The Cider House Rules [DVD] [2000]

I didn't know what to expect when I went to see this film at the cinema. I'd never heard of Cider House Rules or even John Irving but this film is brilliant. The performances are also great. Tobey Maguire is perfect as the 'deep' Homer Wells and Michael Caine really does deserve is Best supporting actor award for Dr Larch. His last scene could have brought tears to a glass eye. This movie has a unique quality to it which teaches morals and how to live your life at the same time as being a very enjoyable story with top class characters and a brilliant score. Buy it now!!

“Cider House Rules” is a moving and atmospheric film which takes two extremely contentious subject matters, abortion and incest, and weaves a touching storyline about them.

St Cloud’s is a remote orphanage set in rural Maine. Dr Wilbur Larch (Michael Caine) runs the orphanage on a shoestring budget with only two matronly nurses to help him. He names one orphaned child Homer Wells (Tobey Maguire) and after a couple of failed adoption attempts it looks like Homer will be adopted by the orphanage itself and Dr Larch sets about training Homer to take over his duties. Although having undergone no medical training at all Homer proves himself to be just as capable physician as Dr Larch, although on the question of abortion the two men greatly differ.

One day a young couple arrive at the orphanage, he’s a USAF Pilot and she’s “in the club”, for Homer on the other hand this spells an escape out of the home. The pilot, Wally Worthington’s parents own a large apple plantation and on the drive away from the orphanage he offers Homer a job as a picker.

Homer is delivered to the plantation where he is given a bunk in the barn alongside the other pickers, a nomadic group of immigrants who travel up and down the east coast picking the various fruits of the seasons. The leader of this motley crew is Mr Rose, a welcoming but also dangerous looking man who is accompanied by his daughter, the enigmatically named Rose Rose. With Wally sent away to fly the “Burma Run” his girlfriend Candy Kendall (Charlize Theron) starts spending more and more time with Homer and a lovely gentle love story between the two of them starts to develop.

In many ways for all the social and moral dilemmas that the “Cider House Rules” throws up, it doesn’t actually answer any of them or even attempt to answer them. In the case of abortion it shows the opposing views of Homer and Dr Larch but in the case of incest it presents a rather confusing picture. The film works best in its sentimental and romantic views on life. The developing love story between Homer and Candy is gently sweet and classically romantic and excellently presented.

The performances are fantastic, Tobey Maguire shows a competence and skill beyond his years and Charlize Theron is delightful. Delroy Lindo deserves special mention for his portrayal of Mr Rose, who is both monster and nice guy all in one. The children of the orphanage also put in performances of great skill, especially Kieran Culkin. Michael Caine won a best supporting actor Oscar for this performance, which I would maybe argue is not his best ever, but is a fine turn without any doubt.

John Irving published his novel The Cider House Rules in 1985 to great critical and commercial acclaim. Centred on a Maine orphanage, its central topic of abortion perhaps is the most obvious allusion to the influence of Charles Dickens on Irving's work. The World According to Garp and The Hotel New Hampshire had already been filmed (Garp by the director George Roy Hill in 1982, and Hampshire by Tony Richardson in 1984), both to moderate success, but it wasn't until 1999 that Swedish director Lasse Hallstrom turned Rules into perhaps one of the best screen adaptations of a novel for some years.

The two main characters in "Rules" are Homer Wells, an orphan, and Dr Wilbur Larch, who's in charge of the orphanage where Homer grows up and has become a surrogate father to him. When Homer decides to leave the orphanage to experience the world, the film charts his progress from young boy to man amongst a diverse and fascinating series of encounters and characters. Memorable amongst these characters are Rose Rose, the daughter of a migrant worker at an apple orchard where Homer finds temporary employment; this story arc is the most gripping and to say any more would spoil it entirely! Other characters include Candy Kendall and her boyfriend Wally, who also work at the apple orchard; when Wally leaves to fight in World War 2, Homer and Candy embark on an affair that leads to an unexpected denouement.

The entire cast is exceptional and turn in some of the best work of their careers. Tobey Maguire is excellent as Homer, with a sense of innocence at first, and then gradually become worldly-wise as his life grows. As Dr Larch, Michael Caine won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, (thoroughly deserved) sporting a terrific New England accent, and his scenes with the orphans are some of the most moving I've ever seen. Mention should also be made of the supporting cast, especially Delroy Lindo as Rose Rose's father, and Charlize Theron as Candy. Lindo gives his part plenty of angst and unexpected poignancy at one stage, and Theron simply shines on screen.

On DVD, technically "Rules" cannot be faulted. Oliver Stapleton's lush cinematography bathes almost every scene in rich autumnal glows, seen to terrific effect in a near-flawless 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer, and Rachel Portman contributes a wonderful score (often re-used for trailers) that sounds superb on the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, although the surrounds aren't used a lot except for the aforementioned music. Extras-wise, we get an audio commentary by Hallstrom, Irving, and producer Richard Gladstein, a 20-minute making-of featurette, 5 deleted scenes, the theatrical trailer and 15 (!) TV spots.

If I had to pick one film to take on to a desert island, at this point in time "Rules" would be it. I can't think of a better film I've ever seen, and that, as people who know me would testify, is certainly saying something! As a final note, John Irving won an Oscar for his script, and has a cameo role as the stationmaster in the film.