Cider House Rules, The (1999, Michael Caine, Tobey Maguire)

John Irving adapted the screenplay for The Cider House Rules from his coming-of-age novel set in WWII Maine. Young Homer (Tobey Maguire) leaves the orphanage where he was raised by progressive doctor Larch (Oscar-winner Michael Caine) to discover love (in the form of Charlize Theron) on a nearby apple farm. Issues of abortion and addiction add gravity to this warmly sentimental, beautifully filmed tale.

John Irving, who adapted his own novel The Cider House Rules for the screen, also has a small role as a railroad stationmaster. His only previous film appearance was as a referee in the 1982 adaptation of his novel The World According to Garp.

production details
USA | Miramax | 126 minutes | 1999

Director: Lasse Hallstrom
Producer: Richard Gladstein
Original Story: John Irving
Director of Photography: Oliver Stapleton
Editor: Lisa Zeno Churgin
Music: Rachel Portman
Script: John Irving
Production Design: David Gropman

cast
Kieran Culkin as Buster
J.K. Simmons as Ray Kendall
Michael Caine as Dr. Wilbur Larch
Erik Per Sullivan as Fuzzy
Lonnie Farmer as Hero
Tobey Maguire as Homer Wells
Heavy D as Peaches
Charlize Theron as Candy Kendall
Delroy Lindo as Arthur Rose
Paul Rudd as Lt. Wally Worthington
Jane Alexander as Nurse Edna
Kathy Baker as Nurse Angela
Erykah Badu as Rose Rose
Kate Nelligan as Olive Worthington
Paz de la Huerta as Mary Agnes
K. Todd Freeman as Muddy
Evan Parke as Jack
Jimmy Flynn as Vernon
Spencer Diamond as Curly

• Bombshell (2019, Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman)

• Reindeer Games (2000, Ben Affleck, Charlize Theron)

• That Thing You Do! (1996, Tom Hanks, Liv Tyler)

• Men of Honor (2000, Robert De Niro, Cuba Gooding Jr)

• Reindeer Games (2000, Ben Affleck, Charlize Theron)

• Gringo (2018, David Oyelowo, Charlize Theron)

• Astronaut’s Wife, The (1999, Johnny Depp, Charlize Theron)

• Taking a Shot at Love (Hallmark 2021, Alexa PenaVega, Luke Macfarlane)

• Snowkissed (Hallmark 2021, Jen Lilley, Chris McNally)

• A Winter Getaway (Hallmark 2021, Nazneen Contractor, Brooks Darnell)

• Two for the Win (Hallmark 2021, Trevor Donovan, Charlotte Sullivan)

• Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020, Margot Robbie, Ewan McGregor)

• Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square (Netflix 2020, Dolly Parton, Christine Baranski)

• The Invisible Man (2020, Elisabeth Moss, Aldis Hodge)