"The Cider House Rules" contains some surprisingly harsh hospital scenes, including one that's the result of a badly botched abortion.

CNN: Review: 'The Cider House Rules' -- both hard and sweet

The World According to Garp, The Cider House Rules, A Prayer for Owen Meany all are spiked with Dickensian melodrama: Complex plots and perilous encounters.

NPR: Intersections: In the Footsteps of Charles Dickens

He also made select film appearances, with roles in The Cider House Rules and, most recently, alongside Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy in the comedy Tower Heist.

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Michael Caine had a crowd-pleasing win for best supporting actor, crediting his performance as Dr. Wilbur Larch, an orphanage tender in "The Cider House Rules" -- the first of two awards for the film, nominated for six Oscars.

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