Dr. Wilbur Larch (Michael Caine) in the "The Cider House Rules" is in charge of St. Cloud's, an orphanage in rural Maine, and if St. Cloud's is a place where people desire to leave, it is not because it is badly run. Dr. Larch administers the place as best as he can within the limits of scarce resources. Early on, it is also noted that Dr. Larch is an abortionist. As a result of having been confronted with the misery of countless women and orphans in the big cities, Dr. Larch is a physician who performs abortions if asked by women to do so. He does this knowing that the procedure is illegal at the time (1943-1945).

St. Cloud's clients are specific types. A few are prospective adopters who come to inspect the children and occasionally leave with one. Others come to have their babies and leave them behind, and some expectant parents come for illegal abortions.

Homer Wells (Tobey Maguire) is an orphan who never found a family but grew to adulthood at St. Cloud's and stayed. He now assists Dr. Larch. He knows how to deliver babies but is not a doctor. One thing he won’t assist Larch in, however, is performing abortions.

Dr. Larch insists that the vulnerable orphans be treated as if they came from royal families. That is why he ends every day by cheerfully telling his wards: "Good-night you princes of Maine, you kings of New England." It is clear that rules made by others don't work at St. Cloud's. They make their own rules every single day: The Cider House Rules.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org