, she chooses him. She wants to go to Cutler’s Cove.

Once they get there, Randolph tells them that his mother is sick. He has to make sure everything is in order by the time she comes back. Laura is glad to see Dawn back. Dawn visits Lillian at the hospital and says she is glad the stroke didn’t take away her memories. She tries to get information from Lillian but it appears too late. There is a funeral for Lillian after that. Philip tries to smooth things over with Dawn, but she wants him to stay away from her. Dawn approaches Laura to see if she knew where she had been. Laura reminds her that she got herself in trouble. Dawn tells her about her granddaughter named Christie. Laura says it is over so she should just be thankful for what she has. No wealthy suitor is going to want to marry a woman with a baby.

Mr. Updike tells Dawn that he didn’t know and he was told the mother was cooperating fully. He found the family with her daughter. Although they’re upset, they’re expecting to hear from Dawn. She will receive all the information at the reading of the wills. Once everyone gets together, Mr. Updike explains he will be reading the will of William too because there was an addendum. In the document, William confesses that he fathered a second child and it was conceived with his son Randolph’s wife Laura Jean. That child was Dawn. It was William’s wish that Dawn receive 60% of his property and holdings. Regardless of how the other 40% is divided, Dawn will be the majority owner of Cutler’s Cove.

Clara isn’t happy to hear that. Dawn approaches Laura outside to ask if she let them kidnap her because she was afraid it would come out. Laura says she doesn’t know anything about it before apologizing for what happened to her. She is shocked to learn that the majority of everything was left to Dawn. However, Dawn doesn’t care about that because she wants to find her daughter. Dawn wanted her life with Jimmy and Christie to begin on a happy note. Clara’s screams of hatred echoed in her mind. Dawn knew she would never give up trying to ruin her life.

 

V.C. Andrews’ Dawn – Secrets of the Morning Review

The second part of VC Andrews’ Dawn wasn’t as good as the first although it got better towards the end. Some of the performances early on were a bit too much to the point that they were obnoxious. This one felt a little slow at times so it probably didn’t need to be an hour and a half.

Both parts seem to have followed the books decently enough although there might be a few changes here and there. Since I haven’t read them, I can’t speak too much about that. Regardless, the television movie adaptions have been moderately successful so far. The good thing about this part was the fact that it set up so many interesting storylines with Dawn getting the assets and the baby.

It’ll also be interesting to see how the family deals with Lillian’s passing and losing majority ownership of Cutler’s Clove. Overall, this television movie was decent although a slip from the previous one. It scores a 5.5 out of 10. Recaps of V.C. Andrews’ Dawn are available here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising with us here.