Cider House Rules – a lesson in experience, principles, and responsibility

With my frequent bemoaning of the film industries current lack of imagination, I find it awfully refreshing when I stumble across movies from a bygone era that are in nature simple, but in meaning dense. Much like any great film, Cider House Rules thrives on its simplicity and complex characters that once examined, reveal intertwined intricacies that wonderfully compliment that natural course of the plot.

 With the film set in an orphanage during the 1940’s, Michael Cane takes on the role of a medical resident, responsible for both the wellbeing of the orphans, and the women who come seeking his aid and willingness to perform abortions. Toby Maguire, a beloved boy of Mr Cane, becomes a budding young doctor, following his mentor in every way bar one, the proclivity to perform the procedure. Sheltered from the cruel realities of the world, Toby lives his life in the fortunate position of the spectator, watching those come and go, taking the aborted foetuses to the burner outside and passing judgement on them all the while. The isolation that the orphans face, demonstrated with their amazement at a simple car, leads to Toby being overly sure of both himself and his principles, for he is unaware of the ease with which it is to judge. There is certainly an element of romanticism about this film, with parents applying for viewings only to take the youngest orphans, bypassing the challenging stages of managing a young infant and turning a blind eye to the troubles of teenagers. It is this same romanticism that Toby adopts, thinking the world is a simple problem with which he has the answer to. It is only with the films progression that he comes to learn things are not as black and white as the films they watch together in the attic.

With Toby departing the wing of Michael Cane to then fall into the arms of a never ageing Paul Rudd, we see Toby begin on his path towards change. With a touch of blissful ignorance, and with Paul Rudd off to war, Toby partakes in an affair with a young Charlize Theron. Throughout this endeavour, he gives little thought to his actions, disregarding the effect they would have on those who took him from the orphanage in a departure that was a far cry from a proper farewell. It is with the boding of Paul’s return that Toby must face the consequences of his actions. He must accept that Charlize is to care for Paul, and he is to return to whatever means of life he can find beyond picking apples in the orchard.

With the development of Toby’s character coming to the fore, he is then confronted with a situation that challenges the very principle with which his character was established: an abortion. Having dismissed any reason for the women’s circumstances, Toby finds himself in a situation he had perhaps not considered in his sheltered world, but with an overwhelming compulsion to do what he believes to be right; he performs the procedure. It is at this point that Toby burns the Cider House rules that were once pinned to the barn wall, mirroring his management of the aborted foetuses. This simple act displays both the maturity and development that Toby has curated, where he has grown as a person and understood that the world was not as simple as he first once thought in the removed environment of the orphanage.

Second chances are rare in life. The women who came to Michael Cane were fortunate to come across such a man willing to offer them at such a time. It is with the eventual accension of Toby to his former teacher’s position that completes his character arc and presents a wonderfully satisfying end to the film. Toby, who didn’t grant a proper goodbye to all the residents of the orphanage, triumphantly returns to stay and rectify this regretted decision, to live out his days taking care of those who cannot care for themselves, and to nurture the future princes of Maine and kings of New England.