1. steins03

   10

   I think that is was a great film, and the lighting helped in setting the mood in the film. The soft lighting showed a calm and relaxed environment at the orphanage. The costumes of the characters helped to set the time frame that the film had taken place. I defiantly recommend it for viewing.… Expand

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2. StudentLT

   7

   The Cider House Rules the film is a story of Homer Wells (Tobey Maguire), a permanent orphan of St. Cloud’s orphanage in Maine. The complementing yet contrasting character Dr. Larch (Michael Caine) has a place in his heart for Homer Wells and thinks of him like a son vs just being a mentor. Dr. Larch is the director of St. Cloud’s orphanage, an obstetrician and a secretly performs abortions but is addicted to ether. Growing up the orphanage Homer Wells is trained by Dr. Larch, he teaches him in obstetrics and abortions although their views about abortion were different. Homer supports Dr. Larch by helping with newborns and the children at the orphanage but he refuses to help with abortions. These decisions or choices to perform or deny abortions define the theme of The Cider House Rules. There are rules set forth in life and society and the choice to follow them or not are decisions of characters in the film. An ironic turn of events gives Homer an opportunity to leave St. Cloud’s orphanage; characters Candy Kendall (Charlize Theron) and Wally Worthington (Paul Rudd) visit St. Cloud for an abortion not adoption. After Dr. Larch performs Candy’s abortion Homer ask Wally to leave with them and ends up working at the Worthington family orchard as an apple picker. Homer is on a team of apple pickers with migrant workers, foreman Mr. Author Rose (Delroy Lindo), Mr. Rose’s daughter Rose Rose (Erykah Badu), Peaches (Heady D), Muddy (K. Todd Freeman) and Jack (Evan Parke) they all form a unique bond. Wally leaves for war and while he is away Homer and Candy have an awkward affair. When the migrant workers return for the summer Homer realizes the relationship between Rose Rose and Mr. Rose is that of incest when a pregnancy is discovered. At this point, Homer decides to perform an abortion for Rose Rose despite his previous moral standing. Mr. Rose is murdered by his daughter because he attempts to sexually abuse her again. Meanwhile, Wally returns from war paralyzed and Homer receives news that Dr. Larch died of an accidental ether overdose. Homer decides to return to St. Cloud’s orphanage and discovers Dr. Larch falsified documents making him a qualified doctor and director of the orphanage. The motif specific to The Cider House Rules is the setting, without the soft and subtle lighting for film would have been just a film but the natural lighting tied in the time mid 1930’s, controversial choices and theme. As a new reviewer of film I can see how the Film Cider House Rules is an Academy Award winning film, I had watch it twice to get the build up behind the movie.… Expand

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3. HunterC.

   0

   I do nominate Dr. Larch as being one of the most hypocritical characters in the history of American literture and film. One minute, he is caring and compassionate towards orphan children to the point that you want to cry. The next minute, he's cursing and scolding Homer over Homer's original disapproval of abortions. Either make Dr. Larch a caring man that truly loves children, or make him an evil man that hates children. The way this story is told, Larch is hypocritical. I'm surprised that Larch didn't stop women from having abortions the way he treated the kids in the orphanage. At the same time, I'm surprised Larch didn't lock all the orphan kids in their room and start a fire to kill them all the way he killed unborn babies. I have more respect for Hitler than Dr. Larch. At least Hitler knew who he didn't like (even though it was unjust and evil). Dr. Larch is just a big hypocrite.… Expand

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