The Cider House Rules

Cider house Rules

Michael Caine does a fantastic job expressing the message of the film. In this film he has been created to be a father figure, not just to the orphans, but the audience as well. He is a wise man with what seems to be infinite love and patience; if a man like this has dedicated his life to an orphanage and its occupants, how then can he be in support of abortion?

The director has effectively created a scenario where, as an audience, we can buy in to the debate of abortion, due to the character creation in this film. Wally in this film gives a look in to the emotional trauma that one must feel as they go through this difficult procedure. Especially in an era when abortion was such a taboo subject, one broached only through desperation. The window that this movie looks into is a difficult one, abortion when it was illegal at a mid-century orphanage? Let’s put as many social issues dealing with children as we can in one movie.

Charlize Theron has red nails, lies in a convertible with red leather, is this a warning or sign about her character? Mr. Rose explains to Homer the importance of picking the apple, minding the spur, for if the spur is picked then you have inadvertently picked the apple for next year as well. Homer has educated hands that do not betray him, all a metaphor for the work that he did at St. Cloud. If you do not do the abortion right or your hands betray you, you could destroy the womb of a woman and any future progeny.

Wilbur makes a comment to Homer as they are driving in the car, that is the perfect metaphor for this movie, as they argue about abortion. He says,”happy to be alive no matter what the circumstances?” as the movie progresses you can see his growth and experience grow, arguing his point about the importance of life. The movie they see is Wuthering heights, which is interesting because in the novel they have children and in the movie they don’t. the connection that Homer has and the atmosphere that is created in this movie is a mimicking of the womb, fuzzy and his bronchitis compartment, the orphanage and migrant workers quarters; many of the characters form such deep emotional bonds and have habitat in such close proximity with one another.

King Kong may be a representation of this principle as well, ripped from his natural environment to meet his demise. The back and forth that homer and Wilbur share is a very compelling as well as strongly emotional. The love that they have for one another is a great thing. That one could be raised by the other and have such differing opinions about such an important theme. I love the dichotomy in this movie and the creation of good and evil, black and white; yet they mix and weave, leaving a rope of entangled stories and characters. And of course we see the impossible happen, Mr. Rose was sleeping with his daughter and got her pregnant, so now what with the illegality of abortion. Life is not an easy thing; decisions are to be made at times that conflict with our deepest sets of moral standards.

It seemed like Wilbur had a tough time coping with what he felt like he needed to do, I realized it at the end of the movie, the ether helped him to sleep or to remove him from that in which he was engaged. Destiny and the rules by which we abide don’t necessarily apply to who we are or who become. Before Mr. Rose dies he says, “Sometimes you gotta break some rules to put things straight.” The many themes on which the movie touches make it an interesting study on many of life’s circumstances, but I think that the major message of the film is just as simple as,” life is not in black and white, there is uncertainty and doubt, and sometimes you gotta break the rules to make things straight.”

One of the interesting pieces with which this movie corresponded is David Copperfield. The new life and change that is wrought upon many of the characters in this movie, this movie speaks of journey and the lost or orphaned finding themselves and their path. I loved this movie, very compelling plot and written with strong metaphors about life in general. This film is chuck full of societal themes and topics ranging from abortion to self-discovery and moral conduct.