The Cider House Rules

FADE IN. BEGIN TITLE SEQUENCE.

EXT. ST CLOUD'S - TRAIN STATION - DAWN

An establishing shot of the rundown train station on an

overcast morning. There's snow on the station platform. A

train arrives and departs.

LARCH (V.O.)

In other parts of the world, young

men of promise leave home to make

their fortunes, battle evil, or solve

the problems of the world.

Behind the station, at the top of the hill, lies the St.

Cloud's orphanage.

LARCH (V.O.)

I was myself such a young man, when

I came to save the orphanage in St.

Cloud's... many years ago.

EXT. ST. CLOUD'S - ORPHANAGE - EARLY MORNING

A man and woman (COUPLE #1) make their way toward the main

entrance of the large brick building.

LARCH (V.O.)

Here in St. Cloud's, I have come to

understand that promises are rarely

kept, that the battle isn't so much

against evil as ignorance, and that

being successful can't hold a candle

to being of *use*.

The couple enters the orphanage, where we hear the sound of

babies.

LARCH (V.O.)

Nor have I solved the problem I came

here to solve.

INT. ORPHANAGE - MORNING

Two nurses, EDNA and ANGELA, chase CHILDREN--a morning

routine.

LARCH (V.O.)

Even in the most enlightened times,

unwanted babies will manage to be

born. That there will always be

orphans is simple not a problem to

be solved. Here is St. Cloud's, we

don't regard the sordid facts of

life as problems.

The camera goes up the stairs with some of the kids.

INT. LARCH'S OFFICE - DAY

We enter an office where DR. LARCH shows couple #1 their

newly adopted son, HOMER, an infant who lies smiling in Dr.

Larch's arms.

LARCH (V.O.)

In truth, we've only had one real

problem.

We close in on the infant until his face fills the screen.

LARCH (V.O.)

His name was Homer Wells.

Dr. Larch hands over the infant to the adopting parents.

LARCH:

I named him after the Greek writer.

You know Homer, of course?

Hesitant nods. (They don't look as if they read.)

LARCH:

I made his name "Wells" because I

could tell he was very deep.

The parents look with pride at their adopted son.

LARCH (V.O.)

In truth, Nurse Angela named him--

her father *drilled* wells, and

"Homer" was one of her family's

umpteen cats.

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