Fuzzy I like orange. Should I keep the teeth orange?
Homer Wells
Tobey Maguire · 15 quotes
Dr. Wilbur Larch
Michael Caine · 8 quotes
Arthur Rose
Delroy Lindo · 5 quotes
Candy Kendall
Charlize Theron · 3 quotes
Most scenes together: Homer Wells & Dr. Wilbur Larch (4), Homer Wells & Candy Kendall (3), Homer Wells & Arthur Rose (2)
The Cider House Rules quotes
Page 1 of 2 Fuzzy 
Buster [digging grave of botched abortion victim]
What did she die of?
She died of secrecy. She died of... ignorance. Homer, did you expect to be responsible for their children, you have to give them the right to decide whether or not to have children. Wouldn't you agree?
I'm not excepting people to be responsible enough to control themselves to begin with.
He volunteered. Jesus. Nobody volunteers for the Burma run. He said so himself. He just leaves me here. What does he want? He wants me to wait for him? Oh, God he knows me. He knows I'm not good at being alone. This was right. I know this was right.
You're right. This was right.
Yeah.
Fuzzy Is your father dead?
Cirrhosis. It's a disease of the liver.
Fuzzy What, a liver killed him?
No, alcohol killed him. He drank himself to death.
Fuzzy But did you know him?
Barely. But it hardly mattered that I knew him.
Fuzzy Did you know your mother better?
Mm-hmm. She's dead now too. She was a nanny.
Fuzzy What's a nanny do?
She looks after other people's children.
Fuzzy Did she grow up around here?
No. She was an immigrant.
Fuzzy What's an immigrant?
Someone not from Maine.
[giving back an X-ray that Dr. Larch gave to him]
I don't need this. I know about my condition.
It's your heart. You ought to take it with you.
[voiceover]
Dear Dr. Larch. Thank you for your doctor's bag, although it seems that I will not have the occasion to use it, barring some emergency, of course. I am not a doctor. With all due respect to your profession, I'm enjoying my life here. I'm enjoying being a lobsterman and orchardman. In fact, I've never enjoyed myself as much. The truth is, I want to stay here. I believe I'm being of some use.
[voiceover]
My Dear Homer: I thought you were over you adolescence - the first time in our lives when we imagine we have something terrible to hide from those who love us. Do you think it's not obvious to us what's happened to you? You've fallen in love, haven't you? By the way, whatever you're up to can't be too good for your heart. Then again, it's the sort of condition that could be made worse by worrying about it, so don't worry about it.
Dear Dr. Larch, What I'm learning her may not be as important as what I learned from you, but everything is new to me. Yesterday, I learned how to poison mice. Field mice girdle an apple tree; pine mice kill the roots. You use poison oats and poison corn. I know what you have to do. You have to play God. Well, killing mice is as close as I want to come to playing God.
Homer, here in St. Cloud's, I have been given the opportunity of playing God or leaving practically everything up to chance. Men and women of conscience should sieze those moments when it's possible to play God. There won't be many. Do I interfere when absolutely helpless women tell me they simply can't have an abortion - that they simply must go through with having another and yet another orphan? I do not. I do not even recommend. I just give them what they want. You are my work of art, Homer. Everything else has been just a job. I don't know if you have a work of art in you, but I know what your job is: you're a doctor.
I'm not a doctor.
You're going to replace me, Homer. The board of trustees is looking for my replacement.
I can't replace you. I'm sorry.
"Sorry"? I'm not sorry. Not for anything I've done. I'm not even sorry that I love you. [Speaking to the nurse] I think we may have lost him to the world.
I've never actually seen a lobster.
Are you serious?
I've never seen the ocean either.
Wally Worthington You've never seen the ocean? That's not funny, that's serious.
They wanted a girl, Curly.
Curly
Nobody ever wants me.
Oh, hey. Hey, come on. Come here. You know, you're one of the best, Curly, and we wouldn't let just anyone take you.
Curly
Dr. Larch wouldn't let just anyone take any of us.
Well, that's true.
Curly
Nobody's asked for me, have they?
Nobody special enough, Curly.
Curly
You mean somebody has?
Only the right people can have you. Now what do you say we go unpack your suitcase?
Uh, nobody's named this one yet.
Oh, it's my turn. Henceforth, you shall be Little Dorrit.
Can't a boy be Dorrit?
I don't think so.
You do it.
OK. Henceforth, you shall be Little Wilbur.
I'm not crazy about the "Little".
OK, just Wilbur then.
You're having sex with your own daughter.
Ain't nobody havin' sex with my daughter! Let me just tell you that!
You're lying. Aren't you ashamed of yourself? What do you care who hears? I mean, come on. They know already, don't they? They know Mr. Rose.
And you know what your business is, boy! I know you don't wanna be in no kind of business with me! That's what I know.
Yeah? Go on. Cut my clothes. I've got other clothes.
You gonna come here talkin' to me about lies and shame? Those people took you in, and that boy Wally is away at war!
Yeah, well she's your daughter!
And I love her! Ain't never gonna do nothin' to harm her.
She's pregnant, you know that? She's pregnant.
I'm just not supposed to get excited, you know. No strain. No stress. I try to keep calm all the time.
Wally Worthington I can't imagine there's any strain or stress around here.
Nurse Angela [looking at an X-Ray]
Do you know what this is?
Oh, that's my heart.
Nurse Angela No, actually, it's Fuzzy's. There's nothing wrong with your heart.
Nurse Edna Dr. Larch wanted to keep you out of the war. That's why he told you it was yours.
Nurse Angela He was worried about his own heart. He said it would never stand up to Homer Wells going off to war.
[Candy is sitting on a dock: inconsolable after receiving the news about Wally]
Just tell me. I'll do whatever you wanna do.
Nothing.
Isn't that like waiting and seeing?
No. Nothing's nothing. I want Wally to come home. I'm afraid to see him too.
I know.
To do nothing. It's a great idea, really. Maybe if I just wait and see long enough, then I won't have to do anything or decide anything, you know? I mean, maybe if I'm lucky enough, someone else will decide and choose and do things for me.
What are you talking about?
But then again, maybe I won't be that lucky. And it's not my fault. It's not your fault. And that's just it. Someone's gonna get hurt, and it's no one's fault.
I don't want to talk about this.
If we just sit here and, we wait and see a little longer, then maybe you won't to choose, and I won't have to do anything!
What do you want from me? Wally's been shot down. He's paralyzed. What do you want me to do?
Nothing. I'm sorry. You're not the one who has to do anything.
Peaches [Homer reads the actual Cider House Rules to the illiterate workers]
What do they think, go up to the roof to sleep? They must think we're crazy. They think we're dumb ****, so we need some dumb rules, is what they think.
That's it? It don't mean nothin' at all. And all this time I been wonderin' about 'em.
They outrageous, them rules. Who live in this cider house? Who grindin' up those apples, pressin' that cider, cleanin' up all this mess? Who just plain live here, just breathin' in that vinegar? Well, someone who don't live here made those rules. Those rules ain't for us. We are supposed to make our own rules. And we do. Every single day.
[Mr. Rose has a hold on his daughter to keep her from riding off on her bike to get away in the middle of the night]
Hey, nothin', man. You just go in the house. This ain't none of your concern.
Just listen to me...
You are forgettin' yourself now. This is my daughter! Now, I believe ya have your own mess ya gotta deal with.
Ain't that right, Homer? Ain't that right, Homer? My daughter done told ya and I done told ya. This ain't your business. This ain't none of your business! Ya even know what your business is, Homer? Do ya! Come on, man! What is your business?
I'm in the doctor business. I can help. That's all I'm saying. I can help.
[Mixture of astonishment and relief washes over the Roses]