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Contents © 2000
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.

THE CIDER HOUSE RULES

Directed by Lasse Hallstrom. Starring Tobey Maguire, Charlize Theron, Michael Caine. 1999, Color, English, 125 minutes. Available at Blockbuster Video.

Ernie: They're trying to make abortion the compassionate thing to do for these unwed mothers, but they also go into the territory where compassion for the child is relieving it from the misery of growing up in the orphanage. They all but make the statement that these kids would be better off dead. It's World War II. Jews are being slaughtered in concentration camps. Yet Dr. Larch thinks these kids have a such a horrible life that they're better off being killed before they enter it.

Matthew: When Homer says that he could have ended up in the incinerator, and Dr. Larch replies, "Happy to be alive under any circumstances, is that your point?" it's clear that it's a rhetorical question. And the argument got skewed when Larch brought in happiness. If earthly happiness is the primary criteria for the worthwhileness of life, then a lot of people ought to be killed.

* * *

Ernie: They give themselves an awfully difficult task in trying to make a film to support the pro-abortion cause. When you portray a life on film, you end up representing life as a good. You celebrate the human spirit, even if it's the human spirit coming through difficult times.