The Cider House Rules (1999)

A compassionate young man, raised in an orphanage and trained to be a doctor there, decides to leave to see the world.

Director:

Lasse Hallström

Writers:

John Irving (novel), John Irving (screenplay)

Stars:

Tobey Maguire, Charlize Theron, Michael Caine

Won 2 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 29 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tobey Maguire	...	Homer Wells
Charlize Theron	...	Candy Kendall
Delroy Lindo	...	Mr. Rose
Paul Rudd	...	Wally Worthington
Michael Caine	...	Dr. Wilbur Larch
Jane Alexander	...	Nurse Edna
Kathy Baker	...	Nurse Angela
Erykah Badu	...	Rose Rose
Kieran Culkin	...	Buster
Kate Nelligan	...	Olive Worthington
Heavy D	...	Peaches
K. Todd Freeman	...	Muddy
Paz de la Huerta	...	Mary Agnes
J.K. Simmons	...	Ray Kendall
Evan Parke	...	Jack (as Evan Dexter Parke)

Storyline

Homer is an orphan in remote St. Cloud, Maine. Never adopted, he becomes the favorite of orphanage director Dr. Larch, who imparts his full medical knowledge on Homer, who becomes a skilled, albeit unlicensed, physician. But Homer yearns for a self-chosen life outside the orphanage. When Wally and pregnant Candy visit the orphanage Dr. Larch provides medically safe, albeit illegal, abortions Homer leaves with them to work on Wally's family apple farm. Wally goes off to war, leaving Homer and Candy alone together. What will Homer learn about life and love in the cider house? What of the destiny that Dr. Larch has planned for him?

---

Plot Keywords:

jim crow | racism | abortion | mentor protege relationship | mother son relationship | 

---

Taglines:

A story about how far we must travel to find the place where we belong.

---

Genres:

Drama | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements, sexuality, nudity, substance abuse and some violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 January 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ciderhusreglerna

Filming Locations:

Vermont, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$24,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$110,098, 12 December 1999, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$57,545,092

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$88,545,092

Company Credits

Production Co:

FilmColony, Miramax, Nina Saxon Film Design

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sir Michael Caine used John Huston as the basis for his New England accent.

---

Goofs

Several wooden lobster traps, including the one that Candy picks up, have no cement weights at the bottom, making them unusable.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
[Opening narration; a couple of snippets of interspersed dialog are omitted]
Dr. Wilbur Larch: In other parts of the world young men leave home and travel far and wide in search of a promising future. Their journeys are often fueled by dreams of triumphing over evil, finding a great love, or the hopes of fortunes easily made. Here in St. Cloud's not even the decision to get off the train is easily made, for it requires an earlier, more difficult decision - add a child to your life, or leave one ...
[...]

---

Connections

Featured in 1,001 Movies You Must See (Before You Die) (2014)

---

Soundtracks

Alligator Crawl
Composed by Fats Waller (as Thomas 'Fats' Waller)
Performed by John Lenehan
Published by Edwin H. Morris & Company, A Division of MPL Communications, Inc. (ASCAP)/Bienstock Publishing Co. (ASCAP) obo Redwood Music Ltd.

User Reviews

Funny, moving, incredibly well-done

I didn't think it was possible, but one of John Irving's most difficult books was condensed by the author himself (the last third of the book is gone) into a very very good movie. All the acting is great (especially the nice low key performances by Macguire and Caine), BEAUTIFULLY shot (in Vermont, Maine and Massachusetts), a score that fits the movie like a glove and fully realized three-dimensional characters. Plot-wise there's nothing new (young man goes out to see the world, discovers himself, etc etc) but the cast makes it seem new. They all find depth in roles that have been done before--especially Caine who speaks with a very convincing Maine accent! Bring lots of tissues with you--the movie is sad and disturbing at points (all kept in the PG-13 rating however), but it has a happy ending. Well worth seeing. See it on a BIG screen--all the beautiful shoots won't work on TV.