This week's Friday movie is The Cider House Rules, which I just saw for the first time two days ago. It was wonderful, sad, sweet and a really beautiful story

 The Cider House Rules is set in the 1940's at an orphanage run by a loving doctor and his staff of nurses. Dr. Larch develops a soft spot for Homer Wells, an orphan who was adopted twice and returned twice. As Homer grows up, he teaches him everything he knows about obstetrics.


    Many young, unmarried women come to the orphanage to give birth or have an abortion. Abortion was illegal in the 1940's but the doctor believes that the girls are better off having a real doctor give them an abortion than to do it themselves and end up dead from infection.




   One day, a beautiful young woman and her boyfriend come to the orphanage for an abortion and Homer falls in love with her at first sight. When she heals, he decides to go with her and her boyfriend and leave the orphanage for the first time in his life and set out into the world to make it on his own. Through his journey, he learns about  life, love, morals and self discovery.


   As controversial as the topic of abortion is, this film really does an excellent job of never stating weather abortion is right or wrong and simply presents the act in all different situations, leaving the final decision to the viewer, much like it did to Homer Wells.

   Costumes for The Cider House Rules were designed by Renee Ehrlich Kalfus who also worked on costumes for Chocolat and What's Eating Gilbert Grape. For anyone looking for inspiration for vintage autumn fashions, this is an excellent example.  The Cider House Rules is based on the novel by John Irving.