The film was produced by Miramax Films and FilmColony, and it had its world premiere at the 56th Venice International Film Festival.[3] It was given a limited release by Miramax Films in the United States on December 10, 1999, followed by a wide release on January 7, 2000. It grossed $110,098 in its opening weekend and $88.5 million worldwide against a budget of $24 million.[4] It was positively reviewed and has a 71% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.[5]
Homer Wells grows up at St. Cloud's, a Maine orphanage directed by avuncular Dr. Wilbur Larch. Homer is returned to St. Cloud's twice by foster parents. The first family felt Homer was too quiet (due to orphanage babies soon learning that crying is pointless). The second beat him. Dr. Larch is addicted to ether, and he secretly performs abortions. Conditions at the orphanage are spartan, but the children have love and respect, and they are like an extended family. Older children, such as Buster, look out for the younger children, and in particular care for those who are sickly, including Fuzzy Stone, who was born prematurely to an alcoholic mother. Fuzzy suffers from respiratory disease and thus spends most of his time beneath a plastic tent ventilated with a breathing apparatus. Each night before sleeping, Dr. Larch says to the children "Good night, you Princes of Maine! You Kings of New England!" as both an encouragement and a kind of blessing.
Homer, the oldest of the orphans, is very intelligent, helpful, and even tempered, so Larch trains him in obstetrics and abortions as an apprentice despite Homer's never having attended high school. Homer disapproves of abortions, and although Larch has trained him, Homer refuses to perform them. After several years, Homer is very skillful and confident in performing obstetrical duties. Larch wants Homer to take over after Larch retires, but Homer feels it is impossible, as he lacks formal medical education and he wants to see the outside world beyond the orphanage. Dr. Larch performs an abortion on Candy Kendall, accompanied by her boyfriend, Wally Worthington, an Air Force pilot on leave from service. Wally's mother, Olive, owns the Worthington family apple orchard estate where Homer lives as a worker of the estate's Cider bunkhouse. While Wally returns to his World War II service, Homer is exempt thereof, diagnosed by Dr. Larch as a heart condition patient.
While Wally is away, Candy starts flirting with Homer, leading to an affair. Homer picks apples with Arthur Rose's team of migrant workers, employed seasonally at the orchard. A list of rules for its occupants is posted in the Cider House, which its illiterate migrant workers cannot read. Homer reads them the list, so the workers can now follow or ignore as they wish. Homer and Candy become much closer during harvest and spend more time together while Wally is fighting in Burma. Meanwhile, at St. Cloud's, Fuzzy Stone succumbs to his illness and dies. Dr. Larch and the staff conceal his death from the other orphans, telling them that Fuzzy was adopted.
After Arthur and his team return to the orchard the following season, Homer discovers that Rose is pregnant to her father Arthur. When Homer learns it, he decides to abort Rose's pregnancy with Arthur's assistance. A few days later, Rose tries to run away. When Arthur tries to say goodbye to her, she stabs him and flees. He then makes the injury worse, and as a last request, asks Homer and another worker to tell the police his death was a suicide.
Wally returns from Burma a paraplegic. Although Candy loves Homer, she decides to take care of Wally. Immediately after this, Homer learns Dr. Larch has died from an accidental overdose of ether. Homer decides he is most needed back at the orphanage. When he returns, he is greeted joyously by both the children and staff. He learns that not only did Larch fake Homer's medical record to keep him out of the war, but he also faked college credentials and used reverse psychology to persuade the orphanage board to appoint Homer as the next director. Homer fills the paternal role that Larch previously held for the children of the orphanage, telling them, "Good night, you Princes of Maine! You Kings of New England!"
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 71% approval rating, based on 112 reviews with an average rating of 6.6/10. The website's critical consensus reads "The Cider House Rules derives affecting drama from wonderful performances, lovely visuals, and an old-fashioned feel."[5] It also has a weighted average rating of 75 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on 32 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[16]
Leonard Maltin awarded the film a rare four-star rating. By contrast, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times awarded it just two stars, stating the film "is often absorbing or enchanting in its parts. Michael Caine's performance is one of his best, and Charlize Theron is sweet and direct as the girl...The story touches many themes, lingers with some of them, moves on and arrives at nowhere in particular."[17]
Certificate
In the United States, the film was given a PG-13 certificate by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), and in the United Kingdom, it was given a 12 certificate by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), which meant that anyone aged 12 or over could see it. However, in Ireland, the film was given the strictest possible rating, 18. According to Ireland's Film Censor, Sheamus Smith, this was because of its themes of abortion, incest, and drugs.[18] At the time, Ireland had a constitutional ban on abortion, which would not be lifted until after a referendum in 2018.
