Movie
The Cider House Rules
Medicine film with a runtime of 125 minutes, released in 1999. Presented in English.
At a Glance
Synopsis
John Irving scripted this screen adaptation of his 1985 novel. Set during World War II, The Cider House Rules concerns Homer Wells (Tobey Maguire), an orphan who spent most of his childhood at the St. Cloud Orphanage in rural Maine, where he grew up under the strong but affectionate care of Dr. Wilbur Larch (Michael Caine). Larch has passed along his medical education to Homer, and the young man helps the doctor care for abandoned children and the newborn babies of unwed mothers; however, Homer refuses to assist Larch with the illegal abortions that he performs on the side; Homer has moral objections to abortion, while Larch believes in the rights of the individual and sees it as his duty to keep women in need away from dangerous incompetents. Wally Worthington (Paul Rudd), an air-force pilot, brings his girlfriend Candy (Charlize Theron) to St. Cloud for an abortion, and Homer decides to go with them when they leave, hoping to see the world; however, the three end up going no further than the state line, where Wally's mother (Kate Nelligan) runs an apple orchard and cider mill, and Candy's family traps lobsters. When Wally ships off to battle, Homer grows closer to Candy, and the two fall in love. But their idyllic life at the cider mill is interrupted when Rose Rose (Erykah Badu), a field worker at the orchard, becomes pregnant and her father, cider-house foreman Mr. Rose (Delroy Lindo), turns out to be the father of her unborn child. This news coupled with the death of Dr. Larch, forces Homer to take a long look at both his moral principles and his future. Rapper Heavy D appears in the supporting cast as Peaches.
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Cast
- Tobey Maguire
- Michael Caine
- Charlize Theron
- Delroy Lindo
- Paul Rudd
- Erykah Badu
- Kathy Baker
- Jane Alexander
- Kieran Culkin
- Kate Nelligan
- Heavy D
- K. Todd Freeman
- Spencer Diamond
- Erik Per Sullivan
- Paz De La Huerta
- J.K. Simmons
- Evan Dexter Parke
- Jimmy Flynn
- Lonnie Farmer
- Erik Sullivan
- Sean Andrew
- John Albano
- Skye McCole Bartusiak
- Clare Daly
- Colin Irving
- Annie Corley
- Patrick Donnelly
- Edie Schechter
- Kasey Berry
- Mary Bogue
- Victoria Stankiewcz
- Christine Stevens
- Earle C. Batchelder
- Norma Fine
- Daniel Walsh
- Kathleen E. Broadhurst
- Evan Parke
- Alan Blomquist
- Leslie Holleran
- Oliver Stapleton
- Meryl Poster
- Ron Bolanowski
- Bob Weinstein
- Elizabeth Shelton
- Petur Hliddal
- Beth Rubino
- Bobby Cohen
- Renee Ehrlich Kalfus
- Rachel Portman
- Suzanne Smith
- John Irving
- Lisa Zeno Churgin
- Charlie Croughwell
- Karen Schulz-Gropman
- David Gropman
- Lisa Churgin
- Kerry Barden
- Ellie Winslow
- Alan C. Blomquist
- Harvey Weinstein
- Billy Hopkins
