Cider House Rules
In the summer of 1998 Miramax made arrangements to use the
exterior of the Ventfort Hall mansion as the orphanage for
the film adaptation of the John Irving novel Cider House Rules.
Lenox, together with Northampton, Massacusetts, New Hampshire,
and Maine was a brief home to the creation of this Oscar-winning
film.
With Tobey Maguire as the orphan Homer Wells, Michael Caine
as Dr. Wilbur Larch, Charlize Theron as Candy, Ventfort Hall
became St. Cloud's Orphanage under the direction of Lasse Holstrom.
David Gropman was the production designer and his crew of carpenters,
landscape workers and electricians took over the property in
August 1998 to prepare for the filming.
Ventfort Hall benefited from their activities. The film replaced
the ugly safety glass in the porch door with a beautiful stained
glass window that matches the old ones on either side. The
rotting porch columns and missing railings were rebuilt with
new wood and then painted and aged to match the original weather
stained and weather-beaten porch. When, during a summer rainstorm,
it was discovered that the porch roof leaked like a sieve,
carpenters were sent immediately to rebuild the roof.
Finally, on a cold November day, hundreds of massive trucks
arrived. Filming had begun. Snow was manufactured one day.
Two days later it was washed away and green grass and summer
flowers sprouted all over the garden. Trees came and went as
they were needed to screen unwanted views... Lights burned
deep into the night... What a great adventure! Three weeks
later it was all a memory. The movie was released to great
acclaim in 2000.
The movie The Cider House Rules is out on video.  This
Oscar-winning film features the mansion as "St. Cloud's
Orphanage" in the John Irving Story.  The acting
is great!  Wonderful music.  VHA is thrilled
to have been a part of this fine film.  The video and
CD are available for purchase in the Ventfort Hall Gift Shop.
photo of new stained glass window
photo of paneling being reinstalled on south end of the Great
Hall
photo of porch column and railing work
South Porch being re roofed by movie crew
snow making in progress
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