The Cider House Rules
![The Cider House Rules](https://prod-images.tcm.com/v5cache/TCM/Images/Dynamic/i350/ciderhouserules1999_442899_1024x767_12082014094021.jpg)
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Lasse Hallström
Michael Caine
Christine Stevens
Kate Nelligan
Lonnie Farmer
Kathleen E Broadhurst
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Homer Wells was a parent-less child, raised and mentored by his orphanage's doctor, a man named Larch. Their's was an extraordinary bond. Larch taught Homer everything about medicine and what he could about right and wrong. All Homer wanted was one thing Larch couldn't give him - rules to live by. Given the chance to leave the orphanage, and the only family he's ever known, Homer realizes there is an entire world to discover. His new life provides more excitement than he could have imagined, especially when Homer falls in love for the first time. But, when forced to make decisions that will change the course of his future, Homer ultimately realizes he can't escape his past.
Director
Lasse Hallström
Cast
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/Master-Profile-Images/MichaelCaine.jpg?imwidth=188&height=141)
Michael Caine
Christine Stevens
Kate Nelligan
Lonnie Farmer
Kathleen E Broadhurst
Sean Andrew
Heavy D.
K. Todd Freeman
Skye Mccole Bartusiak
Earle C Batchelder
Paz De La Huerta
Victoria Stankiewcz
Patrick Donnelly
Heavy D
Tobey Maguire
Delroy Lindo
Norman Fine
Erik Per Sullivan
Paul Rudd
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/Master-Profile-Images/JaneAlexander.jpg?imwidth=188&height=141)
Jane Alexander
Jimmy Flynn
Daniel Walsh
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/Master-Profile-Images/CharlizeTheron.339445.jpg?imwidth=188&height=141)
Charlize Theron
Mary Bogue
Kathy Baker
J. K. Simmons
Erykah Badu
Edie Schechter
Kasey Berry
John Albano
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/Master-Profile-Images/KieranCulkin.41951.jpg?imwidth=188&height=141)
Kieran Culkin
Evan Dexter Parke
Colin Irving
Spencer Diamond
Arthur Wood
Annie Corley
Scott A. Bobbitt
Clare Daly
Crew
Richard Abate
Richard Abate Jr.
Gina R. Alfano
Alan Allinger
John Alzapiedi
Susan Anderson
Robert M Andres
Rand Angelicola
Rodney Armanino
Louis Armstrong
Jonathan Askew
Jeff Atmajian
Denise Avallon
Bob Balfour
Kerry Barden
Allison Barton
Judson Bell
Richard J Bell
Mark Bennett
William Bergland
Irving Berlin
Louis Bertini
Ulf Bjorck
Sarah Black
Chloe Bland
Alan C. Blomquist
Robert Bolanowski
Ron Bolanowski
Harry Peck Bolles
Robert Bookman
Phillip Borsos
David Bostic
David Boulton
Daniel Boxer
Timothy Brooks
Marcia Brown
Richard Buttero
Michael Caldwell
Lon Caracappa
David Carbonara
John Carbonara
Robert Carnes
Governor Paul Cellucci
Bob Chefalas
Marty Cherrix
Eric Christoffersen
Susan Christy
Lisa Zeno Churgin
Richard P. Cirincione
Laura Civiello
Deborah Clapp
Douglas Cluff
Bobby Cohen
Nydia Colo'n
Sharyn Cordice
Tom Costley
Dan Courchaine
Dr Cowan
William Coyman
Chris Cozens
Marianne Crescenzi
John Cronk
Charlie Croughwell
Robert Cuddy
Sven Davisson
Robin Dawson
Andrew J. Day
Sig De Miguel
Jeff Debell
Steve Deboer
Vaughn Deleath
Rick Destacio
Chris Dibbil
Michael Diieso
Nick Diloretto
Deborah Maxwell Dion
Mort Dixon
Jeff Dobbs
Norm Dodge
Joe Dohner
Tommy Dorsey
Dennis Doyle
Robert Dudley
Dave Duggan
Stephen P Dunn
Sarah Elliott
Wilbur Ellis
Colby Enders
James B Faulkner
Carl Fischer
Mark Fitzgerald
Kerry Fitzmaurice
James Flemming
Lorin Flemming
Jimmy Flynn
Francis Foley
Mary Ford
Nathan Ford
Chris Fousek
Dr. Denise Galinas
Elena Gavrilova
George Gershwin
George Gershwin
Ira Gershwin
Terel Gibson
Lea Giraldi
Lauri Gladstein
Richard Gladstein
Chad Glastonbury
David Godfree
Dr Goldberg
Jane Goldsmith
Dihann Green
Wylie Young Griffin
David Gropman
Jerry Guarino
Jill Hahn
Dr. Richard Halgin
Barbara A Hall
Nils Hallstrom
George Hamer
Sandy Hamilton
Charles Harrington
Paul Harrington
J.j. Harris
Barbara J Hause
Jerry Hebda
Clark Henderson
Ray Henderson
Gerry Hernandez
Wayne Herndon
Roger Hitchcock
Petur Hliddal
Leslie Holleran
Brandon Hollyer
Billy Hopkins
Toni Howard
Joni Huth
Janet Turnbull Irving
John Irving
John Irving
Timothy C Jackson
Janice Jacobs
Tracey Jacobs
Michael Jacobson
April Janow
Kim Jennings
Rick Johnston
George Jones
Gus Kahn
Renee Ehrlich Kalfus
Jenny Kane
Kelly Keough
Richard Kerekes
Jay Kessel
Sarco Kirklian
Bruce Kitzmeyer
Sherry Koftan
Eric Komar
Dan Korintus
Jasmine Kosovic
David Kramer's Looping Group
Eric Kranzler
Laura Kreft
May Kuckro
Joshua Landis
Deborah Larsen
Holly Laws
Margaret Leigh Palmer
Chad Lemieux
John Lenehan
Les Brown And The Band Of Renown
Lisa Lesniak
Keith G Lewis
Dr. Verneda Lights-sagay
Marissa Littlefield
Chris Lombardi
Dr. Laurence Lundy
Alasdair Maclellan
Al Magliochetti
Randy Manion
Lisa Mantoux
Roger Marbury
Jonathan Martin
Bobby Martini
Cameron Matheson
Eric Matheson
Jack Mcbride
Roderick Mccellan
Cassy Mcevoy
Tom Mcguire
Robert Mckown
Sophie Mcmenamin
Brenda Mcnally
Jennifer Mcnamara
Cary Meadow
Bob Melky
Cheryl Miller
Matt Miller
Don Mink
Film Details
Technical Specs
Award Wins
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actor
Award Nominations
Set Decoration
Best Director
Best Editing
Best Original Score
Best Picture
Articles
The Cider House Rules
Actors from Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke, James Franco, and Matt Damon were considered for Homer, but it was Tobey Maguire who won the role. Liv Tyler and Tori Spelling were rumored to have been up for the role of Candy, which went to Charlize Theron. Irving had wanted his son, Colin, to play Wally, a character based on the father he never knew, who survived being shot down over Burma in World War II. By the time the film was made, Colin was too old to play Wally (which went to Paul Rudd) and was given the role of Major Winslow. John Irving himself appeared in a cameo role as the St. Cloud stationmaster. Four directors were considered in the fifteen years it took to get the film made, including Canadian filmmaker Phillip Borsos, who died of leukemia in 1995 at the age of 41. He was replaced with Lasse Hallström, best known for My Life as a Dog (1985).
A co-production of FilmColony, Nina Saxon Film Design, and Miramax Films, the film also starred Michael Caine as Dr. Larch and Jane Alexander as Nurse Edna, with Erykah Badu, Kate Nelligan, and Kathy Baker. With a modest budget of $24 million, The Cider House Rules went into production in November 1998 and was shot at various locations in the Northeastern United States, including Northampton State Hospital in Massachusetts (a former mental institution which was used for the orphanage), Sand Beach in Bar Harbor, Maine, and Brattleboro, Vermont.
Released in October 1999, the reviews were generally positive, although Roger Ebert, writing for The Chicago Sun-Times wrote, "I left the theater wondering what the movie thought it was about and was unable to say. It's almost deliberately unfocused; it shows us many events without guiding them to add up to anything definite." The Cider House Rules earned seven Academy Award nominations, and won two: Best Adapted Screenplay for Irving and Best Supporting Actor for Michael Caine.
By Lorraine LoBianco
SOURCES:
Gussow, Mel "A Novelist Builds Out From Fact To Reach The Truth; John Irving Begins With His Memories." The New York Times 28 Apr 1998
The Internet Movie Database
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-cider-house-rules-1999
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The Cider House Rules
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Nominated for the 1999 award for Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published (John Irving) from the Writers Guild of America.
Winner of the 1999 award for Best Screenplay from the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures.
Winner of the 1999 Golden Satellite for Best Adapted Screenplay (John Irving) from the International Press Aacademy.
Expanded Release in United States December 25, 1999
Expanded Release in United States February 18, 2000
Expanded Release in United States February 25, 2000
Expanded Release in United States March 10, 2000
Expanded Release in United States March 17, 2000
Expanded Release in United States March 3, 2000
Released in United States October 1999
Released in United States on Video August 15, 2000
Released in United States September 1999
Released in United States Winter December 10, 1999
Shown at Toronto International Film Festival (Gala) September 9-18, 1999.
Shown at Venice International Film Festival (in competition) September 1-11, 1999.
Michael Winterbottom was previously attached to direct.
Previously in development at Beacon Communications with Phillip Borsos attached to direct.
Began shooting September 21, 1998.
Completed shooting December 12, 1998.
Wide released in USA January 7, 2000.
Expanded Release in United States February 18, 2000
Expanded Release in United States February 25, 2000
Expanded Release in United States March 3, 2000
Expanded Release in United States March 10, 2000
Expanded Release in United States March 17, 2000
Released in United States on Video August 15, 2000
Released in United States September 1999 (Shown at Toronto International Film Festival (Gala) September 9-18, 1999.)
Released in United States September 1999 (Shown at Venice International Film Festival (in competition) September 1-11, 1999.)
Released in United States October 1999 (Shown at AFI/Los Angeles International Film Festival (Opening Night Gala) October 21-29, 1999.)
Released in United States Winter December 10, 1999
Expanded Release in United States December 25, 1999